Charles R. Goulding discusses Robin Woolard’s 3D printed jewelry collection showcased at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco, California.
retail
The Future of Grocery Shopping: Hands-Free, Human-Free Checkout Experience
Charles R. Goulding and Preeti Sulibhavi discuss supermarkets embracing automation technologies, such as contactless pickup.
Create it REAL Releases Standalone Slicing Software Tool
Create it REAL seems to have switched strategies with their slicing software tool.
Exploring The Mess of Mass Market Retail 3D Printer Sales
If you intend on buying a 3D printer, maybe you should not consider buying one from a “normal” retailer.
Liquidators and 3D Printing
Charles R. Goulding and Preeti Sulibhavi propose increased use of 3D printing to help refurbish liquidated products.
3D Printing and the Impact of New Medical Retail Spaces
Charles R. Goulding and Randall Rothbort look at the influence of retail change on 3D printing.
IKEA Now Offering Custom 3D Printed Decorations
IKEA has quietly introduced a pair of 3D printed designs in their online store.
CVS: Major Business Conversion 3D Printing Opportunities
Charles R. Goulding and Preeti Sulibhavi look at how the CVS healthcare conversion could be an opportunity for 3D print services.
iMakr’s Urban Journey Continues
iMakr opened an office in Copenhagen, but this is just another step on their unusual 3D print journey.
Exploring Walmart’s Suspicious 3D Print Market
In the course of doing some online 3D print shopping, I discovered a very large vendor: Walmart!
Boem, A New 3D Model Store
I haven’t seen an example of this type of online 3D model store appear for some time.
Can Simon Properties Use Technology To Mend The Fashion Industry?
Charles R. Goulding and Preeti Sulibhavi consider whether a recent move in retail might be helped even further by incorporating advanced technologies like 3D printing.
HEXR’s 3D Scanned Fitting Process Shows Another Retail Approach
A helmet manufacturer is using distributed 3D scanning technology to produce bespoke products for customers.
3D Print Reseller To Launch Robotic Virtual Showroom
A large 3D print reseller has developed an unusual method of sales through a virtual showroom. We gave it a test.
Will 3D Printing Truly Reshape Retail?
Singularity Hub’s Peter Diamandis makes some predictions about how the retail market may be affected by 3D printing in the future. We have some counter-points.
3D Printed Toy Designers Should Aim At Target
Charles Goulding and Lara Tomiko of R&D Tax Savers examine opportunities for 3D printing toys by targeting Target.
Buying 3D Printer Filament: Online or In Person?
There are now more ways to acquire 3D printer filament, but what is the best way to do so?
The Rise of Small Regional 3D Print Services
I’ve noticed a bit of trend: the occurrence of small, regional 3D print services seems to be growing.
iMakr to Open 40 3D Print Retail Stores?
This could be big news for 3D printing of all types: iMakr intends on opening up 40 new 3D print retail shops across the globe.
HP Steps into Custom Footwear with 3D Printing, Scanning
After making a splash and swimming around a bit with its Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) 3D printing technology, HP is now stepping into the custom footwear race with a new 3D scanning solution dubbed the FitStation.
How to 3D Print Your Own Products & Sell Them Online
With Mercedes-Benz announcing last year that it is now selling 3D printed spare parts for its cargo trucks, 3D printing is gaining momentum as a commercial strategy for large-scale manufacturers.
Robo Selling STL File “Print Packs” at Staples?
A very interesting report at Hackaday describes a very unusual product from Robo (formerly Robo 3D).
3D Printing at a Disadvantage for Retail Thrills
I’m watching a video showing how retailers are using a variety of technologies to attract shoppers to their establishments.
Focusing on Business: MakerPoint Evolves
MakerPoint, a Netherlands-based chain of 3D print retail shops, seems to be slowly changing their focus.
Le FabShop Shuts Down
A pioneering French 3D print firm, Le FabShop, has closed its doors forever.
