Yeah, I figured 3D printers won't really go mainstream (adoption by early majority) until it can hit the $300 mark like a PlayStation or XBox!
Once we've announced we're designing the MakiBox within the $300 budget, we get lots of feedbacks like yours. I was doing a Google+ Hangout last week and Kevin MacLeod (Incompetech.com) said:
"I was considering buying the Makerbot, but yours is $300?! And you can print bigger?! You win! I actually don't know what I can do with a 3D printer, I just know that it's cool!"
I thought that pretty much captured what I'm hoping for MakiBox, which is to get it into the hands of people who have little idea what they can do with it. I think the unbounded mind of these users, who hasn't gone through the trouble of building a RepRap or Makerbot and are aware the limitations of a 3D printer, will be so much more creative!
To give this a little more context, we're not just trying to make a cheap 3D printer. Our goal is to make the first consumer friendly, sub $300 level 3D printer so that 3D printing can break from the current hobbyists / hackers market, into the hands of the designers and the average consumers. You can see my post here for more: https://plus.google.com/104194244178141073757/posts/fNjEoVJf...
It's my personal goal to enable the average consumer to innovate and become co-creators. My previous project was the LEGO crowdfunding site - http://LEGO.cuusoo.com/ Makible is a new startup I co-founded that will hopefully disrupt the current mass-manufacturing system and give power back to the local craftsmen & makers.
If there's one thing I learned from working in Yahoo during its crazy rise in the early 2000's, it's that you should sell when your founders / CEO sell!
Our stocks were almost doubling every 6 months, we thought we were invincible! Many of my colleagues joined when Yahoo stocks were at its highest, so they were holding off for more gain. I was lucky enough to have joined when it was close to its lowest at $9 a share, so I happily sold some. Boy am I glad I did.
Dropbox really is a great example of invites done well. Google's "limited invite" comes with a sense of smugness as you get something others don't.
Dropbox's referral program is on the spammy side of things though, I've seen people complained about it on Twitter.
I think the key in referral program is to reward your loyal customers who went out to sell your product for you. Make them part of your business, give them the power to give out freebies, but put a limit on it to create prestige... (a mix of Dropbox & Google)
The other thing is viral pressure... and nobody does it better (or worst depending the way you spin it) than Zynga. There's a public Google Doc named "What I learned from Farmville so you don't have to play it", really good read on its viral pressure mechanism! Not sure if it applies to your business but will probably get you thinking nevertheless.
Once we've announced we're designing the MakiBox within the $300 budget, we get lots of feedbacks like yours. I was doing a Google+ Hangout last week and Kevin MacLeod (Incompetech.com) said:
"I was considering buying the Makerbot, but yours is $300?! And you can print bigger?! You win! I actually don't know what I can do with a 3D printer, I just know that it's cool!"
I thought that pretty much captured what I'm hoping for MakiBox, which is to get it into the hands of people who have little idea what they can do with it. I think the unbounded mind of these users, who hasn't gone through the trouble of building a RepRap or Makerbot and are aware the limitations of a 3D printer, will be so much more creative!