KickStarter bans too-good-to-be-true razor for not existing

But even Kickstarter and reality combined can not keep a good idea down: the laser is already back – on Indiegogo.

The founder of the Skarp razor took the project to Kickstarter, where it was seeking a crowdfunding goal of $160,000.

Remember the Skarp laser razor?

Bad news if you want to burn hairs off your face using a laser: Kickstarter has pulled the fundraising page for the “Skarp” laser razor, despite the project having already raised $4m on the crowdfunding platform.

It seems that Kickstarter agreed that the video didn’t fit the definition of “working prototype”, and removed the project to prevent disappointment down the line (either from the delivery potentially slipping later and later than promised, or the device being shipped under par). “Without irritating or damaging the skin”.

Commenters on Indiegogo seem aware but ambivalent about the potential for fraud.

Unfortunately, Kickstarter wasn’t impressed, for the simple reason that there is no public evidence that the laser-based razor actually exists in the form described – or anticipated – in its marketing materials. While the campaign page features a video showing what is suggested to be a prototype of the laser razor, but it is largely ineffective and is only able to remove a few pieces of hair.

However, it will be interesting to see if the Kickstarter suspension hurts Skarp’s reputation to the point where it is unable to fund its project a second time.

An email from Kickstarter obtained by The Register explains that the funding effort violates the company’s “rule requiring working prototypes of physical products that are offered as rewards”. Since moving to Indiegogo, the identical campaign has attracted more than $48,000 in pledges under the site’s “flexible funding” rule.

“[Indiegogo] have been incredibly helpful & they believe in the Skarp Razor as much as we do”, Skarp said on its Facebook page.