A Canadian crowdfunding platform is seeking to ‘rise above the crowd’ by launching the world’s first Perk MarketplaceTM as a way to recognize and reward supporters.
GreedyGiver is a crowdfunding site that supplies perks for campaigners, often in the form of gift cards or discounts on local/national brands. The theory behind the Perk Marketplace is that ‘there’s sure to be something for everyone,’ providing a space for donors to browse through a collection of available perks.
The crowdfunding market
Taking up more than $5 billion of the global market, crowdfunding appears to be bridging a funding gap that spans across multiple industries and social sectors. Having said that, it is estimated that 70 per cent of all crowdfunding campaigns fail to reach their target goal due to a variety of reasons such as an inability to tell a compelling story, or lack of reach. But one of the biggest reasons they fail is due to the absence of perks, or by offering perks that only appeal to a small number of people.
“It’s this aspect of perks that makes crowdfunding unique,” says Rose Spinelli, voted Top 100 Most Influential Crowdfunding Thought Leaders by OurCrowd.com “Perks, generally sourced and fulfilled by the campaigner, are used to entice and thank people for their support.”
How GreedyGiver works
Perks in the GreedyGiver marketplace come in the form of e-gift cards for major national retailers like The Keg, Starbucks, or even Best Buy.
“Our Perk Marketplace is meant to be a safety net for crowdfunders,” says Apostolos Sigalas, Director of Sales for GreedyGiver.com. “When someone isn't interested in one of the perks the crowdfunder is offering, potential supporters can simply browse and select from any of the perks in our marketplace. This allows the crowdfunder’s campaign to appeal to more people across Canada. More people means more funds raised.”
GreedyGiver also handles fulfillment of Marketplace Perks, alleviating this burden for crowdfunders—an issue that has plagued even the most successful of crowdfunding campaigns.
Charities and nonprofits will also benefit from using the platform as it allows them to provide something more to donors besides a charitable tax receipt. Research shows that donors would give more often if they received a benefit that they can actually use. With GreedyGiver providing eGift-Cards from over 50 National Retailers, there’s sure to be a perk for everyone.
Michelle Jondreau is a communications professional with an avid interest in all things HR. On top of that, she hails from the nonprofit world and as such has a keen understanding of sector trends and issues. Follow her @majondreau.
