The 3D printing giant Shapeway’s price hike is on the way! We will take a look at the when and the why and what this means for the hobby.
The industry leader in 3D printing has announced in a letter from the CEO stating that there are going to be some changes coming for this powerhouse company.
We are going to take a look at what that means the consumer and the Shapeways vendors that you may shop with.
3D Bits Are Getting a Price Hike At Shapeways
Algorithm Change-
The intent of the new algorithm is to recreate our existing model, in a more simple way to enable less processing and faster price generation. With this change, there are some differences. We have worked to minimize the variability between the old and new model, resulting in an average price variance of less than +/- 5% change.
A 5 % price hike doesn’t sound like a lot for us as consumers but, if that means 5% mark up to the Shapeways Vendors then they might have a problem creating profitable revenue on their creations. Especially with the inclusion of a minimum pricing per part.
Minimum Pricing –
We have added minimum prices per part. Small parts require similar labor, processing, and handling as large parts and we need to adjust price to offset those costs.
Minimum pricing on parts might hurt some 3D bits companies out there going forward. Some companies like Gadgets Plus and Pop Goes the Monkey who sell conversion kits that consist of something between eight to ten parts.
Finish Pricing –
We have evaluated the costs associated with finish services and have adjusted our price accordingly to align with the real cost structure.
Material Pricing –
We have increased pricing on Cast Metals, Steels, and Sandstone to align with the cost increases we have received from our vendors. These increases vary per material.
Manufacturing Speed –
Historically we have not differentiated prioritization in our manufacturing process, giving every part the same priority of production. With the new model we are offering varied manufacturing priority… starting with Standard & Economy options… and growing to additional offerings over time. The Standard offering will prioritize parts and ensure delivery within our current standard manufacturing time, while Economy will not be prioritized and will be manufactured when capacity is available allowing for a low cost option for parts that don’t require a specific delivery time frame. Please note: we will still be providing ranges for delivery dates. For the new economy option, the maximum time for production may be longer than you have historically experienced. This is because of the new capacity variable.
SO the way this reads you might have to pay a premium for priority on the printers if you want to print first, it is going to you cost more.
Shipping –
We are also making adjustments to our shipping pricing to align with current cost rates with our vendors.
Sounds like price hikes all across the board from Shapeways. From production, finishing, to materials and shipping. This price hike might change the way some people get their 3D printed bits.
The next big question is: When will these changes take effect?
When will this roll out?
We will implement the new pricing October 22, 2018.
How will this affect the marketplace?
All models that are currently in the marketplace will be grandfathered into their existing pricing until 2019.
Are dark times ahead for the commercial 3D printing market as we know it? It may be time to get your orders in NOW for your favorite bits to ensure you have enough for the new pricing transition in 2019.
Let us know what you think about the Shapeways price hike over on our Facebook Hobbies Page!
