I’ve been following the 3D Printing space for nearly a decade at this point. I’ve had the pleasure to watch 3D printing history unfold with innovation after innovation. But yet, I find myself wondering why we still don’t all have a 3D printer in our homes?
‘Why is that?’ Is something I often ask myself. Is it because the technology is too technical? Or perhaps because 3D printers are relatively expensive? Both of these could be valid reasons, I suppose.
But what if it just came down to an industry’s failure to showcase value.
I’m not talking about stock value nor the value of money or time. I’m talking about the value a product brings to our lives. Think about it, what products do use everyday that make life easier and better.
To me that seems like a much more likely reason for people to buy something. After all, the latest iPhone will cost the average consumer upwards of a grand and nobody blinks an eye.
I’m blown away by the everyday products I use that just take the edge off of otherwise grueling tasks. As an example, just about every day I use my microwave to cook meals in minutes that otherwise would have taken me an hour to prepare. I microwaved a whole ‘microwaveable’ bag of sweet potatoes the other day and they came out perfect, what type of witchcraft is that?!
Granted, you can’t beat a home cooked meal but if I’m rushing between the office and jiu jitsu practice, there is no better remedy than simply reheating leftovers in the microwave. The microwave makes my life easier and I see that as added value. For that added value, I’m willing to pay.
I think the marketing genius behind the everyday products we enjoy did a great job of showcasing the value their products bring to our lives.
The 3D printing industry marketing folks could have done a better job at that.
It’s my belief that 3D printing does add value to every household.
So, I’m going to take a crack at it. We’re launching a series of blog posts called Useful 3D Prints.
Each Useful 3D Prints blog post is going to do one thing: Showcase how a household 3D printer makes everyday life easier.
Stay tuned for our first post and to be notified or leave a comment, follow us on social media.
Instagram: @mantis3dprinter
Twitter: @mantis3dprinter
Facebook: @mantis3dprinter