[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.