
Why are there so many wallets on Kickstarter? - edward
https://www.kickstarter.com/stories/wallets
======
Mithaldu
> the wallets of this world satisfy nobody

I don't know what it's like in the USA, but in germany wallets of this type
are used by _everybody_ and everybody's happy:
[http://i.imgur.com/v3mRk1H.jpg](http://i.imgur.com/v3mRk1H.jpg)

Still, nice to read more details about the internal workings of a kickstarter
campaign.

~~~
pluma
I think a major differentiator is that in the EU credit cards are a lot less
common and even debit cards aren't used for most transactions (e.g. even at
the supermarket most people seem to pay cash). Additionally, there are € 1 and
€ 2 coins, notes only start at € 5 and up. So you not only carry around a lot
of cash, but you also generally need to be able to carry around a lot of
coinage, too.

This has been the only thing stopping me from getting a smaller wallet,
personally. I have one of those (which are okay if you carry them in your
front pocket and don't wear formal attire) and I'd replace them with something
simpler at the drop of a hat if it wouldn't mean ending up with loose change
in your pocket.

~~~
williwu
>> I think a major differentiator is that in the EU credit cards are a lot
less common and even debit cards aren't used for most transactions (e.g. even
at the supermarket most people seem to pay cash).

Definitely wrong. In Denmark I never carry any cash. In US I have to carry at
least some cash. Why are there no bigger bills than $100?

~~~
jmccree
I'm sorry, but I'm struggling to come up with a reason why you would want a
note above $100?

------
bjackman
This is besides the point of the article, but I really struggle with wallets.
Here in the EU you often have not-insignificant amounts of money in coins, but
there's a dearth of decent wallets with durable coin pouches. Not one of the
designs shown in the article would be a valid wallet for me :(

~~~
grimlck
coin pouches ruin the leather of wallet and make them really bulge out. Just
store coins directly in your pocket.

~~~
kuschku
Not really useful if you have 10€ in a mix of cent and euro coins.

------
ksec
I need my Smartphone to replace Credit Card ( Apple Pay ) NFC Cards used for
public transport ( No Solution in sight as the public transport around the
world uses different NFC solution ) Royalty Cards ( Feasible, but i havent
seen much being done yet )

And then i only really need ID Card ( if there is such thing in your country
), and Bank Account card for using ATM, and some cash.

We dont need new wallet, we need to get rid of useless things inside out
wallet with better alternatives.

~~~
copperx
I've never heard of Royalty Cards before — that's interesting. What country is
this?

~~~
chrisan
He likely meant loyalty cards

~~~
mod
If so, smartphones can replace those--they can just display the barcode on-
screen which works for the scanners.

Quick google search returned this app, I've never used it though:
[https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/key-ring-reward-
cards/id3725...](https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/key-ring-reward-
cards/id372547556?mt=8)

~~~
kuschku
except if the scanners use laser scanners, which don’t work with LCD screens,
or if the cards use EMV chips. Yes, there are loyality cards with EMV chips

------
aaronbrethorst
I've been using a Bellroy Slim Sleeve for the last few years and couldn't
happier: [http://bellroy.com/wallets/slim-sleeve-
wallet](http://bellroy.com/wallets/slim-sleeve-wallet) (no association with
them beyond just being a satisfied customer)

~~~
hanklazard
+1 for Bellroy.

I bought their "Card Sleeve" wallet a few months ago and have been very happy.
It forced me to pare down my wallet to only the daily necessities. I keep the
variety of other cards and extra cash in my bag using this simple,
inexpensive, ingenious system:

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGiPemyCRyE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGiPemyCRyE)

(although it seems obvious, I recommend watching the entire video to see how
this could actually be put to use as daily pocket wallet).

------
aquadrop
I've been happy with MightyWallet [0], but I don't need to put tons of stuff
there, just a couple of cards and some cash. It's very thin and that's what I
like about it, almost unnoticeable in the jeans pocket.

