Ever find yourself staring at your silent 3D printer and thinking, “Couldn’t this time be put to better use?” If you want to turn unused printing hours into income, here’s how to get started.

🛍️ Choose the right marketplace

Begin by deciding where to advertise. General classifieds, in Switzerland; like Tutti or rental platforms like Sharely let you list services and give you great reach, and are the perfect platforms for what they've been built for. But they are general platforms not specialized on your needs as a Maker. Customers might not even have the idea to look on those platforms, because they usually don't list services, but products. Also be aware that major resale sites such as eBay and Ricardo do not allow on demand printing services at all. Instead of selling your printing time as a service, you could also sell finished 3d-printed products. Selling finished prints on Etsy or similar sites give you a great reach, but only if you have the creator’s permission for each design. Respecting intellectual property keeps your listings safe and your reputation strong. So what other options are there?

⚙️ Join a platform built for 3D printing

Instead of trying to fit into a generic marketplace, why not join a service made specifically for Makers? 3D-2GO is a hyper local platform where neighbours can find each other for custom prints. As a Maker, you can list your printer, accept orders and receive payments straight to your bank account. 3D-2GO even offers a limited time incentive: the first 50 Makers to sign up enjoy lifetime 0 % commission on sales. Also profit from promo codes from their partners and from their useful guidelines on how to price your printing time and how to best structure your workflow for maximum efficiency. Don't want to deal with shipping? Set your gig to be pick-up only.

🤝 Set clear terms and build trust

Once you’ve listed your services, define what you offer. 3D-2GO let's you specify the materials you use, the maximum build volume, and any design assistance. Respond quickly to inquiries and keep communication friendly. Satisfied customers often return, and word of mouth can be invaluable in a hyper local marketplace.

🤔 Recap

By choosing the right platform and setting clear expectations, you can easily sell your printer’s idle time. Turn those quiet hours into a source of extra income while supporting fellow makers in need of rapid, local prints. It’s a win win – and an easy way to make your 3D printer work for you!
Ready to put your printer to work? Join the movement to make neighbour to neighbour printing the norm. Sign up, list your printer and start earning from those idle hours. After all, it’s prints for the people, by the people – and your downtime could be someone else’s next big idea.

Sources used in this article:
Official tutti page
Official Sharely page
Official Ricardo page
Official eBay page
Official Etsy page
Official 3D-2GO page
3D-2GO pricing article 3D-2GO workflow article