With more cases like this popping up, it seems the safer route is: Back product on Kickstarter and set reminders for 2 weeks before chargeback deadline for credit card used. If product is undelivered by that date, then cancel order with maker AND initiate chargeback too, to be on safe side.
Chargeback deadline appears to be 120 days. For many kickstarters, this isn't enough time to get a product out.
For me, I've never considered Kickstarter to be a pre-ordering platform. More of a platform for helping things get made, that otherwise would be developed.
They might be unhappy but a higher frequency of chargebacks (and possibly bank/card issuer responses) may be the kick they need to re-evaluate and overhaul their current system of maker accountability.
Chargebacks seem like one of the worst ways to deal with it. If you're that afraid of losing money this type of transaction probably isn't for you.
What seems to be the biggest failure with most of these companies is setting the expectations right. It also seems like a subset have good intentions, but lack the experience and/or ability to execute. And an even a smaller subset are actual fraud.
Edit: I would think that if it's proven fraud then some other form of legal action should be taken. It'd be interesting to see if that should be on Kickstarter or not. Perhaps they should step in on such cases to protect their customers.
