This is why we pay—Motivational factors for supporting subscription-based crowdfunding campaigns

Abstract

Subscription-based crowdfunding platforms emerged as novel digital platforms that offer creators the possibility of financial independence. They differ significantly from traditional time-limited crowdfunding approaches by utilizing recurring payments and enabling a creator-centric rather than campaign-centric funding approach. We built upon previous research on individuals’ motivation to support crowdfunding campaigns, and utilizing self-determination theory, our study explores which subscription-based crowdfunding campaign characteristics influence individuals’ motivation to support them. We use a two-method approach by analyzing individual pledge data from a subscription-based crowdfunding platform and conducting a discrete choice experiment. Our results show that having a high number of previous supporters increases potential supporters’ willingness to pay, while a campaign’s current recurring income and the hiding of this piece of information decrease it. We could also identify a u-shaped effect of campaigns’ goal proximity on willingness to pay. We discuss the theoretical and practical contributions of our research and provide an overview of potential future research directions.