Makerbot Case

The rise in 3D printing and availability of open sourced products from MakerBot Industries has given consumers access to technology previously only held by professionals. MakerBot Industries launched in 2009 and has continued to provide its customers with open sourced, nonproprietary consumables at a low cost. As a result, MakerBot became widely used and supported by do-it-yourselfers. The company quickly established itself as the leader of personal 3D printing and became known for its unique open source design. However, competition from large manufacturers targeting the industrial/professional world greatly threatened MakerBot because of their extensive resource that targeted MakerBot’s customer base. Similarly, cloud-based companies allowing

Therefore, it is an attractive market for companies to expand into and create a customer base. From the extensive maker community to large scale Maker Faires, MakerBot’s presence is evident. Companies such as Pinterest and Etsy illustrate how the DIY market is a successful and profitable platform for consumers to engage and experience the product or technology. Thus, MakerBot primarily faces the threat of competition from large companies that are shifting focus to the consumer and DIY. The defining characteristics of MakerBot also make it vulnerable: open sourced code and materials makes it easy to copy MakerBot’s product. The threat is significant, and if not dealt with properly could result in MakerBot’s collapse. However, MakerBot’s open approach allows for software and hardware updates to quickly reach owners, which benefits its product development. MakerBot used a crowdsourcing strategy to quickly improve and develop products its consumers want. MakerBots can be updated and modified faster than a company can develop a completely updated product. Moreover, the use of nonproprietary consumables gives customers freedom to choose, unlike other companies that locked them in to a certain material or product. Furthermore, MakerBots owners actively engage and are treated as the inventor. This marketing strategy acknowledges that the consumer is

With support from the government and large industries, MakerBot can enter classrooms, create Makerspaces, and encourage education in advanced manufacturing techniques. Some schools already have MakerBots to raise students’ interests in STEM and provide current technology for students to tinker with. Likewise, the creation of Makerspaces offers people the space and technology to tinker and develop their own creations. Larger competitors and cloud-based companies have not received as much interest from society in personal 3D printing. Although MakerBot’s competition is significant, it has opportunities to increase its presence in public and widen its market. MakerBot is already gaining recognition from large industries and the government to encourage innovation. Continuing to market and sell to public would keep MakerBot as the most popular company in personal 3D