Shapeways Update from Aotrs Shipyards

[Aotrs Shipyards]

Okay, as of today, we actually had some information on Shapeways’ plans.

The full blurb from their CEO is here:

The gist of it is thus:

1) Most importantly, the prices for existing models (which would be anything before October 22nd when the new price system goes live), <i>will  not change until 2019.</i>

(I assume this to mean “1st January 2019.”)

2) This new pricing structure will be otherwise rolled out on October 22nd.

3) They claim it to be within +/5% of the old system, except for a minimum cost (no detail on what that is).

4) There will be a standard and economy priority (based on whether you want stuff soon or when they get to it), which if it works anything like the one they have currently (for the WSF/VNP) or anyone else’s, will be a reduction in cost of the order for the latter. (Or, with Shapoways, possibly an increase for the former…)

5) Changes in shipping costs (doesn’t say up or down, draw your own conclusions.)

So then. With that knowledge in hand, I will do a moderns release as normal (maybe even tomorrow), and a sci-fi release for this month at the same time to get the last of the current  Phystyulon fleet out and locked-in. (Assuming that the are coming in at the current pricing structure.) Come November we will see what the new prices are like and see what’s what.

In the meantime, my alternative back-up is currently evaluating some of my files to decide whether they want to allow me to be able to sell models there without having to have them printed first. You will know when I know.

Finally, I have officially now selling prints from my home printer.

For anyone interested, the catalogue of available models is on Shapeways (I will find a different place to host it at some point, but until then); you can contact me for a quote through Shapeway’s PM system or through the Giant in the Playground forums (I’m Aotrs Commander everywhere) until such time as I can get something else sorted.

At the moment, we’ll be working out prices as people put requests in (since hitherto we haven’t had or logged our own printing expenses), hence the quotations, but it will substantially cheaper than Shapeways.

(Note, particularly for shipping outside the UK, we are still in the learning stage, since I’ve never done this sort of thing before[1], so bear with me!)

[1]In fact, the point of Shapeways was explicitly that I wouldn’t have to, but there you go.

Shapeways, Aotrs Shipyards

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