[0][https://www.dynomighty.com/mighty-
wallet/](https://www.dynomighty.com/mighty-wallet/)

------
iza
I tried a couple of these kickstarted wallets and they were both awful. I
ended up very happy with this "front pocket wallet"
[http://www.amazon.com/Dopp-Regatta-Series-Getaway-
Pocket/dp/...](http://www.amazon.com/Dopp-Regatta-Series-Getaway-
Pocket/dp/B00441FAT2)

~~~
rpmcb
I've also been using the Dopp Regatta, exclusively for about 6 years now, and
I love it. Super simple, extremely functional. It's the closest to perfect
I've found.

------
poormansevo
I too have been trying to "minimize" my wallet setup. I've tried a few of the
phone case wallets with no success. They either didn't hold enough or I wore
it out within a month from trying to fit too many items in it. I came across
the "back saver" wallet at a hardware store of all places(Menards). For $15
it's the best wallet I've owned. I've whittle it down to a few basic cards ,
ID and a little cash. I was skeptical about the clip for holding bills but
turns out I often don't carry cash often and rely on a debit card. I would
recommend it for its small profile and utility. Looks just like this one:
[http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003AS2GNS/ref=redir_mdp_mobil...](http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003AS2GNS/ref=redir_mdp_mobile/181-8143986-9998151)

~~~
ArcticCelt
Non mobile link

[http://www.amazon.com/Back-Saver-Wallet-Leather-
Wallet/dp/B0...](http://www.amazon.com/Back-Saver-Wallet-Leather-
Wallet/dp/B008Y2EEY4)

------
blt
this article's description of intense wallet dissatisfaction feels like it
comes from a different universe. I'm completely happy with my leather bifold
wallet, and I'm not the type to shy away from complaining about consumer
goods.

~~~
elmin
I agree with you, but I also have many friends who are on a neverending quest
to make their wallet smaller and slimmer. I think a part of it might be
society figuring out just how much someone really needs to carry in the
digital age.

------
tarequeh
I've always hated bulging wallets, specially if you put them in backpocket. No
wonder so many people want to improve them. I've been using slimfold wallets
([http://www.slimfoldwallet.com](http://www.slimfoldwallet.com), no
association) for a while. It's made out of Tyvek and is so thin - even with 10
credit cards in it it's thinner than my previous leather wallets emptied. I
don't like the soft shell wallet they're making now, thicker than the Tyvek
ones. Worth a look.

~~~
lelandbatey
I can absolutely vouch for the thinness of Tyvek wallets, it's all I've been
using for the past 3 years. They're incredibly thin.

~~~
ghaff
Yeah, but at some point I have to draw a line about the aesthetics and feel of
something I handle all the time. Give me leather even if it's not the absolute
thinnest thing.

------
paulornothing
Though an interesting read I guess I could care less about wallets. I barely
use mine, I used a magic wallet for a while because it was a crappy gift from
work on Christmas. I'm in the US so I rarely deal with coins (plus I rarely
have cash on me), so really it just houses my credit cards and ID and perhaps
my insurance cards. I guess I just don[t understand why "a better wallet" will
enhance my life in any way compared to a multitude of other products that
could be tweaked.

------
post_break
I remember when kickstarter was flooded with pens that used the high tec c.

It's about what's easy and cheap to make a buck I think.

------
k2enemy
The best "wallet" I've ever used:
[http://www.office1export.com/files/o/1221585a6a280b5b1ced746...](http://www.office1export.com/files/o/1221585a6a280b5b1ced746fc9ac6295.png)

Cards on the inside with cash wrapped around them. The "v" created by the clip
makes it super easy to "clip" \-- way easier than any money clip that I've
used.

------
Mz
I don't have time to read this right this second, but I originally thought it
meant _wallets_ as in "paypal wallet" and other forms of online payment. I am
amused to find that a) nope and b) nonetheless, I hope to find time to read
this, for other reasons.

------
benihana
I feel like we missed the whole point of the article in this discussion to
talk about wallets. Namely: people are lazy and want to do what's easy, not
necessarily what makes the most business sense. People want to sell wallets
not because there is an enormous demand for wallets and no one making them,
but because it's easier to make a wallet than it is to make a pair of pants or
a watch. And then the retroactively rationalize it by saying "oh, but yeah
people are unhappy with their wallets."

This reminds me of the programmers who write cross platform apps using
something like JavaScript because it's easier for them to make. It's not what
the user wants, and the user doesn't care about the effort that went into
making the application. Just like if the wallet doesn't perform up to the
level of every other wallet, I don't care how hard the person making it worked
on it.

But for some reason, we expect people to care about how much work we put into
making something that they're not going to think about again. We seem to have
trouble accepting that a huge portion of our work won't go noticed by the vast
majority of everyone, much less the vast majority of people who actually use
our product.

~~~
maaaats
> _oh, but yeah people are unhappy with their wallets_

Well, for me that was actually true. I always pay with card, have a few cards
for access/memberships and maybe a few notes just in case. All wallets I could
find in the stores in my town were big and bulky, probably what my dad would
use. I never carry coins. I actually spent quite a bit time on finding a
wallet fitting my needs, and that I liked the look of.

