Tag Archives: retail

Crowdfunding a Retail 3D Printing Store in New Hampshire

Dusty Santos wants to launch her own 3D printing retail store

Inspired by her work in the 3D animation field and experience in selling on Shapeways, Dusty Santos thinks that a physical 3D printing store is a great business move and a way to give back to artists around the world.

To get started, Santos is raising $30,000 in crowdfunding to cover the costs of starting her businesses, buying equipment, and paying her employees. As her prospective business scales, Santos thinks she can fund expansion out of profits.

Crowdfunding 3D Printing Retail Store

Visit her Fundable campaign and watch her crowdfunding video pitch here:

We caught up with entrepreneur Dusty Santos for an interview

On 3D Printing: What was your inspiration for this idea?

Dusty Santos: I have to say it was a combination of a few things. Since graduating from ‘The D.A.V.E. School’ in 2006 I worked in the 3D animation field doing freelance. It never brought in enough money though so I used my skills to sell products on Shapeways. So I know what goes into making a 3d printable mesh.

My husband is really into technology and of course 3d printing news. Having him around keeps 3d printing at the forefront of my mind. Also, I had Ashton Kutcher’s teen choice award speech in my mind when my husband, 1 year old, and myself went to the mall.

The whole trip I thought how cool it would be to see 3d printers and 3d printed creations for sale. When we were leaving the store the combination my husbands research and Ashton’s speeach hit me hard. Why not open a store myself?! Why wait, wait for what, someone else to do it? From that moment on I couldn’t get the thought out of my head, that lead me to the research, and to fundable.com and to you!

On 3D Printing: How do you compete with or differentiate from makerspaces and local 3D printing service bureaus?

Dusty Santos: That’s easy, there isn’t any competition. Well, physical store competition anyway, since I’ll be the first physical store (that I know of) where customers can see the 3d printing evolution in person. “3D Print It” will be the only store that you can see a variety of 3d printers working and for sale. With knowledgeable staff that can answer questions and help people understand this new way of selling retail. Like the concept of custom printing and never being out of stock. By the time the copycats get in on it, I’ll have cornered the market with 3d printer companies that will only re-sell with me.

On 3D Printing: What 3D Printers will you be using to start?

Dusty Santos: ’Acuity Design’ has agreed to let me re-sell their Helix 3d printer. It has a print radius of 300mm squared and takes lots of different materials. They will be the first printer I use. I’ll also buy a CubeX Trio to be able to print 3 different colors. I would rather work with companies I re-sell for so we are looking for a 3d printer that can take the place of CubeX Trio. The more variety of printers we can re-sell the better variety of merchandise we will have.

On 3D Printing: How will you market your service?

Dusty Santos: My store will be located in the Pheasant Lane Mall in Nashua NH. That mall has been recently renovated and looks amazing. It is also located close to Massachusetts, this insures that customers will come from multiple states to see my store.

Pheasant Lane Mall New Hampshire

Beside the obvious location traffic I will be attending conventions constantly. Everything from jewelry shows, to craft shows, to art exhibits, to cons, with 3d printing I can advertise in many different industries.

 

Good luck Dusty. If you like Dusty Santos’ idea, go check out her Fundable crowdfunding page.

MakerBot Retail Stores Expand: 3D Printers Coming to Boston and Greenwich, CT

Desktop 3D Printing Company Opens New MakerBot Retail Stores

More news from MakerBot! The desktop 3D printing company is launching new retail stores in Boston and Greenwich, CT. The two stores are scheduled to open before the holiday season.

The MakerBot Store in Boston will be located in the busy downtown-shopping district at 144 Newbury Street.  The MakerBot Store in Greenwich, Conn., will also be located in the area’s top shopping destination at 72 Greenwich Avenue.

The new stores will showcase MakerBot’s innovative 3D printers and scanner and will feature the MakerBot 3D Photo Booth, workshops and unique 3D printed gifts.

“Boston and Greenwich are great retail environments and we are excited to bring the MakerBot Store to both cities,” noted Bre Pettis, CEO of MakerBot.  “This is also a homecoming of sorts for some of our employees as many attended schools in the area; our president, Jenny Lawton, has also been a retail fixture in Greenwich, Conn., and ran her own tech company in the Boston area.”

MakerBot Store Grand Opening

The two new MakerBot Stores are planned to open their doors prior to the start of the holiday season.  These two new locations are in addition to the company’s current flagship MakerBot Store at 298 Mulberry Street the NoHo district of New York City.  MakerBot also sells online and through a global network of resellers throughout the world.

“Boston and Greenwich are both terrific, tech-savvy communities, so it seemed natural to expand the MakerBot Store presence in these two areas,” noted Jenny Lawton, president of MakerBot.

When scouting for a new location for the MakerBot Store, Lawton found Boston and Greenwich to be great retail markets for the company.  “We considered locations all around the world, but knew these two neighborhoods offered vibrant retail communities,” she said.  Lawton noted that the MakerBot Store in New York City, which opened in 2012, has become a very successful venture for the company, and is one of the few places in the New York City areas where you can walk in and walk out with a MakerBot product.