It’s True: Apple is Actually Selling 3D Printers
There’s been speculation for years now about whether giant Apple would ever sell a 3D printer. Turns out they have been for a while.
iMakr Slides Further Toward Industrial 3D Printing
iMakr has begun selling higher-end 3D printing equipment designed for industry. I think this is a significant change.
Confusion: M3D’s Micro 3D Printer Price Discounted – Or Not?
Several data points suggest something strange is happening with M3D’s low cost 3D printer’s price.
RepRapPro Closes
A notable supplier of parts and plans for RepRap desktop 3D printers has closed, according to an announcement on RepRapPro’s site.
Black Friday Takes Over 3D Printing Universe
What’s going on? Many 3D print companies have offered deals today, Black Friday.
3D Printing: The Longest Tail
We’re contemplating the effects of 3D printing on the world and realized that it could provide the longest tail of all.
Is The Future In “Friendly Neighborhood” 3D Printshops?
We’ve been discussing the idea of 3D print services with Dan Riley, founder of Blu-Bin, a chain of “neighborhood” 3D printshops.
BigRep Refines Their Onlines And Becomes A Bigger Player
Berlin-based BigRep stepped up their retail game by opening up a full service online shop.
MakerBot’s New Installment Plan
MakerBot announced a new payment plan for purchasing 3D printer equipment.
When Should You Buy A 3D Printer?
The question of choosing a 3D printer has become very complex given all the options available, and now another factor emerges: When should you purchase one?
How Much Does 3D Printer Filament Really Cost?
We got an unexpected glimpse of wholesale pricing from an Asian manufacturer of 3D printer filament.
Staples Adds XYZPrinting Products Increasing Access to 3D Printing
Retail giant Staples and XYZPrinting announced a deal in which da Vinci 3D printers and accessories would be available at Staples online store.
How To Cross The Chasm With Great Customer Service
You can order almost anything you want online, thanks to social media and e-commerce.
Who’s Behind The New Filament Suppliers?
With the growth in desktop 3D printers, material suppliers have multiplied. But how do they acquire their plastic filament?
M3D’s Micro 3D Goes Retail
M3D’s explosive Kickstarter campaign from last year raised a huge amount of cash for the startup company. Now they’re entering a key transition.
Should You Purchase a 3D Printer From A Reseller?
There are multiple ways to purchase a 3D printer these days, and often at low cost. One way is to use a reseller, particularly for unusual makes and models.
China Devalues Yuan: Cheaper 3D Printers On The Way?
China shocked the world today by suddenly devaluing their currency. What does this mean for those purchasing 3D printers?
XYZprinting’s 3D Printers Now Available at Walmart
Taiwan-based 3D printer manufacturer XYZprinting announced the availability of their products at Walmart, the world’s biggest retailer.
Resellers Won’t Make Any Money With 3D Printers?
For the majority of the thousands of IT office product dealers and resellers in the US, 3D printing is a new technology.
MakerBot Re-Announces Sam’s Club Partnership
In what might be considered an unusual move, MakerBot has announced their partnership with US warehouse chain Sam’s Club.
We Found Some Very Inexpensive 3D Printers
While browsing 3D printer online retailers, we ran into one that seemed to offer some very low cost machines.
iGo3D Goes Store-in-a-Store with Hornbach
3D print retail operations continue to experiment with different approaches: now a retail chain opens a store-within-a-store.
MakerBot Closes Stores; Is 3D Print Retail Dead?
With the sudden closure of MakerBot’s retail stores, one might ask the question, “Is 3D Print Retail Dead?” We think not.
3D Systems Gear Appears at Best Buy Stores
3D printing giant 3D Systems announced a deal to sell specific 3D Systems equipment at 100 Best Buy electronics stores.
Lowe’s Innovation Labs Gets 3D Printing
North American hardware retail giant Lowe’s has set up a way for customers to 3D print customized products.
iMakr’s Incredible 3D Printing Training Program
We visited iMakr’s New York City retail store and were surprised to find a number of people training to become 3D print experts. iMakr has two retail locations, London and NYC, where they provide a number of services related to 3D printing, including sales of multiple brands of 3D printers, supplies, 3D printing services, repairs… Continue reading iMakr’s Incredible 3D Printing Training Program
A Dark Day at MakerBot
Yesterday things happened at MakerBot. Layoffs. Closings.
