Your Complete Wadiz Funding Journey
Last Updated: August 26, 2026
Wadiz is Korea’s leading reward-based crowdfunding platform, and there are four decisions that matter more than any others when running a Wadiz campaign: your funding goal, your reward lineup, your story, and your settlement plan.
Get the first three right before you launch, and the fourth—settlement—will take care of itself once your campaign succeeds. This guide walks you through all four in order, highlighting the single most important takeaway from each of our in-depth guides, so you can see the entire journey—and where you are in it—at a glance.
The Four Stages, at a Glance
| Stage | When | The one decision you’re making |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Funding Goal | Before you submit | What is the minimum amount you actually need to complete this project? |
| 2. Reward Design | Before you submit | What will supporters receive, and how many ways can they back the project? |
| 3. Story Writing | Before you launch | How do you prove this is real and worth supporting today? |
| 4. Settlement | After Launch | When and how do you actually receive the funds? |
Stage 1. Set Your Funding Goal
Your funding goal is not the amount you hope to raise—it’s the minimum amount you need to actually carry out the project. Whether your campaign succeeds or fails depends entirely on whether you reach this goal by your closing date.
Why the number itself matters
- Set it too high, and it becomes difficult to reach—your campaign may end without any supporter payments being processed at all.
- Set it too low, and you may end up with less money than you actually need to produce the reward.
- Your achievement rate (% funded) is visible to supporters throughout the campaign—a goal set too high can make even a large amount raised look like a discouraging low percentage, which affects whether new supporters decide to back you.
What to Actually Include in the Number
Your goal needs to cover more than just production costs:
| Category | What it covers | How to calculate |
|---|---|---|
| Production cost | Cost of manufacturing the reward | Unit cost × minimum order quantity |
| Shipping cost | Delivering the reward to backers | Unit cost × minimum order quantity |
| Packaging cost | Boxes, cushioning, stickers, etc. | Unit cost × minimum order quantity |
| Labor cost | Labor required to carry out the project | Estimated on a case-by-case basis |
| Contingency buffer | Defects, rework, and unforeseen issues | About 20% of production cost |
| Wadiz fees | Service usage + payment processing fee | See fee schedule |
Funding Goal Calculation Formula
- Funding goal ÷ number of campaign days = amount you need to raise per day
- Example: KRW 1,000,000 goal ÷ 30-day campaign = KRW 33,333 per day
If that daily amount feels achievable, your goal is likely set appropriately. If it feels overwhelming, lower it. If it feels too easy, consider raising it slightly.
💡 Note: You can set a funding goal ranging from a minimum of KRW 500,000 to a maximum of KRW 100,000,000.
Stage 2. Design Your Rewards
Two projects with the same product, the same story, and the same traffic can end up with very different funding totals purely because of how their rewards are structured. The reward screen determines whether a supporter actually pays, how much they pay, and how confident they feel about doing so.
The goal isn’t to offer more options—it’s to meet supporters’ needs
Even a single product can be presented differently depending on who’s buying it and why: an early-bird tier for the first supporters, a single unit, a 2- or 3-pack for sharing, a gift-ready package, and so on. Aim for roughly 6 to 8 options. Projects with 3 or fewer options see supporters drop off, feeling “nothing here is quite right for me.”
A low entry point AND a high price ceiling—both, not either
Among projects that raised over 10 million KRW, the median price of the cheapest reward was around 7,000 KRW, and 86% also included a reward priced at 100,000 KRW or more. Among projects that missed their goal, only about 50% had a reward that high. A well-designed reward structure uses an affordable reward to lower the barrier to a first purchase, and bundles or higher tiers to increase the amount each backer pays.
| Category | Underwhelming design | Well-designed |
|---|---|---|
| Options | Only 1–3 core products | 6+ options organized by use case |
| Price range | Clustered around a single price point | Staged from low to high (a price ladder) |
| Bundles | Single unit only | 2-packs, 3-packs, gift bundles |
| Top tier | No premium-priced reward | Extra perks or bundled packages |
Three Reward Structures That Work
- Early-bird tiers — segment a single product by discount and quantity (Ultra → Super → Early-Bird) to concentrate orders immediately after launch.
- N-pack bundles — the discount rate increases with quantity; particularly effective for consumable categories such as beauty and food.
- Benefit-stacked bundles — each tier adds one more benefit on top of the previous one; works well for digital goods and low-margin-cost categories.
Stage 3. Write Your Story
On Wadiz, the “story” is your product detail page—but Wadiz supporters aren’t bargain hunters; they’re thoughtful shoppers deciding whether your product is worth investing in. Your story’s job is to make that decision easy.