Related: MakerBot Launches Thingiverse iPhone App for 3D Printing Community

The MakerBot Store in New York City has become so popular that it is often touted as a tourist destination and has school groups visiting for field trips and visitors from around the world that make the MakerBot Store a must-see place to visit.

Visitors to the MakerBot Store in Boston and Greenwich, as well as the New York MakerBot Store, will have the opportunity to experience the wonder of MakerBot 3D printing technology, such as the MakerBot Replicator 2 Desktop 3D Printer and the MakerBot Digitizer Desktop 3D Scanner, live and in-person. Patrons will also have the chance to purchase amazing 3D-printed gifts and accessories made on MakerBot Desktop 3D Printers created at the company’s Brooklyn workshop.

The MakerBot Replicator 2 Desktop 3D Printer and MakerBot Digitizer Desktop 3D Scanner will also be available for immediate purchase at the MakerBot Store, as will MakerBot PLA and an assortment of ABS Filament, available in more than 30 colors.

Read: MakerBot Store in NYC Drives 3D Printer Sales 

MakerBot Store NYC

Other attractions scheduled to be at the Boston and Greenwich MakerBot Stores that are sure to delight 3D printing enthusiasts, from hobbyists to professional engineers and designers, include:

  • A MakerBot Gum Ball machine with a variety of MakerBot-made miniature 3D printed keepsakes to choose from – look for iconic Greenwich and Boston specialty-themed items
  • Ongoing demonstrations by MakerBot 3D Design staff
  • Really cool 3D project installations and window displays made on MakerBot Desktop 3D Printers
  • Coming soon – The MakerBot Photo Booth – have your photo taken and then printed in 3D!  The popular MakerBot Photo Booth takes just minutes to create a 3D portrait file, which you can then take and create other 3D creations with, or have MakerBot print a 3D portrait or bust

And a final note: MakerBot is hiring. If you live near Boston or Greenwich, apply online at makerbot.com/careers.

Retailer Asda Launches 3D Printed Portrait Service in the UK

For years, retail shops have operated portrait studios, where families or individuals can come get professional-looking photos taken at a reasonable price.

Well, UK-based Asda is taking this concept to a new dimension. Asda has become the first supermarket in the UK to offer customers the ability to get a 3D printed miniature of themselves right in the store.

“We’re trialling an exciting new service — offering you the chance to pick up a detailed 3D printed miniature version of you and your family while you’re doing your weekly shop!” said Asda in an announcement. “The technology produces highly realistic ‘mini me’ figurines at whatever scale you like!”

Asda UK Retail 3D Printing 3D Scanning Woman

Starting this week, Asda is pioneering its 3D printing offering in its York store.

How to get a 3D printed portrait at Asda

Asda has setup a small studio in its store where a customer stands motionless and a store employee 3D scans the customer with a handheld scanner. From the scan a model is built and Asda then 3D prints the model in ceramic offsite.

Asda 3D Printing Scan and Model

3D printed miniatures cost £40 and up, and can be printed in white, bronze, or full color.

Asda is inviting customers to scan anything, including people, pets and even cars. “Good luck scanning pets…” wrote one customer on an Asda forum. To get the scan, a subject does need to remain still for a few minutes which might make capturing pets and children a challenge.

Asda 3D Printed Miniatures Selection

Watch this video to see a woman being 3D scanned and her likeness created on a 3D printer.

The Future of Retail is Personalization – Isaac Katz on 3D Printing

3D printing has the potential to revolutionize the retail industry – Isaac Katz, Electronic Art Boutique

Today’s retail world is one-size-fits-all, said Isaac Katz at the Inside 3D Printing show in San Jose, whereas tomorrow is all-for-one.

Isaac Katz is a pioneer in simulation-based design and in its application to create physical products via 3D printing technology. He presented at Inside 3D Printing San Jose about The Future of Retail. (Related: Isaac Katz also presented at Inside 3D Printing Chicago earlier this year)

In Mr. Katz’s store of the future, personalization makes the difference. Today’s retailers allow consumers to customize aspects like size and color, but tomorrow’s retailers can employ 3D scanning and 3D printing technologies to get the perfect fit and the shape and design the consumer prefers.

Clothing is a simple example of this. Instead of picking a dress off the rack, consumers at the store of the future will be able to look in a virtual mirror to try on and personalize a dress.

Isaac Katz Store of the Future

Below is a 3D printed dress worn by Dita Von Teese.

3D Printed Fashion Dita Von Teese

 

How long until we get to this Future of Retail?

The design technology is available today, said Katz, and 3D printing will likely get there in the coming years. 3D printed cloth has been developed but needs more time to be ready for retail.

Mr. Katz pointed to 3-Sweep, an amazing technology we covered last week, as an example of a design technology that could be incorporated into the retail process. (Related: Take a Photo, Get a 3D Model – This Could Change 3D Printing Design)

 

Top 3D Printing News Last Week: The UPS Store, Eyewear, Mixee Labs, More

UPS Store 3D Printing

3D Printing News

A roundup of the top 3D printing news from July 29 to August 4:

Monday, July 29

Wednesday, July 31

Thursday, August 1

Friday, August 2

Saturday, August 3