The OP's issue could happen with anything ordered by mail. I've had plenty of missing, damaged, and stolen items ordering from Amazon.
I've not had this issue with anything I've backed on Kickstarter, and I've back 99 projects since 2012. But I've seen comments from folks who have and the creators have always tried to make it right.
As for whether Kickstarter has become a worse deal, I can only say that for physical books and games, they have gotten more expensive, mostly due to increased printing and shipping costs. But it isn't as bad as it could be. I think part of the reason is because, increasingly, creators are focusing on the main product rather than enticing people with swag. That is fine by me. I never cared for the swag.
I am pickier about the projects I back. I don't reduce my risk by only backing established companies with a track records. That defeats the purpose of Kickstarter for me. I want to back things that might not be made otherwise. But I have become better at noticing red flags that indicate a creator is likely getting over their heads. My track record is pretty good. While I've had a number with significant delays, I've really only been burned a couple times.