Amazon.com launches online 3D-printing shop to create customized goods

On Monday, July 28th, Amazon launched a new online 3D-printing store that allows consumers to purchase customized goods, and modify the size, shape, color, and material finish. The service covers over 200 products from the categories of jewelry, electronics, toys, games, home décor, and kitchen supplies. 
 
The store “allows us to help sellers, designers and manufacturers reach millions of customers while providing a fun and creative customer experience to personalize a potentially infinite number of products at great prices across many product categories,” announced Amazon Marketplace Sales director Petra Schindler-Carter, in a press release announcing the new storefront.

By partnering with the 3D printing firms Mixee, Sculpteo, and 3DLT, the ecommerce giant aims to offer customers access to specialized inventory that more closely aligns with their individual preferences. “The introduction of our 3D Printed Products store suggests the beginnings of a shift in online retail – that manufacturing can be more nimble to provide an immersive customer experience,” adds Schindler-Carter. 

Once customers have selected their design, a widget lets them experiment with various colors and traits using a 360-degree 3D model; design alterations – including thickness and other dimensions – can be viewed in real-time. The cost of actually procuring one of these items ranges from $10 to over $100. Judging by the items below – which were listed under the toy category – it seems as though the service is more geared at the intrigue of owning a 3D-printed object made rather than buying something practical. 

However, it’s worth noting that the introduction of this service means that the world’s largest online retailer is starting to pursue new avenues of acquiring goods, shifting from procurement toward manufacturing. This could potentially impact the entire future of how goods are produced, bought, and sold.

Currently, Amazon does not offer customers the option to upload and print their own designs the way Shapeways does. It may be inferred that the service is more of early stage beta to gauge demand before the Amazon decides to invest the resources needed enforce quality standards. This is not to say that this isn’t planned for the future. 

Via Amazon