Shipping time - long preparation time
I stumbled across the shipping timetable in the support section: While both the kit and assembled versions of the Mk3 are in stock, it takes 3-5 days preparation time for the kit and 7-10 days for the assembled machine.
I already don’t understand the lead times for the kit: If it is actually in stock, why does Prusa need 3-5 days to pack up a box for shipping? Is there no dedicated logistics department and people for this among the couple-hundred employees? Or does Prusa not produce in advance and print the plastic parts only after an order has been taken? „In stock“ would then be at least misguiding.
The assembled machine takes even longer, which I read as „any machine is only assembled after the order has been taken and the required plastic parts have been printed“.
I could understand such an approach from a garage company, but Prusa is aiming for the semi-, if not fully-professional markets as well and thus should update their game significantly in this area.
Only valid explanation in my eyes would be that the Mk3 will indeed be retired very soon (as in „Black Friday 2021“) and they want to keep inventory low, as no-one would really order the outdated Mk3 anymore, after an Mk4 and XL have been presented.
Do I miss something? Or does anyone feel this to be absolutely normal?
RE: Shipping time - long preparation time
I ordered 3 months ago an assembled MK3S+ and one month later a kit of the same printer. Both were shipped the day after the order.
Of all my filament- and accessories-orders, all but one were shipped immediately. Only one had a delay of 5 days.
Thus Prusa's shipping service is not that bad ...
Grumble much?
Ordered an MK3s+ kit in September. It arrived at my door (near seattle) three days after I placed the order. I was not expecting it because of that silly page on their web site. But think about it - shit happens, and you've got back-seat lawyers trolling your every move - if you promise a one day turn around and it takes two, there are pollyannas who will call you on it. So you put generic "probably can beat that" promises - and then you get nilly willies grumbling about that ... It's a messed up grumbly world out there.
RE: Shipping time - long preparation time
My main intention was to understand the reasoning behind it and whether it might be some kind of indirect indicator of some new product announcement being imminent. I truly wasn’t aware that there are people just waiting to sue a company for _nothing_. Must be something specific to a society where lawyers determine people’s behaviour far more than they should. But as the NY Times once wrote - it isn’t fair to judge a whole profession by a few hundred thousand bad apples … 😉
RE: Shipping time - long preparation time
My observation is that Prusa has tried to under promise, and over deliver. My machine, ordered many moths ago shipped faster than promised. Can't find a front page news without complaints about supply chain issues. Prusa must have them too, so slack 'em a bit. I think they are doing very well all considered. Given that you likely never ever had a 3d printer before in your whole life, and will need many, many more than a few days to to get the hang of it. Patience for a few days is not the end of the world.
I wouldn't bet on a retiring MK3 for Black Friday. Maybe a Mk3S+2... A $35 upgrade to existing rolling stock...
Don’t trust forum advice.
RE: Shipping time - long preparation time
I have always had a quick turnaround time with shipping.... all the way to Los Angeles.
RE: Shipping time - long preparation time
This was almost two years ago, but my machine arrived much quicker than expected, all the way from Europe to the States.
RE: Shipping time - long preparation time
Same sentiment to most in this thread. There is no way to forecast the supply chain issues in the current situation. Prusa is just being very diligent in setting the right expectations. Can they beat their estimates - sure. Do they want to damage their reputation by under-delivering - I would like to think not.
RE: Shipping time - long preparation time
10 days to the day - I'm now an official Mini user - 😀
RE: Shipping time - long preparation time
Same sentiment to most in this thread. There is no way to forecast the supply chain issues in the current situation. Prusa is just being very diligent in setting the right expectations. Can they beat their estimates - sure. Do they want to damage their reputation by under-delivering - I would like to think not for ranboo jacket.
Exactly. When there is a promotion, supply chain teams are in enormous stress to coordinate manufacturing and moving the products. Knowing the promotional uplift to guarantee product availability is key to the success of a promotion
RE: Shipping time - long preparation time
I beg to disagree with the sentiment of (possible) supply-chain issues at work here and Prusa doing expectation management.
If an item is actually claimed to be _in stock_, the supply chain has zero influence on the actual shipping - unless we‘re talking about Prusa buying the required packing materials just-in-time on the spot market. Which I neither hope nor believe.
And I also can’t understand why an assembled printer is claimed to be in stock, but taking longer to ship than a kit. If anything, the kit would have to need more time in order to collect all the little boxes for a kit. The only explanation I could think of is that a complete printer is only assembled after an order has been taken.
Then „in stock“ is misleading at best - in worst case Prusa is tarnishing it’s reputation due to lack of transparency. Especially as Prusa likes to point out its transparency all over the place (did anyone ever check the actual dimensions for a Prusament roll?).
Prusa grew very fast in a short period of time. Experience tells about the inherent problems of companies growing big(ger) too fast, with the internal processes not being able to follow suit in adequate time. You simply can’t lead a 600+ people company the same way you can a with e.g. a 60-or-less-people company. Some companies never manage the mandatory transformations. I’m working in a process optimization department for a big company and know many of the potential pitfalls …
So maybe Prusa is still that little basement Startup at heart, investigating new ways and inventions and pushing forward the 3D printing scene as a whole. That’s really nice and highly appreciated, but actually they‘ve now become a solid company which is striving increasingly for professional markets. That might be a conflict potential building up there and this shipping time thing may be a little hint at it.
Another would be the lack of small upgrades to keep the Mk3 fresh, until the Mk4 comes out late next year or even the year after. And as Jo has announced that the XL would have been the last announcement for this year, there probably won’t be something like an „32bit-Mini-Board-and-display now available for the Mk3S+“ or something like that anytime soon.
Talking of the Mini: Will there ever be the promised (full) Prusa Connect feature available on that machine? Why are software development resources still allocated to the ancient 8bit Mk3 firmware instead of adapting the Buddy board to the Mk3 and adding the Connect feature to both machines while they‘re at it? Expectation management at its worst and perhaps resting a bit too much on the (well-earned, mind you!) Mk3 laurels from the past …
RE: Shipping time - long preparation time
It's understandable that you have concerns about the lead times for the Prusa Mk3 kit and assembled machine, especially since they are listed as "in stock" on the website. Here are some possible explanations for the preparation times:
Order Volume: Depending on the volume of orders, it's possible that Prusa's logistics department may be understaffed or overwhelmed. This could result in longer preparation times for orders.
Production Process: Prusa may produce their products in batches, meaning that they don't necessarily have every single product already fully assembled and ready to ship. Instead, they may produce a certain number of kits or assembled machines at a time and then prepare them for shipping as orders come in.
Regarding your concern about Prusa's approach, it's important to keep in mind that they are a relatively small company compared to larger manufacturers. While they have grown significantly in recent years, they may still be developing their logistics and production processes. Additionally, their commitment to quality control and customer satisfaction may mean that they prioritize thorough preparation and testing of their products, even if it means longer lead times for track shipping.
RE: Shipping time - long preparation time
I think this is perfectly normal..