Anyone else get annoyed by the "extra 5% OFF" email?

Snapmaker 2.0
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Any other backers of the SM 1.0 or 2.0 receive the email below of the SPECIAL 5% off artisan offer and EXTRA SPECIAL day early pre-order?? (sarcastic)

Snapmaker Artisan Email
Snapmaker Artisan Email733×685 60.5 KB

Look, I didn’t want to add gasoline to the existing dumpster fire that is the Artisan launch, but this email tipped me over the edge. Snapmaker does NOT own me anything nor am I entitled to any discount whatsoever.

I supported Snapmaker because I thought they shared my vision of turning DIYers into ‘makers’ and making quality machines for consumers. I am not an engineer or 3D printing expert, I’m a dad in a workshop tinkering for fun. I thought Snapmaker valued its customer base and existing promises – I was wrong, or maybe the company strategy changed, no problem – But the incessant marketing, and “new product” sales “machine” that is now Snapmaker really knows how to poke it’s existing (and invested) customers in the eye. Enough blowing smoke up my ( )( ) with the “special” offers and “dramatic” improvements that is the artisan. I heard the same thing on the linear modules and now I’ve learned my lesson. I’m sorry we’re breaking up, it’s not you… it’s me. But honestly… you’ve changed.

ALSO I’ve been cheating on you! Her name is AnkerMake and she’s way faster and prettier than you!

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2

I dismissed the email. The machine is too big for my room and I still have not unboxed the rotary tool that I bought several months ago. I’m not spending more money just yet.

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Can’t say I’m annoyed. I’ve difficulties understanding these “I am entitled to some special treatment” discussions that currently happen. Artisan is a new product just like the newest iPhone, the newest TV, the newest Laptop, whatever. It is innovation happening. When I buy anything, I consider what I get for my money as it is, not on what it may be. I consider if cost vs. gain is favourable for that specific purchase. As long as I get what was offered for the money, I’m happy, and anything that comes later as kindof a bonus just makes me more happy.

I will not buy Artisan, but not because I’m p*ssed that my expensive SM2 is now outdated and I did not get every module ever seen in any mockup, but because price vs. gain is not matching my expectations (YMMV). Still, I consider Artisan as positive, because it is similar enough to SM2 that I expect developments for Artisan in many cases be compatible to SM2 also, so the next product generation will not stop me from getting more options for my generation. That’s positive.

In that sense, the 5% is an added bonus that I’d take happily if I was leaning against buying Artisan; I can see nothing negative in it.

I am more unhappy with the general tendency of Snapmaker to reach for ever higher prices - for me as a hobbyist this is more limiting than innovation. But again: I never justified my SM2 purchase with the promise of future expansions, so I dont like the prices, but thats it.

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I agree entirely, my SM 2 seems to be outdated and support may end soon. Forget about promised expansions.
As they address current SM owners the above may come true.

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What do you mean outdated?! Is it going to stop printing, or not function with modern filaments.

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Outdated → no longer in production → replacement parts are no longer made → once the existing supply runs out, replacement parts stop being available → some repairs become difficult or impossible unless you have a second unit to cannibalize. Or at least, that’s the largest risk here.

(Personally, I’m not throwing fits because I’m a cynic and never really believed that there would be many upgrade modules or a long support period, although it would have been nice if it had happened. I got a decent, space-efficient device at a reasonable price, and that’s all I ever really expected.)

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@Hauke, appreciate your perspective and I agree with you sentiments. With the iPhone comparison (and just generally as to technology/products), I saw the Snapmaker 2.0 as a platform to have add-ons. For example and in my experience, when a new iPhone comes out, you can generally run about 60-75% of the same applications/tools on your old iPhone, while the new iPhone has new bells & whistles (face ID, better camera). Here, this is the second time Snapmaker has launched a new platform in less than 5 years and has made little to no efforts on backwards compatibility and will be discontinuing product support. As a result, I am ordering all the extra SM 2.0 parts I can now!

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[Snapjehet] claims it’s outdated NOW. There’s no indication of that NOW. It still functions and pets are available NOW. I don’t get why people enjoy spreading FUD, nothing better to do.

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“Outdated” is a poor word choice. The terms “end of manufacturing”, and “end of support”, neither of which is currently true for the Snapmaker 2.0, are all that matters.

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It’s “outdated” in the same sense as my 2019 Subaru or the ~4-year-old desktop computer I’m writing this on are “outdated”—something newer and arguably better is already being shipped. I don’t personally consider this important, but it’s clear that others do.

