Kings Wild Funded!

[Rob Wright]

 

Kings Wild Funded!


From Jackson's blog

It's been a long and exciting road over the past year starting and developing Kings Wild Project. As time goes my I hope is to make your experiences with Kings Wild Project more enjoyable than with any other playing card company. I want Kings Wild Project to become THE industry standard of what is expected for both quality and excellence both with design and also the customer experience.

 

With that I am happy to announce that over the past months I have been working with incredibly talented developers to harness the power of crowd-funding exclusively on the Kings Wild Website. This crowd funding platform will be exclusively for Kings Wild Project decks and projects alone. I already have projects lined up and ready to go with my new system and hope that this will be a great step forward in the growth and self sustainability of Kings Wild Project.

[Don Boyer]

So, it would seem that Jackson's doing a crowdfunding project for getting decks made, just like Deckstarter.  Except that his decks aren't pre-made before the "crowdfunding" begins!

[Magic_Orthodoxy]

i'm sure as a designer and with a popular following, he'd like to keep all of his profits and keep KSTR out of his pocket - can't blame him. If anyone could run with the BIG DOGS it's JR - more power to him. 

[JacksonRobinson]

Not paying fees to Kickstarter are a big part of it but really it boils down to me being able to create the costumer experience I want. After experiences using KS I have realized so many things things that could be better than how KS runs things.

Also like Don said this will be a truly crowdfunded / preorder model. I won't be preprinting anything. I have also realized that a have so much more leverage with the crowdfunding model just because I can raise more money, than I have in my pocket, to really push the envelope of production. I have always been able to focus on the quality of the product rather than the trying to make production cost as low as possible so profits can remain as high as possible.

My system is already developed, fully functional and ready to go.

[MrMollusk]

This is awesome! I couldn't think of a better person to start a crowdfunding site for cards!

Also, I need some decks to wash the bad taste of Deckstarter out of my mouth. Can't wait for the launch!

[Rick Davidson]

Hard to keep up with developments in the industry over the last year.  This is great, congratulations Jackson.  After tasting the hell that is Kickstarter I can totally see your angle.

[BiggerDee]

I always welcome more options to purchase cards, especially ones of the highest quality. Get those projects loaded and going!

[Card Player]

@ Rick Davidson @ Jackson Robinson

I was wondering if you could elaborate as to the difficulties both of you encountered while using Kickstarter to host your project campaigns?

@ Rick

Have you found or looked into any alternatives to Kickstarter that you would consider using? I know Indiegogo is one. Due too the volume of Kickstarter, would you actually consider using an alternative?

Also like Don said this will be a truly crowdfunded / preorder model. I won't be preprinting anything. I have also realized that a have so much more leverage with the crowdfunding model just because I can raise more money, than I have in my pocket, to really push the envelope of production. I have always been able to focus on the quality of the product rather than the trying to make production cost as low as possible so profits can remain as high as possible.

@ Jackson

You want more control over your profits? I think the price you pay to use Kickstarter is worth the volume of income. You might make more per unit sold using yours, but your total income could suffer in comparison to your largely successful Kickstarter. You have to start somewhere, right? Eventually, if people want your product they will find you outside of Kickstarter. However, when are you starting? Did I read correctly that your latest creation "National Pastime" will be a "Kickstarter Campaign"? Why not wait for your own "King Wild Funding"?

[JacksonRobinson]

@ Rick Davidson @ Jackson Robinson

I was wondering if you could elaborate as to the difficulties both of you encountered while using Kickstarter to host your project campaigns?

@ Rick

Have you found or looked into any alternatives to Kickstarter that you would consider using? I know Indiegogo is one. Due too the volume of Kickstarter, would you actually consider using an alternative?

Also like Don said this will be a truly crowdfunded / preorder model. I won't be preprinting anything. I have also realized that a have so much more leverage with the crowdfunding model just because I can raise more money, than I have in my pocket, to really push the envelope of production. I have always been able to focus on the quality of the product rather than the trying to make production cost as low as possible so profits can remain as high as possible.

@ Jackson

You want more control over your profits? I think the price you pay to use Kickstarter is worth the volume of income. You might make more per unit sold using yours, but your total income could suffer in comparison to your largely successful Kickstarter. You have to start somewhere, right? Eventually, if people want your product they will find you outside of Kickstarter. However, when are you starting? Did I read correctly that your latest creation "National Pastime" will be a "Kickstarter Campaign"? Why not wait for your own "King Wild Funding"?

I have found that the marketing reach of KS has gotten smaller and smaller with each project I have done. I receive about 80% of my funding in the first 3 days of my projects so the 10% I pay for KS PR isn't worth it at all.

As for the National Pastime project, I will most likely launch it on Kings Wild Funding rather than KS.

[Rick Davidson]

For me, KS was a pretty straight forward choice as far as exposure and access to the market went.  I did consider Indigogo but noticed projects floundering there.  I doubt there is anywhere else with the same potential traffic for a first up campaign, so for that I'm thankful it exists.  And right now KS is obviously a powerhouse for card campaigns.

That said, the pledging system is so crude it amazes me.  To be unable to choose add ons when you pledge seems bizarre.  To have to manually add up the cost yourself.  And for myself being unable to work in US dollars.  It meant I had no idea of production quantities until well after the campaign was complete, pledgers who couldn't remember what they'd pledged for, incorrect shipping amounts etc.  Services like Backerkit have jumped in to fill the gap but it really should be part of the KS system to start.

KS and the payment system do carve about 10% off your total also, but again it's hard to beat the exposure.

[Anthony]

I think this is the key to the whole thing
"I have always been able to focus on the quality of the product .........." That's the true freedom I think any designer is looking for, in this case Jackson, who I know will push the envelope even further without the KS limitations.

KS is a great thing for start ups as Rick mentioned, but you have to experience it from the back side to really understand.

[Rob Wright]

The KWF will only be for KW projects..............Brendan's Hive deck is a KW project...........so does that mean there will be other artist?

Will you possibly except submissions in the future?

Just wandering where the vision is going.

[BiggerDee]

I believe that Jackson is one of the designers that have reached the level where customers go in search of them, and follow them, just to acquire their decks (Paul Carpenter and Randy Butterfield would be two others in that same group) whereas newer designers can benefit from the exposure provided by KS as they build their name/brand.

[JacksonRobinson]

The KWF will only be for KW projects..............Brendan's Hive deck is a KW project...........so does that mean there will be other artist?

Will you possibly except submissions in the future?

Just wandering where the vision is going.

I really don't have any plans for ever excepting submissions for decks but I do have plans of seeking out artists who I think would make incredible decks. I may also limit Kings Wild Funded to only the decks who are really pushing the limits and warrant extra production cost that I might not be able to fund my self in order to achieve the quality and production needs. I also will most likely continue doing Kickstarters in the future as well, as my sight would only really be viewed by "followers" and not new eyes. It will really just depend on the deck and it's theme to decide where I will launch it.

[Rob Wright]

From KW facebook

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Kings Wild Funded Locked and Loaded. If all goes as planned the "Go Live" date will be this Monday. Stay tuned for any updates.