The 3D Printer Distribution Battle Heats Up
Has the battle between the key personal 3D printer manufacturers shifted from the lab to the storefront? We think it may have.
The 3D Printing Reseller Advantage
There are many personal 3D printers available today and it can be quite difficult to choose. We found a way to help make a choice.
MakerBot Continues Developing Retail Reach
MakerBot announced distribution partnerships with WYNIT, a New York-state based distributor and Sam’s Club.
iGo3D and Staples Take a Deeper Step Into 3D Printing
German 3D print retailer iGo3D has struck an interesting deal with Staples.
What’s the Ante to Play the Filament Game?
For some years now, to market 3D printer filament you merely had to provide good quality filament. That seems to be changing.
The Genesis of 3D Printing in Northern Mexico
We spoke with Cesar Rodriguez who told us the tale of how he started up a 3D printing operation, Ideaz 3D in Hermosillo, Sonora.
Amsterdam Gets a 3D Print Retail Store
Like many other leading cities around the world, Amsterdam now has a dedicated 3D print retail operation: Print3DMatter.
Robox Enters US Market
Personal 3D printer manufacturer CEL Technology has begun selling the Robox 3D printer directly in the United States.
Fabbaloo Visits iGo3D
iGo3D is a German-based retail chain specializing in 3D printing gear. We took a close look at their operations.
3D Printing … On Sale Now at Walmart
Personal 3D printing has come a very long way in the past couple of years, touching the public increasingly frequently.
There’s Something Curious About 3D Printer Stores
We’ve been informed of the opening of the fifth The 3D Printing Store in Houston. But is this part of a larger pattern?
Zortrax Goes Retail
Poland-based 3D printer manufacturer Zortrax has opened a retail store.
Stratasys Expands UPS Store 3D Print Service
3D printing giant Stratasys announced plans to dramatically expand their presence in UPS Stores across the United States.
iMakr’s Unique Retail Concept
While in London recently we were able to visit the iMakr store, one of the few dedicated resellers of personal 3D printer gear.
The Da Vinci 3D Printer is Leading?
Something interesting showed up in 3D Hubs’ monthly trends report: XYZ Printing’s Da Vinci 3D printer is trending.
It’s Time for Local 3D Printer Materials
An Irish company hopes to overcome the bane of 3D printer material purchasing: Shipping Costs.
How Much 3D Printer Filament Do You Need?
There’s a slight trend emerging in the 3D printer filament market: volume shipments.
Amazon’s 3D Nuclear Option Launches
Things just got mainstream: Amazon announced a dedicated 3D print service.
MakerBot’s New Reseller: Home Depot
MakerBot has agreed with Home Depot to have specially designed “MakerBot kiosks” in a dozen Home Depot outlets in the US.
be3D Expands into the USA
Czech-based be3Dprinters has established a US office for major push into the American market.
3DiTALY Becomes the Largest 3D Printer Store Network?
We’ve learned of a new chain of consumer-focused 3D printer stores: 3DiTaly.
iMakr Opens NYC 3D Printer Store
UK-based iMakr has opened a retail storefront in the deep south of Manhattan. Now New Yorkers can see a variety of 3D printers in the flesh.
van Straaten’s 3D Print Accessibility Strategy
3D print artist Eric van Straaten has developed a unique pricing strategy to enable more people to own a print of his incredible designs.
Walmart CEO Says Retail Giant May Buy 3D Printer Company
At an event during the re/Code Conference Walmart’s CEO Doug McMillon hinted that his company might be in the market to acquire a 3D printing company.
Is 3D Printing Technology’s Rapid Progress Hurting the Industry?
We’re wondering if the constant and rapid developments in 3D printing technology could hinder growth. But how could this be? There has never been a time in history when more 3D printing technology can be purchased at such low prices?