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11

FWIW, they continue to sell the Original, and parts for the Original. They’re not doing a great job keeping those parts in stock (e.g. heated bed currently not listed on the shop), but I expect it to return at some point.

Hmm, I might be wrong. I don’t see the Original available on the shop anymore. It was there about 6 months ago. Still, this would be a good time to simplify their logistics. The original came out 4 years ago, it had a good run. I will be annoyed when I can’t order replacement parts though.

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Just curious, by “will be discontinuing product support” do you mean it as an assumption or did you actually see it from somewhere? I don’t think you need to panic buy the spare parts right now…

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13

My SM2 had many design flaw/problems. And there are still some basic problems present in firmware that they ignore for months. So discount or not I won’t be buying again.

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I have a slightly different reason for being less than impressed at the moment. I purchased my 350T earlier this year and only received it in March this year with the 10W laser unit was released. At the time the dual filament 3D printer module was mentioned as a future enhancement.

Now I find out I have essentially bought into a dead end device. With no further development pipeline and no guarantees of the longevity of future upgrades and support. Snapmaker really need to provide some clarity and soon.

I’m quite disappointed that never at the time of my purchase was it mentioned that gaining access to the new 3D module would require a complete hardware upgrade.

I’d really like to know how snapmaker intend to support their loyal customers. If not you can be sure that loyalty will be lost.

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What new 3D module requires a complete hardware upgrade? Are you referring to the dual extruder? They’ve already stated it will be available for SM2.

Didn’t you buy the SM2 for a task at hand, or for a task in the future? Hopefully not the latter.

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Where is it mentioned that the dual extruder module will be available for the SM2 machines? All I have seen is it being mentioned with the Artisan machine.

As for my reasons for buying the SM2, it was for both current and future projects. I certainly didn’t expect it to be superseded so quickly. It would’ve been good to be told this at the time of ordering, so I could make an informed choice.

I’d still like to know how long the SM2 will be supported.

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Geez, where have you been? Several posts about it… this being a recent one…

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Thank you for the update.

No need to be rude.

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I’m not sure why people have decided that the Artisan is a replacement for the SM2.
SM has never said this let alone suggested it.

Most 3D printer companies have several models with varying levels of capability and costs.

Now one can have issue with promises of expanded capability (chiefly the XL cnc and alternate build/linear module configurations) that were shown and promoted during Kickstarter and early marketing materials that were never delivered upon.

-S

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I’m not sure why people have decided that the Artisan is a replacement for the SM2.
SM has never said this let alone suggested it.

Given plenty of opportunity, they have very clearly not discounted that impression, either. They’ve passed on what from the Artisan development might trickle down to SM2 users (10W laser preceded Artisan, dual extruder will come, ‘possibly’ a quick-change toolhead adapter but not plate, and one lone mention of a ‘filament warmer’ which sounds like an independent peripheral like the air filter anyway) only after backlash at the new marketing campaign.

But I have not seen them say “the SM2.0 units will continue to be produced as an active product line for __, alongside their new big brother the Artisan, too!”…anywhere. Perhaps I missed it?

In absence of any clear plan statement, is the supposition that the SM2 will just sort of ‘linger’ like the SM1 has, really that unrealistic of an interpretation? (And yes, I know even if they do flat out state they plan to keep it, they could change their mind later. It’s a statement of intent for today that is missing, which results in speculation.)

What we do know is many things have dropped off the roadmap silently until people harped on them for answers and finally got the admission (the XL, the delta, etc). of ‘yeah we gave up’.

No one ‘owes’ us anything beyond warranty support and perhaps a little lifeline of available replacement parts for purchase. But the company’s stated intent at the time of purchase for furtherance of the product was indeed a part of the calculus of choosing to buy, and for a given price. I will pay more for something that I believe has ‘more future legs’ than I will for something I know to be a going-out-of-production, buyer beware! sort of item. (And yes I do that too…currently on a backup LG cellphone bought for pennies on the dollar shortly after they abandoned the market entirely, because its good enough functionality and speed and cheap as chips. The potato kind, not the supply chain nightmare semiconducting kind. :slight_smile:

As a Kickstarter buyer, aside from the never-to-be delta or XL possibility, I’ve gotten a reasonable use lifetime out of the 2.0 already and really have no complaint now, and it is still working, and I have backup rails and a print head even. But I totally understand more than a little angst over the announcement from new buyers. This is not Apple where an annual or semi-annual slight spec upgrade refresh is assumed, (and glass phones are almost all designed these days to expire in 18-24 months due to battery death if not impact). This should be a 3-4 useful lifetime purchase.

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