Are pre-launch lifetime deals safe? What to check before you back one

A pre-launch lifetime deal depends on a founder finishing what they started. Most of the risk comes down to three things: whether the founder is who they say they are, whether the product ships, and whether you pay before you can use it.

What can go wrong

• The product ships late.
• It ships, but different from what was described.
• It never ships.
• It ships and later shuts down. Lifetime means for as long as the product is offered.

What to check before you back

1. Who the founder is: a real name, a public history, a product video, links to their work.
2. What the deal includes: the plan, features and limits.
3. When you're charged: now, when the campaign ends, or when access opens.
4. What happens if it doesn't ship: a refund, a cancellation, or nothing.
5. How the founder communicates: past updates and replies to questions.

How Day Zero protects backers

On Day Zero, you pledge with a card that's saved, not charged. If the campaign reaches its goal, you're charged when the founder opens access, so you pay once you can use the product. If access isn't open 90 days after the campaign ends, the campaign is cancelled and nobody is charged.

Every founder verifies their identity with a government ID and a selfie before any seat goes on sale, and every listing is reviewed by hand. Founders are expected to post monthly updates, and backers ask questions in each campaign's public discussion. Founders who miss delivery by more than 60 days without communicating, go silent for 90 days or commit fraud are added to the public ban list.

Once you're charged, the purchase is final, like on Kickstarter. If you change your mind before that, cancel your pledge from your account. Until you redeem a seat, you can also resell it.