I’ve had a few ideas about how one can build a business around a MakerBot.

1. Advice for a Makerbot based business
2. Thingiverse based business idea
3. Custom plastic cookie cutter business idea
4. RepRap crowdsourced parts business

Well, here’s my latest idea.  Small custom replacement parts.  Not a new idea, right?  Well, it’s all about the marketing and how you reach and pitch to your target market.  Who is always out looking for small replacement parts?  When they do, where do they go?  What are their alternatives when they can’t find a replacement part?

I found the answers to all of those questions when I needed a replacement window latch.  Here’s the business model:

1. Print up some universally useful parts, prime examples of your ‘bot’s ability to print
2. Take said parts to your local neighborhood hardware store and ask to talk to the manager1
3. Explain that you can quickly and cheaply fabricate nearly any small replacement part out of sturdy plastic2
4. Ask them if you can put up flyers for your business and maybe even leave a few samples3
5. Put up a website with a few examples of what you can print, how you solve problems with your Makerbot, things you’ve fixed, things you’ve replaced
6. ???
7. Profit!

What do you think?

1. You’ll probably have much better luck with a mom-and-pop store than a big chain [↩]
2. Throw or jump on said ABS specimen [↩]
3. I’d even offer them a percentage of net [↩]