Ideas travel. Opportunity stays local.
A design can cross the world in seconds. A finished object still has to be made somewhere, by someone, with care. We believe that somewhere should be close to the person who will use it, and that the someone should be a local business with roots in its neighbourhood.
That belief sits at the heart of our vision. The merchant role is where it becomes practical: a shop, studio or workshop that becomes a service node in a wider network, making real things for real people nearby.
What the service-node model is designed to be
Our intended model divides the work so that each party does what it is best placed to do. It is designed to lower the barrier to taking part, so that a merchant does not need to become an expert in 3D modelling or invest in a fleet of machines before making a first piece.
What the platform intends to provide
- 3D printers suitable for local production.
- Printing materials for planned orders.
- Model checks and preparation, carried out by the platform or authorised specialists before any job reaches a merchant.
- A released production plan for each job, so the merchant knows exactly what to make.
What the merchant brings
- A suitable, safe workspace.
- Electricity to run the equipment.
- Hands-on, on-site care: someone present who notices when something is not right.
Clear, fair responsibilities
We would rather be precise than vague. In our planned workflow, a merchant’s responsibilities are concrete and visible:
- Run the released production plan. Merchants work from a plan that has already been prepared and approved, rather than editing models themselves.
- Change materials. Load the right material for each job and keep the work area ready.
- Check quality. Look over every finished piece before it goes any further.
- Photograph every finished piece. Photographs let the customer see exactly what has been made before accepting it.
- Package with care. Once the customer has accepted the whole order, pack it so it arrives as it left.
- Hand over. Pass the packaged order to delivery, so one order travels together as one delivery.
You can follow how these steps fit together in From design to doorstep.
Why model preparation stays with the platform
Checking a model, repairing it and setting print parameters is specialist work, and it is also where questions of authorisation are settled. Keeping it with the platform or authorised specialists means merchants receive jobs that are ready to make and that the network has permission to produce. It also protects creators’ rights: buying or downloading a model is not permission to print it, and merchants should never have to make that judgement alone.
Merchants are not asked to be modelling experts. They are asked to be careful makers.
How compensation is designed
We intend to keep money flows simple and easy to understand. Merchant compensation is designed as a per-piece merchant service fee, paid for the work of producing, checking, photographing, packaging and handing over each piece.
This is distinct from the machine-time fee, which is part of what the customer pays for printing. The machine-time fee is not merchant pay, and the two are kept separate so that each party can see what it is paying for and what it is being paid for.
Fee levels, eligibility and any supporting terms would be set out in an agreed commercial arrangement. Some questions, including how responsibility for failed prints and equipment upkeep is handled, are still being worked through, and we will not settle them by assumption.
Who the role could suit
The merchant role is designed for people who already take pride in doing things properly. It could suit:
- Independent shops and studios with spare space and steady opening hours.
- Makers, model builders and hobbyists ready to turn care and patience into a local service.
- Print shops, repair shops and small workshops looking to add a new kind of work.
- Community spaces that want to bring practical making closer to their neighbours.
What matters most is not size but attitude: attention to detail, reliability, and a willingness to follow a clear process every time. Participants are intended to keep their own business identity; in an open network, joining should never mean giving up who you are.
Where we are today
We are honest about what is ready. The service-node model is a planned design, not a live programme. There is no operating coverage, and this page is not an offer of guaranteed orders, volumes or income. Equipment, eligibility, fees and responsibilities would all depend on an agreed commercial arrangement and on platform readiness.
What we can do now is listen. If you run a local business and the role sounds like a fit, tell us about yourself. Early conversations with prospective merchants are how we intend to shape a role that works on a real shop floor, not just on paper.
