Customer perspective here: WHY on Earth should I be required to upload a design before I’m able to browse local hubs? What if I want to research what’s out there BEFORE I start my project? I find this infuriating…
Thank you. You’ll find many of the Hubs here agree with you.
I have no idea as a hub operator, but I would guess they are trying to simplify it. but it kind of physiologically scares me even as a hub operator lol, and I don’t really like having to upload a file to browse the competition lol, My only solution is to leave a file uploaded and then just select the FDM option or SLA to browse my competitors
They are trying to funnel unwitting customers to more expensive print options (i.e. not FDM).
I had a customer recently who couldn’t find my hub because they blocked it after he uploaded a model.
I had several clients call me to help navigate it! Kind of crazy lol
Also as a hub operator I find this annoying:
- Difficult for customers to browse, compare hub reviews and expertise before uploading.
- Difficult for a hub to check out other local hubs in the area and work with those (kind of going against the community spirit of things).
- Difficult to compare pricing and services, this leads to a lack of competition and keeping prices down for customers - and reading some of the comments below about customers being funnelled to hubs does worry me.
- Difficult for customers and hubs to see the number of hubs in an area (which is one of the things 3D hubs prides itself on a good network of hubs all over - where are they, this has become invisible until you are half way through doing business - seems to me that a major USP of the service is being glossed over).
Mi
Pretty sure this is a change from 6 months ago or so. There was a time where it was trivial to find makers, and see startup price.
