Best Starter for Sole Trader Selling 3D Prints

BewareOfThe Dog on 09/07/2025 - 15:29

Hi all, it's been a while since I was involved with online selling. I used to use Opencart , which was hosted by a friend. I did the coding, stock updates, shipping etc. It was basic, but not as fancy as the stores we see nowadays.

So, I have started the process by registering my business name.

Next steps are

  • a .com.au Domain name,
  • Choosing a hosting provider
  • Setting up shopify (or similar such as Opencart)
  • Setting up an Etsy store, as well as Ebay store
  • Advertising on Facebook?

Any advice, suggestion or reccomendations welcome.

TY in advance

Computing

Comments

  • geekcohen on 09/07/2025 - 15:37
    +2

    I would suggest avoiding Shopify due to their fee structure and costs. Stick so something you can self host like OpenCart or WooCommerce, reduce your overhead in that area.

    Etsy and eBay just help you get to sellers already looking.

    How much do you estimate to sell/make out of all of this? A full time gig or a side hussle? Also is the stuff you are "making" niche or are there many others doing very similar products etc?

    • BewareOfThe Dog on 09/07/2025 - 15:59

      Side hussle, with the possibility of making it full time.

      Very **niche*. I will be making statues of @jv as well as other jv merchandise. Unsure what % he would want. LOL

      • geekcohen on 09/07/2025 - 16:21
        +3

        Okay, well then start off with the easiest advertising that is free, then build from there. I've got a side hussle which took probably 12 month to get consistent work for 1 day a week. Now it might be 2 days a week, I could take the plunge to full time, but could be rough to begin with.

        As long as you have a niche market and you can get the traffic via Google etc should help with sales. Might take a while to grow and kick off.

        Good luck in the venture though! I have found it rewarding.

        • BewareOfThe Dog on 09/07/2025 - 17:31
          +2

          Thank you.

          From little things, big things grow.

      • SBOB on 09/07/2025 - 20:23
        +8

        I will be making statues of @jv as well as other jv merchandise

        I think a series of JV babushka dolls would be popular.
        Each with a slightly angrier face shouting about Albo

        • BewareOfThe Dog on 09/07/2025 - 20:41
          +3

          I thought Collingwood supporters were from a labour background. I'm confused.

          • SBOB on 09/07/2025 - 20:47
            +4

            @BewareOfThe Dog: jv, a troll wrapped in a riddle inside a mystery inside an enigma

      • brendanm on 10/07/2025 - 10:06

        Could you do a mask in TPU? That'd be a best seller.

    • AustriaBargain on 09/07/2025 - 16:45

      Stressing about the security of a Woo site that isn't even generating much revenue sounds like a pain.

      • geekcohen on 09/07/2025 - 18:59

        Use Free CloudFlare and add Free Wordfence, along with keeping relatively updated (which isn't entirely difficult) and it'll be much easier than you think. If you use a provider like WP Engine, they will update stuff for you as a part of their plan offering.

  • Keel on 09/07/2025 - 17:15
    +4

    Are these your own designs? Watch out on Etsy.
    https://www.tomshardware.com/3d-printing/etsy-cracks-down-on…

    • BewareOfThe Dog on 09/07/2025 - 17:20
      +2

      Yes they are. All designed on Tinkercad.

      • FimpBARGAIN on 10/07/2025 - 08:41
        +5

        Good to see a 3d printing business that isn't just flogging off articulated dragons, good luck hope it works out

      • Sammy2000 on 10/07/2025 - 14:02

        Good on Etsy and good on BewareOfThe Dog. I would only go to Etsy for handmade original items.

  • jv on 09/07/2025 - 19:18
    +5

    Any advice, suggestion or reccomendations welcome.

    Sunday markets.

    • BewareOfThe Dog on 09/07/2025 - 19:59
      +2

      Yes, early mornings for stuff all.

      • jv on 09/07/2025 - 20:00

        Good fun though…

        • BewareOfThe Dog on 09/07/2025 - 20:33
          +1

          Only if you are making money. ;)

  • Wiadro on 09/07/2025 - 21:32

    how big can you print? can you scan?

    • BewareOfThe Dog on 16/07/2025 - 19:01

      I have a Bambu H2D. I don't have a scanner. I'm waiting for the tech to get cheaper and better. ;)

  • pegaxs on 10/07/2025 - 07:39
    +4

    Ahhh, yes, opening a business in a saturated, low cost, low skill sector selling trinkets. There is only so many 3D printed multi-coloured dragons, dogs heads and phone stands a community can support.

    My biggest concern over site setup costs would be; Are you offering something different? What makes your product unique? What’s the edge you have over other sellers? Who are most likely your direct competitors and what are they selling and what is their quality like?

    With the cost of 3D printers now being so low and the setup and skill entry barriers being so low, almost every man and his dog is getting into it. My local Sunday markets is just 30 stalls, and of those 30, about 20 of them are now 3D printed crap stores. They are all selling almost identical items to each other and claiming they are “custom designed”, when they clearly are just copies with slight edits.

    I do 3D printing for the local community, but what I offer is customised printing. I offer one off pieces that they bring to me. Car and motorcycle parts they can no longer get. Replacement nobs, pullers, brackets and one off designs. I don’t print out shit they found on Bambu Lab’s website or Thingiverse. My last job was to design and print some parts for a 1920~ Gramophone. These will be used as test pieces and eventually sent out to a metal printed using something like SLS printing.

    You want to be selling your time, not plastic shit trinkets. Telling your time and skills is where the money is at.

    • elgrande on 10/07/2025 - 08:21
      +3

      My last job was to design and print some parts for a 1920~ Gramophone.

      Well its good to see you are keeping yourself busy since your last full-time job, designing the Gramophone back in the 1920s.

      • pegaxs on 10/07/2025 - 09:15
        +3

        Just making these parts from memory… 🤣

    • FimpBARGAIN on 10/07/2025 - 08:42
      +1

      This guy prints! Agreed, sounds like he is trying to model his own stuff which is good.

    • BewareOfThe Dog on 10/07/2025 - 17:29

      I design products albeit with Tinkercad. I have a few sections.

      Looking at using Onshape or Solidworks.

      I think these markets bring stuff in from Ali/Temu.

    • BewareOfThe Dog on 16/07/2025 - 19:02

      I bet most of those trinkets etc are imported from Temu/Aliexpress. ;)

  • Lastchancetosee on 10/07/2025 - 08:22

    Zellr is useful for dace-to- face retail, if you eventually decide to set up shop somewhere.

    • BewareOfThe Dog on 10/07/2025 - 17:26

      Probably not yet. I've been there before…..

  • Muppet Detector on 10/07/2025 - 11:03
    +1

    Sorry, wrong thread.This was meant for you

    https://www.ozbargain.com.au/comment/16712104/redir

    Father's Day stalls
    Fete's (set up next to bouncy castle)

    • BewareOfThe Dog on 10/07/2025 - 17:26

      Haha, I have already made comments on there. ;)

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