Pirate3D’s Buccaneer Unboxed
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to receive your first 3D printer? YouTube video producer Eyeisman (Tom Rosato) has captured the experience for you when he opened up his first 3D printer, a Pirate3D Buccaneer.
iMakr to Open Manhattan 3D Printer Store
iMakr, perhaps the first independent 3D printer retail store, announced expansion to New York City.
Two For One 3D Printer Sale?
Need a 3D printer? How about two? We found a deal where you can get two different 3D printers for one price.
MakerBot’s Digital Store Opens
As promised in their January announcement, MakerBot made good on their promise to open a digital store for 3D models.
iMakr 3D Printer Store Takes a Big Step
The iMakr retail store in London was perhaps the very first independent 3D printer store designed specifically for personal 3D printing products. Now they’ve taken a step into a new world.
A Brilliant 3D Printing Solution to Online Shopping
We checked out an ingenious marketing approach used by a leading online diamond ring retailer, Brilliance.com.
Who are the Leading Personal 3D Printing Companies?
With the seemingly weekly arrival of new personal 3D printers and manufacturers, one has to wonder which companies are “winning”. We’ll take a stab at it.
The Inconsistent 3D Printers of Staples
Staples is a pretty big chain, supplying office equipment and supplies to a large portion of the planet. They sell 3D printers, too. But not everywhere.
How Does XYZ Printing Do It?
New entrant XYZ Printing offers personal 3D printers at incredibly low cost, as low as USD$499 per unit. How do they do it?
ProtoCow Provides 3D Printing Quotes
We’re checking out a new service targeted at 3D print services: Protocow. But perhaps you could use the service, too.
Amazon Pilots a 3D Printed Marketplace with 3DLT
The technology of 3D printing just got a bit more mainstream with an announcement from one of online retail giant Amazon’s sellers.
3D Printing Ad During The Super Bowl?
Everyone knows that purchasing ad space during the Super Bowl is prohibitively expensive. It’s so expensive that no 3D printing company could afford an ad. Or could they?
MakerBot’s Digital Content
While Thingiverse has been a wonderful source for 3D models for the initial wave of 3D printing, it’s not exactly consumer-friendly. It has a large number of models (over 218,000, according to a recent statement by MakerBot CEO Bre Pettis), which is good and bad. It’s good because the model you want is somewhere in… Continue reading MakerBot’s Digital Content
Formlabs Now Accepting Bitcoin
Formlabs, makers of the most popular resin-based personal 3D printer, announced they will now accept Bitcoin for purchases at their online store. While there may be other 3D printer manufacturers accepting Bitcoin, Formlabs seems to be the only big player doing so. Bitcoin, if you somehow haven’t heard, is a new digital currency enabling… Continue reading Formlabs Now Accepting Bitcoin
Which 3D Designs Are Worth The Money?
While it’s easy (if you know how to search) find free 3D models for printing on Thingiverse, there are several sites offering pay-for 3D models. In a world where there are literally hundreds of thousands of free models, which ones would people purchase for cash? 3D model site 3DAGOGO offers a selection of free… Continue reading Which 3D Designs Are Worth The Money?
Is 3D Hubs’ 3D Printer Report Accurate?
The other day we reported on 3D Hubs most recent statistical analysis, in which they provided a list of what they consider to be the most popular 3D printers – at least in their scope of operation. The report generated comments and criticism, as the results were believed inaccurate by some readers. They’re right… Continue reading Is 3D Hubs’ 3D Printer Report Accurate?
MakerBot Opens Two New Stores
It’s happened. We reported earlier that MakerBot intended to open not one, but two additional retail outlets to add to the initial store located in lower Manhattan. One of the new stores is located in Boston, a city of some technological innovation activity, particularly in 3D printing. The other store is located in… Continue reading MakerBot Opens Two New Stores
Cubes In Harrods!
3D Systems’ Cubify division has made another notable retail move, this time sealing a deal with Harrods of London to display the Cube personal 3D printer at their flagship store in Knightsbridge. Cubify has been rapidly expanding their network of resellers recently, but to be at Harrods is a big accomplishment. Harrods is a… Continue reading Cubes In Harrods!