# 3D-Printed Retail Platforms This 3d Startup is Now Offering Its Products on Sears.com By Vasiliki Marapas | Published 2015-01-28 | Business Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/3d-printing-startup References: [bizjournals](http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2015/01/28/major-u-s-retailer-partnering-with-cincinnati-3-d.html) & [3dlt](http://3dlt.com/) Cincinnati-based 3D printing startup 3DLT has partnered with Sears.com to sell its products. Jon Hauer, CEO at 3DLT, explains, "It's huge for us. We're really excited not only about this one but about how these partnerships are beginning to gel. It's creating a great distribution network." Indeed, this partnership, along with 3DLT's collaborations with [Rakuten](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/payments-on-viber) and [Amazon](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ecommerce-platform-mason), signal an exciting time for additive manufacturing as it gradually seeps into the commercial marketplace. 3D printing in retail has so many possibilities and Hauer strongly believes in the process of merging 3D printing and brick-and-mortar retail, arguing that the printing process reduces packaging waste, recovers shelving space and has the added capability of manufacturing hyper-customized products upon direct demand. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 6.7/10 - Popularity: 96% | Activity: 97% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Business](https://www.trendhunter.com/business) > [Retail](https://www.trendhunter.com/retail) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Rise of 3D Printing in Retail:** The partnership between 3DLT and Sears.com highlights the growing trend of incorporating 3D printing in the retail industry, enabling on-demand production and customization. - **Expanded Distribution Networks:** Partnerships between 3D printing startups and major online retailers like Sears.com, Rakuten, and Amazon demonstrate the potential for creating extensive distribution networks for 3D-printed products. - **Sustainable Retail Practices:** The integration of 3D printing in retail offers opportunities for reducing packaging waste and recovering shelving space by enabling on-site manufacturing of products. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Retail:** The retail industry can leverage 3D printing to revolutionize their business models, from offering hyper-customized products to optimizing distribution networks. - **Manufacturing:** The rise of 3D printing in retail presents disruptive opportunities in manufacturing, as it enables the shift towards on-demand production and customization. - **E-commerce:** 3D printing partnerships with leading e-commerce platforms like Sears.com, Rakuten, and Amazon showcase the potential for integrating additive manufacturing into online retail experiences. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [3D Printing Materials Platforms](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/braskem3d.md) - [3D-Powered Furniture Retailer Networks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/3d-cloud-network.md) - [3d-Printed Retail Suitcases](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-3d-printed-suitcase.md) - [Hybrid Shopping Initiatives](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/city-furniture-3d-cloud.md) - [3D Product Visualization Services](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/3d-product-visualization1.md) - [Online Creative Course Platforms](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/3d-printing-additive-manufacturing.md) - [3D Printing Resource Databases](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/printlab.md) - [3D Printed Shoe Platforms](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/customfit-3d-printed-shoes.md) - [Bespoke On-Demand Fashion Platforms](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/creator-studio.md)