Shapeways Rebranding

[mikeharvey22]

Although everything is working on my iPad without having to login each time, the design of the site appears to be intended for some alien race. Nothing about it is intuitive. The front page is more of an anonymous billboard than a way in to doing something useful. Have not looked at it on my desktop yet so I may have the login shenanigans to come.

[rue_d_etropal]

Yes, it's most annoying. When I select the blocks that contain small parts of the signs it makes me do more of those. Then it goes onto roads and cars and all that nonsense. On many occasions Shapeways' website will say my login details are invalid even when they're correct (I know this because I have copy-pasted the details on multiple occasions and got varied results). Shapeways' website and shipping cots leave a lot to be desired. At this moment in time even their new names for the materials are annoying me!

Have had this for a while, in fact it went away initially when the new website came in, but I have had it sometimes when I log in. Sometimes if I wait for SW to finish loading whatever they are doing, it then works OK, but then does not the next time. I had thought there might be security issues, hence the change to website, and thought it might be just me having the problem.

 

On postage costs, it does amaze me that no SW 3D printing facility has not been set up in Australia. Surely the customer base is potentially big enough. SW have subcontracted work in the past (in their early days), so it might be worth while doing that with a facilty in Australia.

[JCL]

All of this makes me think of Hornby from a few years back when they were putting the backs up shop owners, etc. Are there any real alternatives at the moment?

[The Great Bear]

 

Are there any real alternatives at the moment?

 

iMaterialise and Sculpteo in Eurpoe, at least and I think US. I haven't explored what's available in the marketplace on either.

 

iMaterialise you have to make a design before selling and prices don't include sales tax until checkout

Sculpteo shipping signifcantly more than Shapeways

 

both offer SLS nylon aka Shapeways WSF or whatever it is now

Neither do something like Shapeways FUD, iMateriliase do a resin with a better finish but very picky and conservative design requirements

 

I've used Sculpteo a fair bit, they give you the option for delayed production at a discount, but their shipping costs are 3x Shapeways.

[Guy Rixon]

Has anybody here any experience of setting up a shop on i.Materialise? The shops look similar to Shapeways, but without the search features.

[davefromacrossthepond]

Sounds like Shapeways has set up an opportunity for someone to grab its marketshare.

[JCL]

Just what I was thinking Dave, although they’d have to do a lot of marketing to get the buying punters in.

 

I don’t really understand the high shipping costs given that companies like Hattons keep theirs low, and their products are also usually fragile. That said, for Canada, it’s often cheaper getting things delivered from the U.K. and Australia than the US.

[Quarryscapes]

Just what I was thinking Dave, although they’d have to do a lot of marketing to get the buying punters in.

 

I don’t really understand the high shipping costs given that companies like Hattons keep theirs low, and their products are also usually fragile. That said, for Canada, it’s often cheaper getting things delivered from the U.K. and Australia than the US.

 

Shapeways Shipping costs are in no way high, they are offering a far better deal than we at work can get at cost within the UK! If I was to be shipping in reverse, I.E. UK to Netherlands it would cost me £20 and would take longer. 

 

As for the re-brand, well all websites need a freshen up every now and then, can't say as it does anything for me personally mind. I'm in the process of building pages with direct links from my own website at the moment. There are plenty of other people offering 3D printing if you take that much of an exception, The only thing you can't get elsewhere is the interlocking cast metals. 

[brian777999]

I have received all the parts for the GWR Cordon in white nylon plastic. I am surprised at how rough the surface is and there will be a lot of work smoothing it all out before asssembly. If it was made of ABS then I could have used the acetone smoothing method. Is there a similar trick with nylon using some other chemical ? What sort of glue can I use for nylon ? I intend to use super glue unless somebody has a better suggestion.

Edited August 12, 2018 by brian777999

[MGR Hooper!]

Have had this for a while, in fact it went away initially when the new website came in, but I have had it sometimes when I log in. Sometimes if I wait for SW to finish loading whatever they are doing, it then works OK, but then does not the next time. I had thought there might be security issues, hence the change to website, and thought it might be just me having the problem.

 

On postage costs, it does amaze me that no SW 3D printing facility has not been set up in Australia. Surely the customer base is potentially big enough. SW have subcontracted work in the past (in their early days), so it might be worth while doing that with a facilty in Australia.

I hope in the future Shapeways can at some point open factories in Australia and to serve the Asia Pacific region maybe in China/Japan/South Korea and India/Gulf region.

[Quarryscapes]

I have received all the parts for the GWR Cordon in white nylon plastic. I am surprised at how rough the surface is and there will be a lot of work smoothing it all out before asssembly. If it was made of ABS then I could have used the acetone smoothing method. Is there a similar trick with nylon using some other chemical ? What sort of glue can I use for nylon ? I intend to use super glue unless somebody has a better suggestion.

