Should Amazon Buy Shapeways?

[Brian_Krassenstein]

Amazon seems to have one goal, and that is to grab market share from literally every retailer out there possible. They wants to be your storefront for everything, whether it's groceries or new tires for your car. Just the other day Amazon started selling 3d printed good on their site. Clearly they know that 3d printing is the future. Instead of trying to compete with companies like Shapeways.com, which is a depository of millions of 3d designs which they print out and ship all over the world, Amazon should purchase the company. Overnight they would become the leader of 3d printed good.

Last year Shapeways raised $30 million from investor Andreessen Horowitz, among other. The valuation at the time was not given, but I would imagine that today's valuation of the company is well under $500 million. Amazon could buy the company up without making a dent in their assets. After all Shapeways is known as the "Amazon of 3d printing," by many in the industry.



Opinions?

[MessierGoal]

I assume you mean that they raises $30 million, not $30. If Amazon can get them to sell, I would definitely think they would be interested. The designs could be integrated into the Amazon store even. Could be very profitable for Amazon. However, I think Amazon should also start selling 3D printable designs. In the next 10 years, that's where the money will be.

[Jeremia_Munchkins]

I think it would be a great move on the part of Amazon. However, I don't know if what they would be willing to offer would be enough to convince Shapeways. Giving up ownership is a big step, in that they lose the rights to decide which directions the company wants to go into in the future.