3D printing giant 3D Systems announced a deal to sell specific 3D Systems equipment at 100 Best Buy electronics stores.
Two specific products are involved in this deal: the Cube personal 3D printer and the Sense 3D scanner. Both items are designed for consumers and thus it makes sense to make them available at Best Buy, where many consumers obtain their personal electronics.
Both products are priced at a level that won’t scare consumers. The Cube, now in its third generation, is priced at USD$999, while the Sense 3D scanner is priced at USD$399. You can spend a lot more than that on alternative 3D printers and scanners elsewhere.
Placing the two products side by side is also an interesting strategy. For many store visitors, this could be the first and only 3D printing gear they’ve ever encountered. The opportunity to buy a scanner and a machine to print scans presents a way for people to believe they can replicate arbitrary objects. And they can, to some degree, but they will eventually discover that scanning can be a lot more challenging than imagined.
This is yet another step in the slow journey towards mainstreaming 3D printing. By having 3D print equipment available at 100 neighborhood electronic stores, the technology becomes accessible to many more people.
Via 3D Systems
