Amazon to Get into 3D Printing? Makes perfect sense..

[DerekPeterson]

So this morning I was reading an article, which basically was saying that Amazon appears to be making a move to get into the 3D Printing industry. They have already created a portal for 3D Printing. Anyhow, the article makes some excellent points.

Currently there really isn't a one stop location to purchase 3D designs from. There is Thingiverse where designs are free, and then there is Shapeways, where you pay to have a design printed. However, as far as I know there is not really a big time site that allows people to sell their designs, or people to purchase advanced designs. Eventually, as 3D Printing really takes off, people are going to want to monetize their hard work in making designs. It's something that is bound to happen. In fact, I bet that if most the people on Thingiverse knew that they could sell their designs rather than give them away, most would jump ship.

Amazon is the perfect platform. They could come up with their own 3D Printers, ones which are easy to use, and are constantly updated (similar to the Kindle). Sell these printers extra cheap (maybe even take a little bit of a loss on sales), in order to get people that use your designs. Then they could open a marketplace for 3D designs. Designers could earn royalties every time someone purchases a design to print. Consumers would be able to find just about any design they could imagine. Just about every designer would most likely stop creating free designs, and start selling them to make a profit. More and more designers would become interested in 3D designs, and more and more people would become interested in 3D Printers.

I believe this is something that Amazon is secretly working on, and something we could see as soon as 2014.

What do you guys think?

[Larry]

I could see Amazon doing much more than what you propose. Clearly they are out to conquer the world! They are getting into pretty much every niche and industry there is, and 3D Printing will likely be a big one. I could see them selling designs, but more importantly perhaps opening up hubs around the country, and than world where they have high quality 3D printers which people can send their amazon order to and either pick up or have delivered to then, eventually by drone. I am certain Amazon see 3D Printing as a major area that they should control in the next few years time.

[crowbar]

I bought my 3D printer from Amazon.

[redrick]

Yes, but I believe the original poster was referring to Amazon offering actual 3D Printing services, not simply selling 3D Printers or there site as a 3rd party distributer.