TopatoCo now offers complete project services, from project planning to funding to fulfillment.
EASTHAMPTON, MASSACHUSETTS - TopatoCo, an artist-forward online marketplace, has launched a full-service crowdfunding platform, TopatoGO, to help independent artists and makers turn their ideas into tangible products. Clients will have streamlined access to project planning assistance, campaign management, fundraising abilities, and shipping services — all under one roof.
TopatoCo is no stranger to the crowdfunding world, having launched its sister company Make That Thing! in 2013. After more than 30 campaigns and $3.5 million dollars raised, Make That Thing was absorbed by TopatoCo in 2020 in preparation for the extended services that TopatoGO will provide, including;
- Campaign consultation, including goal calculation and budgeting
- Backer/Customer service
- Backers’ choices of payment options
- Lower cumulative fees for creators
- Ability for creators to offer “add-on” items post-campaign
- Global shipping services at negotiated lower rates
"We've been doing this long enough that we figure it's time to cut out the middleman and make it easier on everyone involved by doing it all ourselves," says TopatoCo founder and CEO Jeffrey Rowland. "Over the years we've shipped hundreds of thousands of things and we're pretty good at it. We have great people working every day and two warehouses, several dozen computers, a van, and a forklift. We have so many rolls of those "fragile" stickers. By shifting our crowdfunding and fulfillment totally in-house, it will allow us to make better deals for creators, streamline our internal processes, invest more into our community, and help the environment by not using blockchain for some reason."
The first projects launching under TopatoGO are a plush toy of the TopatoCo mascot, Topato Potato (a surly, poisonous superhero space potato who feeds on marketing) and the third print volume of the popular webcomic Back by KC Green and Anthony Clark. Submissions for future campaigns will be taken for consideration..
“I’ve seen the way these folks work their butts off getting the darn thing done! Now with the middleman out of the picture I can only imagine the insane lack of butts everyone at TopatoGO will achieve!” - World's Greatest Cartoonist KC Green
About TopatoCo
The Topato Corporation is an online retailer specializing in merchandise for digital entertainment creators. Founded in 2004 by cartoonist Jeffrey Rowland, the company has grown over the years to sell fun and unique merchandise for over 90 creators including comics and visual artists, podcast creators, musicians, and authors.
Media Contact
Karen Corday
Marketing and Data Coordinator
go@topatoco.com