In looking over the manufacturers of some small, consumer 3D printers, my wife, Danielle, and I came across many now defunct websites: startups excited to bring their machines to the market, but couldn’t keep pace with other firms and were washed away in the tide. Makible is the latest company to suffer from the desktop 3D printing hangover. Makible, in 2012, promised a $200 3D printer, the MakiBox, to make the technology more accessible, raking in a good deal of enthusiasm and investor dollars, but, soon there were delays and, by 2014, the company’s CEO, Jonathan Buford, had gone silent and Makible’s customers were enraged.
In July, Rachel wrote that one informant had let her know that “Makibox is now under investigation for fraud by Paypal, due to their continued pretense of building and shipping new orders within 6-10 weeks from time of order.” Another told her that an employee left the company after not being paid for months. There’s still no definitive word from Buford, but there may still be a silver lining for those who’d expected a MakiBox 3D printer.
China European e-Commerce Limited has opened up a site called MakiBoxClearance, described on their homepage as “a Clearance site, the prices are low but the stock is limited and when it’s gone, it is gone forever.” This may represent 3D printing’s first “Everything Must Go” sale. They write on their site:
[W]e were part of the group that provided warehousing and delivery services to Makible for the MakiBox products. When Makible collapsed owing us a seven figure sum for our services we ended up with the stock held in our warehouse to help pay off their debts – that is the stock that we are selling on this site. It is all brand new and unused, but it is ‘sold as seen’ and there is a limited amount available, when its gone its gone.
They add, in the same breath, “Makible was one of the most innovative companies in the 3D printer market selling a very high quality open source kit based on the proven REPRAP design with a few enhancements that you can use to make a brilliant 3D printer.”
The company is now in the process of getting rid of 450 units of Makibox 3D printer kits and 2,000 rolls of filament, not providing technical support. So, while supplies last, you can purchase a MakiBox 3D printer kit, with one roll of filament included, for just £299 and some rolls of filament for pretty great prices: £12.99 for 1 kg and £9.99 for 500 g of ABS and PLA filament. The site has all of the assembly and set-up videos needed to get the printer up and running, but, other than that, buy your crap and get the hell out.
Hat tip to Nils.
What I find amazing is that Jonathan Buford is still listed as part of the advisory board at the 3D Printing Association – right next to Rachel Park. https://www.the3dprintingassociation.com/the-board
Too bad to hear this. I hope this gets them even financially. Good luck to those buying…
There is simply NOTHING that will get them even financially – the clearance sale (besides smelling fishy) would bring money in for the Logistics Company, not Makible who was owning Money to them.
Oooh! She’s probably got the cash!
Not funny Mr M-H!!! Actually, that’s a little bit funny.
IF I did – I’d give it back to the people it belongs to. Horrible situation.
Same here. At the moment, it is out of my hands, so I hope that there is a happy ending to all of this. It is possible that it will not be something that happens within Makible.
Regarding to the cited case, for fulfillment companies, their T&C usually includes being able to take inventory in lieu of payment if an account is overdue. So, the goods that were stuck in limbo are at least helping to cover that, and possibly gives something that the shareholders and investors can work with.
Unfortunately, at the moment I really can’t say more. I hope that I will be in the position to at least discuss the situation from my standpoint soon.
No happy ending for me, my printer is being sold to another guy right now! Stop writing bullshit!
Wouldn´t it be wise for you Jon, to just shut up? You keep stringing
people along. A solution is always just about to knock at the door, just
not now. Soon we will and so on and on. When will it be enough?
http://postmortem.hk/ – nuff said – just admit it’s dead
This.
This. It feels like a sad sad joke.
Nils, I am designing a new hot end for desktop 3D printers and wonder if you would not mind contacting me via email? I am interested in a development partner that will work with me and possibly share any patenting rights.
[email protected]
Thanks
Shut up criminal! You defrauded so many people, NO one wnat to hear from you EVER again. I, for one, would never buy anything forever with you associated with it!
you defrauded nearly everyone for two years. Charged them shipping and shipped them nothing, admittedly spending the money to ship them their product. You should rot in jail!
Just want to say that the truth is completely beatable defense. Proof of the truth however is unbeatable.
More proof of criminal fraud. The fulfillment company being owed?
an d why would THEY be owed. each person who bought PAID FOR SHIPPING, if Jon the thief and his thieving wife and the rest of the fraudsters would have used the earmarked shipping monies for actual shipping (the thing they were legally, contractually bound to do) then this could not have happened, but thieves steal, plain and simple.
Now let us wait for Jon to threaten me with a lawsuit. I would LOVE to have him come to American soil and try to sue me.
Here is why:
1. Truth is a proper and unbeatable defense.
2. His butt will be arrested and thrown in jail and IF he attempts to post bail, I will, on behalf of all who got scammed, to attach any funds he may have at his disposal for repayment to those he defrauded.
I doubt Jon will EVER set foot in the USA again!
They know that he should be delisted but still haven’t. I’ll talk to Ian about it
Update? PS, WHY is Jon still on any board involving 3D printing?
Nah that’s fixed – he’s out of the 3dPAssoc Board
So people can buy parts again they already have bought?
High quality? Now that is a joke if I ever heard one. If makible forum was you, anyone can go an view the long list of quality issues and design flaws. Did you read that? Design flaws. Something of which matters not of the skill of the kit builders. System errors.
They reduced the price by 30%. Doesnt´t look like customers are too eager.
True story – well the parts are still ok and i’ve seen some good results after a lot of tinkering