Ponoko is part of a wider DIY product movement which includes companies like 3D printing service Shapeways or T-shirt maker Threadless where users design and manufacture their own products. This democratization of manufacturing parallels the user-generated content explosion unleashed by content-sharing sites like YouTube. Ponoko users have made 60,000 items to date covering everything from steam-punk couture to furniture.
via Make your own gadget with Ponoko and SparkFun | VentureBeat.
This is probably the most exciting and least reported development in our society. For the first time, everyone has access to the means of production. What still remains (and may never change) is the ability to get people to see what you have created. This is quite possibly the biggest opportunity for empty retail spaces. What I imagine is small storefronts where independent owners select the best of these products, display them, and sell them to the customer.
This brings the idea of a boutique to an entirely new level, especially if our newest designers give boutiques a commission for what they sell. Indeed, if I was a designer that used Ponoko to manufacture my products, I would gladly give a boutique a 25 or 30% commission to display my products so that I could actually market and distribute my creations.
This is the only way I can see to practically market these tens of thousands of new items that are being created every day. Despite its efforts, Etsy still needs an editor or someone that suggests and helps people choose products. 60,000 variations on a wallet is too much for anyone to wade through. But style-conscious folks should be able to help me make this choice and they should be compensated by the manufacturer / designer for doing so.
Ponoko is just the beginning of the decentralization of manufactured goods.
Jon @ WoodMarvels.com