I dont have the files, now they are up on the dirt cheap print job list. I have a feeling this will happen more. If one customer gets confused on how the site works, then more will do it as well.
I dont know how that side of the site works but Im sure she already paid and expecting me to make them. This can make me look bad, because I dont want someone to make something like crap or take forever to make it and then she thinks its me!
I think another Google Hangout is in order with Nathan and the other 3D Printers that has been here as long as me.
8 years, 10 months ago
It sucks because if someone grabbed them that is fine. But I wouldn't have done it for that low of a price.
I think you were the one telling us about how this open job thing will be the downfall of what we had going.
most jobs arent click and print, i usually talk to the clients quite a bit to discuss options
MakeXYZ was great for community with customer. I got to know each customer, gain a bond, and got repeat jobs from some of them. Shit I'm friends with some on Facebook.
3DHubs is more of a "this is what I want, here's my money, then bye". This site still works great because I set my price and get jobs. Everything is laid out for me that I don't have to ask questions. Kinda takes out the human interaction aspect.
However, I feel that Hubs is missing the connection factor with your customer. That's what makeXYZ has and I think will loose it with this new feature. You want a connection, it is beneficial to makeXYZ, me, and the customer.
I can't contact customers at all can you?
Any chance we could make it a tad earlier? Got tap dance lessons. :-/
Elpulpo what time you thinking of?
Vinnie you kick it off if I sleep through, but I'll try to be up early enough.
Here is the link, we are not going to start it until 10 CST/11 EST
The interface has changed to encourage customers to try the new open order process because they are led to believe it is faster. I can accept an order and print within a day if the customer is responsive to my questions and pays the invoice promptly. My experience has shown that about 30 per cent of customers or more don't know what 3d printing can or cannot do. I spend a lot of time educating the customer. This is all lost in the open order process. The system does not seem to even check for model errors, unprintable models, etc and the schedule certainly does not account for large parts which can take a long time to print even at low density. The interface seems to default to 0.2 layer thickness and 5 per cent infill which most customers won't know what that means in terms of part quality and strength. If it is a functional part low infill may not be strong enough. I also notice people are asking for nylon. Other than higher temperature properties, I don't see why they would want it over ABS unless of course they are selecting it because they recognize the name as opposed to ABS. Maybe the site should say (ABS, like what Lego toys are made of).
I see this order process taking away business from dedicated people like myself who are committed to helping the customer. If the problem is the site is losing business to some other competitor, then the marketing and promotion needs to show the public needs help and 3d printing is not ready for click and print yet. Even seasoned designers can stand an education and objects from Thingiverse could be improved or have model errors.
Not sure who has been accepting some of these open orders but I would like to hear how successful they could print some of them. Most are challenging at best.
Jim Stana
JMS3DPrinting.com
I dont print in ABS usually only in PLA
im lucky enough to have a large print bed or else some of the jobs couldn't have been printed in one piece, there is no way we can ask the customer if they wanted us to split the part or not
also the 1 day turnaround might be misleading to allot of the customers
How did the hangout go?
fwiw, it's interesting to look back: http://i.imgur.com/q7YwY6z.png
that's what makexyz used to look like. pretty sh*tty.
things around here tend to start rough and get better over time -- as driven in large part by your feedback.
so if you have a sec, will you give us a list of things that /infill needs: https://goo.gl/Xyzj0I
Can someone summarize the comments or recommendations that came out of it and post hem here?
Also, I see that the open order process has been halted as a trial?
Have the number of inquiries system wide shown a decrease recently?
I have Ben looking at the past year and comparing inquiry frequency with this month and see a decline, but of course it just may be a brief anomaly that is not significant. I would assume that Nathan would be tracking daily or weekly overall stats and would be able to comment?
And yes. My inquiries have dropped to nothing.
Pretty bad, indeed, used to be great, but this new model is just killing. Leaving it if no change is done.
And, to be honest, I have received a few requests in the following months after the "open print jons" implementation, but those were mostly "automated orders" with price pre-stablished (by whom?) and with no review of the "printability" of the models, with a ridiculous turn over time. Still, I had tried to educate the client, relying with all the problems I had found, well documented and even with simulations on how the end result would look. but since the request goes to several makers at a time, some more experienced than others, I do not doubt that some of these non printables pieces were originally deemed as possible by a newbe maker (as I was some years ago), just to fail short later on.
I believe that this damages the reputation of the site, it is not good for the makers, and even worst for the client.
Too bad something really good has turned into a loose-loose-loose situation. Of course, it is just my opinion.
The idea of being able to upload a model and get an "instant price", without the consultation of a maker who has agreed to take on the job, is ridiculous, and whoever thought this would be a feasible way of handling this business must have some severe delusions regarding the capabilities and limitations of 3D printing technology.
:/