[anigbrowl]

Wrong for 3 reasons, I think:

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.

[wtvanhest]

I like the way you phrased this: "Wrong for 3 reasons, I think:"

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.

[anigbrowl]

:-)

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.

[stevewilhelm]

> 1. in-person help and advice from store associates.

I think you are overestimating the skill level of the average Staples employee.

[Evbn]

I think you are overestimating the skill level of the average Staples customer.