Staples, Inc. (NASDAQ:SPLS) is planning to venture into the 3D printing market.
The company’s supply chain launched an online platform where users can send the digital prints of the items that they want to be converted into 3D designs. To achieve the goal, Staples is working together with Sculpteo, an online 3D printing firm. The company will also use the new service to teach 3D enthusiasts how to use the 3D technology to produce the best results or fix any errors. The strategy will involve providing tools that would otherwise be too expensive for individuals to acquire.
According to Behzad Soltani, the vice president of e-commerce services for the company, Staples, Inc. (NASDAQ:SPLS). believes that early 3D printing might lead to major transformations in product and design. The company was among the first retailers to sell 3D printing equipment for individual use in 2013. Its product was the Makerbot’s at-home printers. However, a key component was missing because the market was relatively new (still is) and buyers were not guided on how to use the product. Now the company wants to make sure that users are taught how to optimize the technology.
Mr. Soltani claims that one of the company’s goals through the new project is to help the users understand the technology without having to spend further on their own at-home 3D printers. This way, people will be less intimidated by the technology that most people think is made for people who know how to operate Computer Aided Design (CAD). Once the market can overcome this ideology, the technology will receive wider acceptance. The very involvement of Staples in the 3D industry is an encouraging factor towards the industry’s growth and development.
Groupon’s shares traded at$13.84 during Friday’s close. The shares dropped by 2.53% in trading over the past week and an overall 2.03% in the past month. As per the S&P 500, the company performed below projected expectations by 16.76% in the past month.