Funding vs. Pre-order: Different Concerns to Address
Story-writing priorities vary depending on your project type. Standard Funding projects feature early-stage products, so your story must address concerns about product feasibility and trust in the maker (“Will it actually be made? Can I trust them?”). Pre-order projects, on the other hand, offer exclusive or limited rewards, meaning your story must focus on value and speed (“Is Wadiz really the better deal? Will it arrive quickly?”).
| Item | Funding | Pre-order |
|---|---|---|
| Core message | "This product is innovative" | "This price-to-value ratio is exclusive to Wadiz" |
| Tone | Anticipation, persuasion | Urgency, practical value |
| Proof style | Technical capabilities, development process | Track record, customer reviews |
| Shipping | Estimated timeframe | Committed exact date |
▶️ Funding vs. Pre-order: Discover Which Type Fits You Best
Four Elements Every Story Needs
When writing your Wadiz project story, be sure to include these four essential components:
- Title — Place the keyword that identifies your reward near the beginning. It should read naturally, without sounding exaggerated.
- Key features — describe the benefit, not the specs. “We used a highly elastic material” → “You’ll enjoy unrestricted movement, so you’ll stay comfortable all day.”
- Reward composition — clearly list exactly what’s included, what options are available, and any Wadiz-exclusive benefits.
- Maker introduction — “Why I made this,” not a list of credentials. Supporters back the maker, not just the product.
Pre-launch checklist
Finally, review these four rules before submitting your Wadiz project story.
- Keep text and images separate — type explanations in the story editor rather than embedding text in images or GIFs.
- Left-align everything. Most supporters read on mobile, and centered text is difficult to read once translated into Korean.
- Reread the AI-translated version one more time before launch, and double-check that currency amounts are displayed correctly.
- Review your first-screen message, differentiators, and trust signals to ensure they address the following, in order: What is this? Why is it good? Can I trust it? Why should I support it now?
Stage 4. Settlement
Settlement occurs in two stages—pre-settlement and final settlement—and the payout rate at each stage depends on your project type and the final payment amount.
| Final payment amount | Pre-settlement | Final settlement |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 10 million KRW | 80% of the final payment, minus fees | Remaining amount after refunds and costs |
| KRW 10 million or more | 60% of the final payment, minus fees | Remaining amount after refunds and costs |
Pre-order Special Bundle / Limited Edition projects are subject to a 60% pre-settlement rate and a 3% (excluding VAT) pre-settlement service fee regardless of the amount, and require a separate application.
Who Pays You: Stripe or PingPong
Which payment gateway (PG) provider handles your payout—and how the exchange rate and withdrawal fees work—depends on whether you are settled through PingPong Payments or Stripe.
- PingPong Payments — USD exchange rate based on the remittance date; withdraw in your local currency; country-specific withdrawal fees apply (e.g., China: 0.4%).
▶️ How to Sign Up for PingPong Payments - Stripe — USD exchange rate based on the settlement statement issue date; deposits arrive 1–2 business days after payout; applies to overseas Makers outside of China.
Settlement Timeline
- Pre-settlement statement: sent within 5 business days after your project ends.
- Final settlement statement: sent an average of 12–16 business days after delivery is complete, once the 15-day refund period ends.
- Payout schedule: Settlements are processed weekly—statements issued Monday–Friday are paid out the following Wednesday (KST).
- Refunds are deducted during final settlement, not pre-settlement—so accurate descriptions and clear shipping communication upfront protect your final earnings.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Q. Can I change my funding goal after the campaign launches?
A. You can edit your funding goal before your campaign launches, but not afterward. Be sure to review it thoroughly before launch.
Q. My product isn’t expensive—can I still create a reward priced at 100,000 KRW or more?
A. Yes. Even if a single unit is inexpensive, you can create a higher-tier reward by offering 2-packs, 3-packs, longer-duration bundles, gift packages, or added perks. That said, it’s worth first considering whether your product is the kind of thing supporters would actually have a reason to buy multiple of.
Q. Are there any expressions I should avoid using in my story?
A. Yes. Write your story in accordance with the advertising review guidelines. Wadiz reviews and monitors stories against these guidelines and may ask you to revise content that does not comply with them.
Common reasons for a revision request include:
- False or Exaggerated Claims
- Deceptive claims
- Unfair comparisons
- Disparaging claims
- Unauthorized use of someone else’s copyrighted work
- Unverifiable claims such as “world’s first,” “Korea’s first,” “Korea’s only,” “world’s only,” or “original”
- Any other claim regarding the benefits or efficacy of a product or service that was not verified during the requirements review
Q. Does a refund reduce the settlement amount I receive?
A. Yes—it is reduced by the refunded amount. Refunds are deducted at final settlement, so you receive the full pre-settlement amount upfront, and the refunded portion is only excluded when final settlement occurs. To minimize refunds, write accurate and detailed product descriptions, carefully check the product’s condition before shipping, and clearly communicate the shipping schedule to your backers.
📌Explore the Guides for Each Funding Stage
- A Funding Goal Guide for First-Time Makers
- Wadiz Funding Success Guide: Why Rewards Matter
- Story Writing Guide for First-Time Global Makers
- How Does Settlement Work for Global Makers?
Just Get Started on Wadiz.
Your step-by-step guide from preparation to funding success—available now at the Wadiz Maker Center.