Don’t write off 3D printing as expensive and niche just yet – it could yet change the way people shop.
A Netherlands-based design firm has started selling 3D printed shoes, with founder Janne Kyttanen saying he wants to transform retail with the technology, according to Wired.co.uk[1] .
3D printing has so far been confined to high value manufacturing and prototypes of innovative products, and the most likely retail use looks to be in the luxury sector creating bespoke products for rich shoppers.
But while Kyttanen’s shoes are certainly pricey - £1,700 and upwards – he says 3D will change the way people shop – and not just the very rich.
He told Wired: “Today we are bound by the products in physical stores. Personalisation is difficult and rare. Online shopping helps a little bit, but it’s still a static 2D experience. 3D [printing] totally changes the game. The consumer now also becomes a designer and manufacturer.”
It’s true the technology is likely to get cheaper, but there are a few questions still to be answered. Will consumers buy 3D printers in the numbers required to make it feasible for retailers, or will 3D printing be better used by retailers in store? Tesco has it on its radar[2] – the grocer is considering how the technology might be best used in the future. It’s expensive and resolutely confined to the high end for now, but it won’t be forever.
References
- ^ according to Wired.co.uk (www.wired.co.uk)
- ^ Tesco has it on its radar (www.retail-week.com)
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