First of all, congratulations on the Pixboom Spark project! I’m really impressed by its evolution, ambition, and the incredible work you’ve done so far. It’s clear that a lot of thought, dedication, and technical expertise have gone into making this camera a reality.
Like many others, I’m very interested in supporting the project. However, I must admit that I feel a bit hesitant because of the uncertainty linked to it being a Kickstarter reward. It represents a considerable investment, and I would feel more comfortable knowing what assurances or protections exist for backers like myself.
I hope you understand my concern and I look forward to any clarification you can provide. Thank you again for your dedication and for creating such an exciting product!
Thank you for your detailed reply and for sharing the story and vision behind Spark. I really appreciate the dedication, experience, and effort that Young and the team have put into this project, it’s very impressive and inspiring.
That said, my concern isn’t about the founder’s history or the seriousness of the project, it’s rather about the lack of legal guarantee for backers on Kickstarter. As this is a reward-based platform, it represents a considerable investment, and I would feel much more confident knowing if there are any formal assurances regarding delivery, in case of delays or unforeseen issues.
I’m very excited about Spark and eager to support it, and I hope you can clarify this aspect so that backers like me can participate with confidence. That’s all I need to take the leap!
Thank you for your thoughtful reply and for asking such a direct and important question. You’ve touched upon a core aspect of crowdfunding, and your concern about the investment risk is completely valid and shared by many thoughtful backers.
You are correct that Kickstarter is a reward-based platform, not a traditional storefront. By its nature, it doesn’t offer the same legal guarantees as a retail purchase, as backers are supporting a project’s journey from concept to reality.
However, while we can’t offer a formal legal guarantee against all unforeseen issues, we have taken concrete steps to minimize risks and build trust with our backers. Here’s what gives us—and hopefully you—confidence in our ability to deliver:
Production Readiness & Development Status: To be very precise about our progress: Our hardware development is 100% complete. This means the core engineering, design, and components are finalized. We have advanced prototypes built with this final, production-ready hardware, so the biggest hurdles and risks of a hardware project are already behind us. The primary reason we are on Kickstarter is to utilize the manufacturing lead time to focus entirely on polishing and upgrading the software. This allows us to meticulously refine the user experience and add features, ensuring the software is as powerful and intuitive as the hardware when it arrives in your hands.
Experienced Team: Our team’s experience, which I mentioned earlier, isn’t just in design but also in mass production and global logistics. We have navigated the complexities of bringing hardware products to market before and have contingency plans for common challenges.
Commitment to Transparency: This is our firm promise to you: We are committed to radical transparency. You will receive regular, honest updates on our progress—including our software development milestones—and any challenges we might face. We believe that keeping our backers informed is the best way to honor their trust.
Ultimately, our goal isn’t just to ship a single product; it’s to build the Spark brand and a lasting community. Your trust is the absolute foundation of that, and we know we have to earn it every step of the way by being prepared, transparent, and accountable.
I hope this clarification on our approach to risk and our commitment to you provides the confidence you’re looking for. We would be absolutely thrilled to have you join us on this journey and help bring Spark to life!
