Accessing Backer Addresses

[dougiebuckets]

Hi there - Thanks so much for putting this library together. Looks great! I was curious to know if you're thinking of including any methods for accessing the addresses of backers who have backed our projects? I would love to be able to map out where our backers are coming from. So far, I've mapped out those who have pre-ordered our product (http://lonoapp.com) via Celery - http://lono-blitz.herokuapp.com

It would be super valuable if I could easily access our backers' addresses via KS and map them as well.

Thanks again for building this.

[benrugg]

Hey @dougiebuckets, thanks suggesting this feature. This would definitely be helpful to any project creators.

As far as I know, Kickstarter's API doesn't give you access to any users' email addresses or physical addresses. Although it might be different if you authenticate as a project creator.

Does anyone else know if you see different/extra info for your own backers if you are signed in on a user account that has created a project?

Just want to add a word of caution. If the feature is only available to authenticated project creators, it presents quite a maintenance challenge to respond to unannounced API changes from kickstarter.

Even if a project creator would/could jump in to share a JSON response to any such unannounced API changes there would need to be some step to blur identities (names, emails, addresses, pledge amounts) to protect the privacy of backers, so that, we, non-project-creators could work on the code.

[benrugg]

Yeah, good call @NolaMark. Even assuming Kickstarter does return backer info, unless we have good info from anyone has created a project, this would be difficult to add or maintain.

[asalce]

While a campaign is active only backer's basic info is provided:

• Backer Number
• Name
• Pledge Amount
• Reward Level
• Message Count

When the campaign ends, you will get access to:

• E-mail Address
• Pledge Status (ie. Collected, Errored)

[benrugg]

That's good to know. Thanks @asalce!

[shoogle]

@asalce, thanks for that! How is the information accessible? Is it downloadable as a spreadsheet while the project is live, or does that only happen once the project has ended?

I'm about to launch a Kickstarter myself and I need access to backer information during the campaign. A spreadsheet is good enough for my purposes, but if I can use the API to trigger the spreadsheet to be downloaded each time someone backs the project that would be good too.

[shoogle]

So my Kickstarter project is currently live, and I can confirm that the spreadsheet of backer information is not downloadable until the campaign ends.

[asalce]

@shoogle You'll need to scrape the data via an Ajax call. After you log into your account, try executing this script in your JS console:
jQuery.getJSON('https://www.kickstarter.com/openscore/openscore-join-the-sheet-music-revolution/backers/report/index?page=1&asc_or_desc=asc&sort_by=sequence',function(o,e){ if(e=='success'){ console.log(o); } });

Object o should have a list backers, you'll have to run the request for X number of pages to get everyone.