Just a few of the items eBay Exact has to offer. Image credit Tech Crunch.
You don’t have to own a 3D printer to get a customized item. Sites like Shapeways have been offering custom 3D printed items for a while now, allowing users to upload their own designs or choose from pre-existing items. Now a major online retailer is jumping on the bandwagon with eBay Exact.
What eBay Exact is:
eBay’s addition to the world of 3D printing is a mobile application that gives you access to their online store. From there, you can browse a series of customizable products, tinker with the way it looks, and send instructions off to the printer.
The app currently has three manufacturers signed up: MakerBot, Sculpteo, and Hot Pop Factory. The interface and options are slightly different depending on the manufacturer, since each printer has different equipment. At the moment, there are only a handful of different products available, but more should be added soon.
Printers have always been able to list their products on eBay; this app is simply attempting to streamline the process. Although it doesn’t list independent printers, it offers customers a safe and easy way to get customized items for their friends and family.
What eBay Exact isn’t:
Unlike Shapeways, eBay Exact won’t let you upload a custom design. Your customization options are limited to material, engravings, and a few other design elements depending on the individual object. Essentially, you’re shopping in a regular online store; but instead of choosing between a red phone case or a black one you can now pick the pattern on the case and what it says.
Another problem with eBay Exact is that it only exists in mobile form – for iOS, to be specific. You can’t order the items from your computer, and heaven forbid you have an Android. Of course, that might change in the future; the application is still in its beta stages.
eBay Exact is the commercial side of 3D printing. You can order fun trinkets, toys, and accessories, but you can’t do much more with it. Without a base of user-submitted designs, you might as well be ordering from a regular store. As far as 3D printing developments go, this one isn’t particularly exciting.
That said, the fact that eBay has jumped on the 3D printing bandwagon means that the concept has entered the mainstream. The more people that know they can buy a 3D printer or order something made from one, the faster the industry is going to grow. In the long run, eBay Exact is going to draw attention to all the right places, although it might take a while.
What’s your opinion on the new app? Would you use it, if it had products you were interested in? Have you tested it out? Let us know in the comments!