 

You need to fill it rather than sand it, Nylon doesn't and well. A High build primer is required, several layers and allow plenty of time for it to dry before sanding it down smooth, if the nylon stats showing through again, paint it again before continuing. 

[rue_d_etropal]

Nylon will sand down with decent sandpaper(the green  stuff?) . Think it might be the wet and dry one, but it does not clog up, which is the problem with nylon as dust is so fine.

[Knuckles]

Well, might as well pipe in at last.

 

The new SW layout I dislike very much. Visually it is worse, I preferred the older logo and the font. These are obviously subjective opinions with little weight, however the layout is arse.

 

Harder to find things as many have said, things have been pointlessly re-shuffled. Why? Was it that bad?

 

Materials now require you clicking every one on the drop down where before they were in a nice list; I could see them all at once when uploading, now it requires more time.

 

 

Oh and the re-naming! Smart, reeeaaal smart. It has made a non-sense out of hundreds of shops, mine included. Rather than going though hundreds of items to rename them (could happen again right?) I just explained the discrepancy on the main page.

 

So in our product titles and descriptions when we have typed WSF or FUD that now to someone outside is a useless confusion making the shop owners look retarded.

 

Brilliant!!

 

.....

 

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Edited September 6, 2018 by Knuckles

[Guy Rixon]

The new layout is degraded for every purpose except luring in first-time designers. Anybody trying to run a shop, or to buy from a shop, or just to find and re-use the models they uploaded last week is disadvantaged. It may be that the web designers are utter pillocks who did the first thing on the list of use cases and nothing else. I hope that is all there is to it. The worrying alternative is that S. desperately need to recruit more designers of high-ticket items to stay in business and they've throw everything to this end.

[rue_d_etropal]

For me the big problem has been that SW have not fixed/modified areas which need to be modified, and changed things that were working fine. Main reason Ihave my own website and that front ends my e=shop. Far easier tofind anything. That is mainly because I have so many designs.

Good example is what is now '3D Models' , Everything is in order they were loaded onto system. I have designs I am working on, and in effect testing , but I also add new designs ahead of hes if they are simple and can be put 'live'. Trouble is it is then more difficult to find those half done items.  Suppose I could build that into my website,but if there were two streams, one for 'live' and one for 'in design' then I could manage them far easier.

When I started a few years ago, it was a lot worse, so a lot has got better. Adding new catagories is still a bit clunky, and I am not sure, is it now possible to hange names of caegories.

It used to be possible to set items just to view, then some grumbled it was clutterin up their views so they stopped i, but it is back again, but you do have to set a price even if it is 'not for sale'.

Possibly the best feature is the 3D spin function, bu someone did tell me it was not working on their system(mobile???) .

One feature I ould add is a proper easy to search contents list of e-shops,Matybe its because I am older, but I am happy to read through a list, and don't want an ambiguous box which , if I put the right word in, actually comes up with what I am looking for. That actually wastes more of my time than my actually scanning though a contents list. Also I might actually find something else which is useful but I was not looking for., so I actually get 2 for the price of 1!

[Spitfire2865]

For me the big problem has been that SW have not fixed/modified areas which need to be modified, and changed things that were working fine. Main reason Ihave my own website and that front ends my e=shop. Far easier tofind anything. That is mainly because I have so many designs.

Good example is what is now '3D Models' , Everything is in order they were loaded onto system. I have designs I am working on, and in effect testing , but I also add new designs ahead of hes if they are simple and can be put 'live'. Trouble is it is then more difficult to find those half done items.  Suppose I could build that into my website,but if there were two streams, one for 'live' and one for 'in design' then I could manage them far easier.

When I started a few years ago, it was a lot worse, so a lot has got better. Adding new catagories is still a bit clunky, and I am not sure, is it now possible to hange names of caegories.

It used to be possible to set items just to view, then some grumbled it was clutterin up their views so they stopped i, but it is back again, but you do have to set a price even if it is 'not for sale'.

Possibly the best feature is the 3D spin function, bu someone did tell me it was not working on their system(mobile???) .

One feature I ould add is a proper easy to search contents list of e-shops,Matybe its because I am older, but I am happy to read through a list, and don't want an ambiguous box which , if I put the right word in, actually comes up with what I am looking for. That actually wastes more of my time than my actually scanning though a contents list. Also I might actually find something else which is useful but I was not looking for., so I actually get 2 for the price of 1!

Shapeways search engine is completely broken.

Unlike Google or any other search engine, with Shapeways, the more words you put in the MORE results you get.  Thus finding anything specific is a pain, if even possible.  

[rue_d_etropal]

Shapeways search engine is completely broken.

