As the 3D printer market grows, the sales model changes, too. At first we see manufacturers selling directly, but once established they expand their coverage by partnering with hardware resellers. Resellers are a very effective way to market products within a fixed geographical area because they can be much more attuned to local conditions and practices. Recent talk indicates a growing trend towards resellers.
An example of this is Objet’s reseller Purple Platypus, which we think is perhaps the most memorable name ever in the 3D market. They are a regional reseller or Objet 3D printers (primarily the Alaris 30) located in the South West US, serving “Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, San Bernardino, Riverside, Kern, San Louis Obispo, Imperial, Santa Barbara, and Ventura, as well as Arizona and southern Nevada.”
One can imagine Objet and the other manufacturers gradually hooking up with numerous resellers across the globe. They’d have a sales force many times larger than they could ever hope to have on their own.
Via Purple Platypus
