Pros and cons of the Shapeways shopping cart, quality control and top seller on Shapeways

I'm writing a book on 3D technology in fine art and craft and have a paragraph on online shopping carts provided by Shapeways. I'm interested in creating a dialogue on this topic. What are the pros, for example, the artist gets to create and does not have to worry about selling. What are the cons, the artist sacrifices a customer relationship, or their own branding on shipping etc.

What do you feel about the quality control at Shapeways. Are you staying on top of it? Ordering things for yourself periodically so that you see what is being sent to a client. Materials change, machines change, and there are often a lot of hands in a process. How does this relate to what is coming through your shopping cart over time?

I'm also interested in knowing who the top sellers are on Shapeways. If they are interested in sharing their average sales per month along with a photograph or two for the book. Please also state how you think you got to be a top seller on Shapeways.

Also do the artists featured on the site or contributing to this dialogue sell other places besides Shapeways, for example your own website?

For me, the Shapeways business model is superb. I have a day job that pays well enough, and I do the 3d modelling only as a hobby. That frees me from the pressure of doing active sales & marketing

I truly enjoy just building the designs in 3d.. It's then an added perk to see a physical model in my hand, Beyond that, it is incredible to me for someone to take one of my items and place it on their train layout. Every once in a while I look at what someone took and painted up nicely, and I think ... "Did I really do that?" - It's a sense of wonder.

I've had people offer to buy me a 3d printer, and (call me crazy) I've said no. I have zero desire to get into manufacturing, production, packing and shipping. All time spent on such pursuits would be time lost that I could have spent designing.

My shop is about model trains. It's not making enough that I could consider retiring, in fact it's not even covering minimum wage on the hours spent doing the designs, but I am making enough money off the shop to buy a new locomotive every month or two, so if the hobby is paying for itself.. the wife is happy. <grin>

I'm far from a top seller, but actually I've sold many more pieces in face to face (in events/exhibitions) than via my Shapeways shop. Nothing replaces human contact. People want to touch before they buy.