Unlike Google or any other search engine, with Shapeways, the more words you put in the MORE results you get.  Thus finding anything specific is a pain, if even possible.  

One reason I have my own website front ending my models. SQL searching should allow + and -. It has never been perfect but it was never intended to be used the way it is used these days, and that assumes you have designed your database properly.

To be fair, I find the search tools on Google a pain, especially as they steer you towards advertisers. I find it better to only use a few words, then use what it comes up with as a start point.

 

I would not use the search tools on Shapeways, as I prefer to have a look around, using the categories as a starting point, and then looking at any shops when I find something that might interest me. My time is as valuabe as anyone's, so I don't waste it. Browsing I find is much more satisfying, than wasting time not finding something. 

[Spitfire2865]

One reason I have my own website front ending my models. SQL searching should allow + and -. It has never been perfect but it was never intended to be used the way it is used these days, and that assumes you have designed your database properly.

To be fair, I find the search tools on Google a pain, especially as they steer you towards advertisers. I find it better to only use a few words, then use what it comes up with as a start point.

 

I would not use the search tools on Shapeways, as I prefer to have a look around, using the categories as a starting point, and then looking at any shops when I find something that might interest me. My time is as valuabe as anyone's, so I don't waste it. Browsing I find is much more satisfying, than wasting time not finding something. 

Itd be fine to use Shapeways categories if they allowed you to search through all the options that they allow when creating a product.  

I model in 1/22.5, I upload models for 1/22.5, I categorize them in Model trains-1/22.5, I cant search through the marketplace using those categories.  I can only "Search" for 1/22.5 and that doesnt really give meaningful results.  

[m0rris]

Itd be fine to use Shapeways categories if they allowed you to search through all the options that they allow when creating a product.  

I model in 1/22.5, I upload models for 1/22.5, I categorize them in Model trains-1/22.5, I cant search through the marketplace using those categories.  I can only "Search" for 1/22.5 and that doesnt really give meaningful results.  

 

Frustratingly as an N Gauge modeller, I can list my continental items as "N 1/160" but 1/148 is not only not N gauge on their system (which I do understand) but also not available on the filters either.

[Quarryscapes]

Frustratingly as an N Gauge modeller, I can list my continental items as "N 1/160" but 1/148 is not only not N gauge on their system (which I do understand) but also not available on the filters either.

 

Same with 00 1/76 - but then you have the correct 1/76.2 listed separately but like surefire, you can't actually browse that as a category! 

[Guy Rixon]

With all the infelicities of the site, both before and after the change, we should be glad that they support railway modelling as far as they do. I hope that's not going to change if they put more emphasis on the jewellery. We should perhaps try to be constructive in our criticism.

 

Spitfire: filtering by scale does work, provided that your scale of choice is in the list. They just need to be told that your speciality scale is relevant for trains and not just for military models.

[Spitfire2865]

With all the infelicities of the site, both before and after the change, we should be glad that they support railway modelling as far as they do. I hope that's not going to change if they put more emphasis on the jewellery. We should perhaps try to be constructive in our criticism.

 

Spitfire: filtering by scale does work, provided that your scale of choice is in the list. They just need to be told that your speciality scale is relevant for trains and not just for military models.

The scales available to browse through on the marketplace are NOT as vast as the options available in the product options.

They have two systems which dont work well together

[rue_d_etropal]

Seems that some are trying to be too specific when it comes to categories. Can't understand problem with N gauge, as scales are listed separately, and don't forget 1/152as tre 2mm/ft. I think having a category of 1/76.2 possibly does more harm than good. I tend to refe to 4mm/ft as 1.7t and OO, and most modellers will know that that does not mean it excludes EM and P4. I tend touse 1/43.5 for O scale, although my own category name still says 1/43 scale.

I think the way some are in effect being 'rivet counting' with the way they use terms for scale is counter productive to the hobby. From a marketing(groan) point of view we are all better using compatible terminology.

When they introduced the new category system, i was not sure about it. I now accept it, easy enough to click the boxes when adding new items, but there are a couple(?) of big prblems. Firstly it only allows you to categorise under one category, secondly there are categories mssing. Puzzles me why the country list is so limited.

Having said that, system is far far better to use than i was when I started. We are very lucky to have a system such as Shapeways, and in the old addage, use it or lose it.

 

I wouds suggest to anyone who does have designs on Shapeways to se up their own website or just a page with their items on it, and a direct link to each of their items. I think Shapeways are under the misconception that their site can do everything when it actually needs a little bit of help, and every website that points into it will actually help Shapeways, not not the indivual designers. I regularly come across my Shapeway digital images when I am searching for something on Google. Google is probably first place that people start searching for stuff, and it can take you places youwould not have found otherwise.