Let’s look at the changes we’ve made to accommodate the new German making hub
We launched in Germany and let you know how to get your stuff made and delivered from Formulor.
Now here’s a bit more detail about the changes for you to check out …
The addition of a new country flag
When you log into your MyPonoko account, you’ll continue to see your existing products with a US or New Zealand flag. This flag tells you where your product will be made and shipped from. When you select Germany as your preferred making hub and upload new designs to be made there, they will be auto tagged with a German flag. Easy.
A new set of terms and conditions
If you want to make and ship from Formulor’s new German hub instead of the existing Ponoko US or NZ hubs, all you need to do is change your default country preference to Germany. That’s all there is to it – set and forget.
But remember, when you select Formulor in Germany to make and deliver your goodies, you are contracting with them directly, and not with Ponoko. So by selecting Germany you will be agreeing to Formulor’s terms and conditions, which are different from our terms of use.
A reminder for Prime subscribers
Ponoko Prime is limited to items made at Ponoko USA and Ponoko NZ hubs, but not the Formulor Germany hub.
As a Ponoko Prime user, you will pay the same rate for Formulor services as everyone else. We will, however, continue to offer Prime at the US and NZ making hubs.
It goes without saying, but we love our Prime members (a lot), so look out for a future post on this.
The effect of selecting Germany as your country preference
You’ll notice two things if you choose to change your country preference to Germany:
1) Your EXISTING products will be tagged with either a US or NZ flag
Your existing products will continue to be made and shipped from either the US or NZ hubs (just as they were when your country preference was USA or New Zealand). This is because the materials have been selected from the US or NZ materials catalog.
2) Your NEW products will be tagged with a German flag
Your new products will be made and shipped from Formulor’s Germany hub. This is because the materials have been selected from the Formulor materials catalog.
USD currency
For the moment everything continues in USD – all making, materials and shipping in the EU are priced in USD. So while Ponoko USA and NZ charge US$2 per minute for making, Formulor charges 2 Euro per minute (and this equates to US$2.73 per minute).
Now three material catalogs to choose from
Ponoko shows the USA materials catalog by default. You can view the New Zealand and Formulor Germany materials catalogs by using the US/NZ/Germany toggle button at the top right hand side of the materials catalog.
New shipping rates
The simple rule is – the shorter the distance something travels, the lower the shipping cost (and lower the carbon footprint).
Currently if you live next door to the making hub in NZ, USA or Germany your shipping cost will be the lowest possible. If you live some distance from one of these hubs, the cost will not be so low.
For those in Europe, the addition of Formulor’s German hub means that shipping rates to Germany are fantastic, and rates to other countries in Continental Europe are vastly improved.
The new rates to the UK are much lower than those from Ponoko’s US hub, but are comparable to those from Ponoko’s NZ hub. This is primarily because we are still subsidizing shipping from NZ to the UK – which we will continue to do until a UK making hub opens and local shipping rates will be available.
In all these cases, remember that shipping costs are controlled by shipping providers – not Ponoko and not Formulor. That’s why our goal is to connect digital fabricators as close to you as possible. First Wellington NZ, then San Francisco USA, now Berlin Germany.
For those in other countries, don’t worry – there are more hubs coming, and your location might be next…
Many of you will have a good reason to choose Germany now.
Check out the new shipping rates to Germany and the EU!