Minor nitpick with the title - the 3D printing will not be done in store (yet), it will be done offsite and shipped for pick up in store.
In my experience, at least in my locale, the shoppers ask for help finding a USB cable over an HDMI cable. If they are in Staples paying 10x the rate on a cable instead of at monoprice, this just might be something of a value add on.
What many don't know is that a few Staples offer a significant print shop on site. Yes, you can order 1000 rounded corner 4/4 business cards online for near free, or you can pay $90.00 at Staples. Some just haven't yet learned how to enter words into google yet. It's surprising actually. So surprising that LMGTFY is a huge whoosh!
They are using a 3D printer that uses glued paper, rather than plastic. I don't know if Shapeway offers that. It'll be interesting to see what the pricing is, and what you can do with layered paper vs. plastic.
The important thing isn't whether you can get stuff 3D printed at Staples. The important thing is that we're nearing an inflection point for 3D printing the way mobile was when the iphone came out in 2007. Meaning, if you missed the elevator ride up with the smart phone, there's another ride coming around the corner.
Our CEO was just at Euromold so he may have some insight as to whether or not we should look into the paper-based tech.
Most times it's a small item such as a connector or some small thing, like a small part to fix your toilet.
Time is less of a concern from my point of view. If someone can create my one-off plastic model using, say, injection moulding for tens of dollars but it takes a month to get back to me, I'm cool with that. Does such a thing even exist though?
They also do machined parts on a smaller scale:
The parent to my original post suggested there was something akin to 3D printing out there in terms of cost and versatility that was just slower to produce. Something designed for mass production certainly isn't it.
This does not seem like a big market, though. Exlcuding perhaps interior decoration. The engineering properties of 3d printed items for DIY are still TBD (lots of plastic cracking complaints, glued paper doesn't seem much better in terms of field-use). Also, in practice waiting 30 days for a DIY prototype is unlikely to be acceptable (serial project workflows & all that). small batch CNC will get you access to metal. Access to ABS does not seem all that special. Is there something in mind you have (like a project?) or is this all just theoretical?
If they have any success at all, it is meaningless to their bottom line because Amazon and everyone else will be joining in.
[Edit] [Deleted]: "only less convenient since you need to go to the store to pick it up instead of it just being on your door when you get home."
1. in-person help and advice from store associates.
2. Established supplier for many businesses, which means employees can start using it without having to go through the vendor approval process. It's much easier to dip into an existing corporate budget for some new project than to create a budget for it.
3. First mover advantage. It would be better again if they had it in the actual stores, but I bet that's coming in larger markets.
Here is my counter argument for what it is worth.
1. in-person help and advice from store associates. Someone below pointed out that you may be overestimating in store associates. I'm not sure eitherway, but what I do know is that the printing will be done offsight and I would rather deal with a specialist over the web than someone who does some 3D printing, and sells regular printers etc. for my product.
2. Established supplier for many businesses, which means employees can start using it without having to go through the vendor approval process. It's much easier to dip into an existing corporate budget for some new project than to create a budget for it.
This is a great point and I could definitely see some value coming from the fact that I could just give my admin a part number for a 3D print rather than go through a ton of work getting a vendor approved.
3. First mover advantage. It would be better again if they had it in the actual stores, but I bet that's coming in larger markets.
Almost never in the history of business has a first mover advantage been a real advantage. I say almost because there was a previous discussion where someone mentioned 2 or 3 big companies that have done it, but the other 497 fortune 500 companies were copying someone else.
1. I agree that the in-store staff won't be expert. But as long as they're half-way competent, that will be a big help for people who are brand-new to the technology but don't know where to start. I think this will improve over time, but I may be biased; I have this theory that we're moving away from retail being totally unskilled and that brick & mortar suppliers will start competing by improving service, because that's one area where their online competitors are weak.
2. This should have been point #1 really.
3. I think the internet is pushing things that way, insofar as one can't easily afford to let someone else establish themselves as the market leader: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superstar#Economics_of_.22super...
Now I'm not at all sure Staples will end up as the market leader in 3d printing, but it may be sufficient for them to simply beat out competitors like Office Depot and become the leader in their market segment.
I think you are overestimating the skill level of the average Staples employee.
I guess you don't live somewhere interesting and/or don't leave the house.
If it's raining, the package gets soaked.
If the neighborhood kids are particularly rowdy, my package is gone when I get home.
Dropping it off at a specific location and requiring me to show up and prove my identity before I can take it home fixes these issues, among others.