Pilot Launch: Hooks And Backings For Earrings In Metals

Yes, the designer needs to be in complete control! We need to be able to select the exact options.
I am wondering if anyone has received earrings with backings included yet, because I didn't receive any with my test print of the earrings I launched in my shop:

https://www.shapeways.com/product/5NNMVCMLB/peony-earrings

Other than that the print looks great.

Hi Michelle,

First off, I am so sorry to see that we have made such a mistake! I have confirmation from the production team that these earrings are being reprinted now.

I would like to take a moment to explain how we are working to fix and prevent problems such as this from occurring in the future. This pilot program was initially open to only our cast metals. From the very first orders that were placed for hooks and backs, it was clear there was a glaring missing link – designer interaction. This designer interaction was a tool that would allow you, the designer, to select orientation and where exactly the hook should be placed. This tool would give your design the respect and diligence it deserves!

On top of all of this, hooks and backings are vital to better sell your designs including your strong and flexible pieces. With the inclusion of multiple materials and the ever growing orders to include hooks and backs, we concluded that the orientation tool for hook placement is 100% necessary.

The orientation tool has a natural home on the model edit page. When working to create this tool and fit it within model edit page, we quickly realized that the user flow can be quite clunky. By adding another tool, this would only make this interaction more unpleasant. Our solution, a model edit page overhaul to not only make the general experience better, but to also include with it an orientation tool for earring hooks and backings. In creating a designer interaction tool this opens the door to designer interaction for other use cases! Meaning communication with the manufacturing team printing, polishing, and adding hooks to your designs. We expect for the orientation tool and model edit page overhaul to be launched this June!

Thank you for your understanding and please let us know if there are any other issues that arise.

If Shapeways' current policy is to modify or add parts to models that "look like" earrings, at their sole discretion and without warning or confirmation to designers, that's not going to work. I for one do not want to participate in this program at all until the designer input is present and working.

Meanwhile, how about an opt-in checkbox per model?

I appreciate that Shapeways is remaking these for me without posts (have gotten confirmation of that), and that there are new designer tools in the works. That will be great!
(The posts for these earrings are different than the posts I had put on for my lapel pin model so it wasn't a model mis-match issue.)

This seems to be an isolated incident but I'm still terribly curious how and why this happened like this anyways. Were the posts soldered on after the fact or actually added to the 3d model before production?

I think it would be quite unfortunate if shapeways were to take their recently introduced "money back guarantee" as a license to "improve" our designs according to their taste without prior consultation or even just a general announcement. Even if there is no direct monetary loss involved thanks so said guarantee, how about lost time and trust ? A separate thread recently mentioned isolated cases where people unexpectedly received their prints hallmarked complete with (an unwanted) shapeways star logo on them - it is (somewhat) nice to see you are always trying new things, but please do not play with live customer orders.

How do designers deal with this at the moment, do they model hooks and use the interlocking option?

Thanks, Robert

Great question! If you are able to add a loop to your design or a post, the cast metal team will be able to include a hook or backing to your design. If you are able to make the post 0.8 - 0.9 mm thick this should be the proper thickness for a backing to be added.

Please ensure that the design is categorized as an earring and set for sale.

Hope this helps!

I've been looking for the official help topic/tutorial/video that explain the specific requirements (like the .9 post diameter). Can you point me to that content?

On the first page of this thread should list this information. If there is anything you feel is missing, I would be happy to answer here.

Thanks!

Found it. Thanks!

@virginia_gordon If it is set to sell and I purchase it myself, would it include the backing or does this only apply to actual sales on the marketplace?

@EvieL If you buy them yourself they will include the back or hook. Hope this helps!

Hi. I just received my first two earring designs (with posts) - and no backs were included. :-(

I tested them with backs from other earrings and my posts seem to work fine.

Why did you forget to include the backs?

Just received another pair of earrings without backs. So how do I get backs on earrings? More importantly, how to customers get backs - or do they have to buy them separately?

Hi, I haven't tried myself, but I think the earring itself has to be set to sell (I don't think it necessary needs to be visible to everyone yet) in order for it to be included with backings.

I have also been ordering earrings that have been made available to everyone and they have not come with hooks. Is there something that I have to enable to receive the hooks? Thanks!

Hey Christopher - I am so sorry to hear that! In order for the hooks or backs to arrive it must be categorized as jewelry and earring and marked for sale.

If you are able to write in to service@shapeways.com they can help to get the back/hooks you were missing.

Thanks!

Thank you for replying! I will send a service request.

Hi,

Is this pilot still running? Or is it already an "official" feature? What should be the diameter of the post? In page 1 I read 0.8 mm, but in this page I read 0.8~0.9mm.

Thanks!

This is still happening. Please ensure that you are buying from your product page in your shop and not "my models" page. This way you will be sure to receive hooks and backs.

The size of the post can range from .8 - .9 mm

Thanks!