CmdrShepard49 comments on Etsy cracks down on 3D printed products — new rules exclude many 3D printed items from listings

[–] CmdrShepard49@sh.itjust.works 11 points 1 year ago (3 children)

That doesn't really answer the question and also introduces issues with situations like Bambu's Creator's Program (or whatever it's called) where you can pay the model creator for the rights to sell the item. I don't see why they need to target 3D prints specifically when Etsy is absolutely chock full of similar duplicates in other mediums. They're just going to drive people away to a new site, which is fine I suppose, but seems incredibly short sighted.

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[–] planish@sh.itjust.works 4 points 1 year ago (1 child)

Etsy IIRC is not meant to be a general marketplace: it's meant to be for handmade or flea-market vintage type stuff.

They then have to turn that into hard rules, and one of them is you can't just manufacture stuff and turn around and sell it: manufactured stuff has to be old enough, and I think they have a particular year.

3D printing is a lot like manufacturing, and a little like making by hand. The more people use it like manufacturing, the less Etsy will want to have it.

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[–] CmdrShepard49@sh.itjust.works 1 point 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I'd argue it's closer to hand made than manufacturing due to most people only having the ability to crank out small batches of prints as a side hustle. I still think it's short sighted and wonder why other CNC devices aren't also being banned like CNC routers, laser cutters, laser engravers, pen plotters, etc since these all use similar designs and mechanical systems. Where do you draw the line? I can understand only wanting hand made or vintage items but if technology is advancing past that and the market isn't really there for those items, then what's the purpose of the site? What are they going to tell both buyers and sellers that they're not the type of clientele they want on their platform? That seems nuts as a business.

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[–] tischbier@feddit.org 3 points 1 year ago

Yeah, I agree with your take. I can see why people are annoyed with the eggs and dragons cluttering the shops.

But that being said— Most of the models I’ve seen are ones you can pay the creator for a license to print and sell it for a profit. It’s pretty easy to find that kind of deal and the contract is explicit in their listing. So, the original designers will be losing business too since they bank off of making cute model files and collect passive income from people who want to print and sell the item.

Considering how much crap is on Etsy, maybe I’m missing something, but I am not sure why the crack down now—and on 3D prints of all things.

I actually think 3D printers at home will end up replacing a lot of things that used to be shipped from China. I’m already seeing the edges of this but time will tell if that trend keeps going that way. But I 3D print so, I notice functional things I can make all the time.

I think you make a good point—I wonder what site they’ll jump to?

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