Looking for honest feedback on my latest model

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Hello Makerworld community,

I recently published a new model and entered it into the “hanger” contest. You can check it out here: (Wall modular hanger system: Customizable layout by BuildByte3D - MakerWorld).

Unfortunately, it seems like the model isn’t quite hitting the mark, and I’d love to understand why, you so I can improve in my future designs.

I’d really appreciate your honest feedback—what do you think isn’t working with this design?

Is it not original enough?
Is its purpose unclear?
Is it not useful?
Have you seen similar designs too many times before?
Or is it just a huge miss (aka :poop:)?

Thanks so much for helping me grow my skills :blush:

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I don’t think the hooks would be strong enough, they are not designed for 3d printing. I’m not sure of the location where you would want keys and towels hung in close proximity (I know it was an ecxample to show the versatility). Maybe you make it purely functional, e.g for workshop use, or more artistic for domestic use. There are other better similar systems. The customiser does not appear to do much, other than text and logo.

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Thank you for your feedback.

I don’t think the hooks would be strong enough, they are not designed for 3d printing

Thanks for pointing that out.
I tested the hooks and the rest of the model before publishing, as I always do, and they’re quite strong; definitely not sturdy enough to hang a coat, but considering the size of the print, I thought it was clear that heavy items weren’t the intended use.

I’m not sure of the location where you would want keys and towels hung in close proximity

That wasn’t the intended use (and I understand you’ve already realized it was just a showcase photo).
The system is designed to be customizable in both shape and layout, so users can choose to have just keyholders, towel hooks, or any combination they prefer, without being limited to a “classic linear hanger” setup.

If this wasn’t clear from the main photo, I could try to emphasize it better, though I’m unsure if that would resolve the issue.

Maybe you make it purely functional, e.g for workshop use, or more artistic for domestic use

I’m not entirely sure what you mean here. Could you explain a bit more? (It might be a language barrier on my end.)

There are other better similar systems

Could you give me an example of a similar but better system? As I mentioned in my main post, I want to learn how to make better designs, and I think it helps to see what others find appealing or overall better.

The customiser does not appear to do much, other than text and logo.

That’s correct; the customizer is intended to be simple, allowing users to add text or a logo to the keychain without needing to edit the design in a slicer.

After thinking over your feedback, I realize the design really doesn’t hold up.
:frowning:
I thought it was a good idea, but clearly, it’s not.

Again, thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts. I truly appreciate your input.

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I have found it is the luck of the draw on these things.

I uploaded a fidget spinner OpenSCAD model I was sure would hit the mark.

After two days it had barely 10 downloads/creations.

I was immensely disheartened, but, convinced others may use my hard work and launch their own fidget spinners they created using my model, I panicked at pulled it down.

I have since uploaded a few models my original code generated and now have a combined 20k downloads/prints, the two most successful versions generated 5k+ each. I haven’t even touched the edges of what it will produce given I created over 60 customisations into the code.

Suffice to say, I couldn’t tell you why the creator failed, but, the creations flourished.

I created a different OpenSCAD model to crate build-plate stands and that did really well.

It is all hit and miss.

Your photos are great, your colour choices are excellent, visually it is attractive enough that I would have thought it could have generated traffic.

Thought

Consider making a second version that doesn’t include the OpenSCAD ability.

This is to target a different use case.

Make the system around 25% - 50% larger (test with a coat) for a bigger version @debonr has a point.

Make separate profiles for the parts to make them obvious rather than build plates. Name the profiles accordingly as you have in the description, so one for the base (connectors on a second plate), one for the hooks (each size is one plate), key ring on a different profile.

Example names

  • Bases
  • Hooks
  • Keys
  • Towels

This would essentially be an A/B test albeit with many changes.

You would have two versions with some distinctions.

  • Smaller vs Bigger
  • Plates vs Profiles
  • Configurable vs pre-designed
  • Effort vs ease

See if the new version proves more successful.

Make sure you market one as standard size and the other as family size or whatever captions you feel best describes them.

Add text in your description to cross market them with links back to one another, for example:

Two versions

  • Standard for your (write a short blurb for what it targets)
  • Family for your (write a short blurb for what it targets)

Add the links to the respective models on the standard & family or whatever you end up calling them.

Do not be discouraged, I have well over 500 models available and some have yet to gain a single download or print, others are on their way to 6k downloads and prints. I design what I want and upload that, if others like it great, but if not, I don’t care as I designed it for me. I don’t do this for points so my incentive is based on that as my success metric so I am happy to explore the less mass appeal options.

For example, right now I am creating a lot of models with magnets, despite knowing many will not want to buy magnets to use in my models and this will automatically limit my audience potential. As I said, I don’t care, I am creating them for me.

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I think it may be a bit like buying wallpaper. If you go into a shop that perhaps only has two or three patterns, you’ll buy something. If you go into a shop with 30 or so patterns, you can’t decide.

If you only want something to hang up your car-keys, I’m not sure if you’ll want to spend time choosing your own pattern. But, it may be OK as personalised gifts, I guess.

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ooooooOOOOoo
Everything is better with magnets.

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It very much depends on which “everything” you’re referring to. There are plenty of “everything” out there that don’t work with magnets at all.

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WTH has happened to humor?
I everything I say today is being taken freakin literally.

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Maybe the customizer wasn’t the best idea just for adding text or a logo on the keychain.

It might create some expectations or even be a barrier for more people than I initially thought.

I’ll try your suggestions to make it simpler to print by adding different print profiles.

But honestly, given the click-through ratio, I doubt the profile is the issue… In three days, there have been only four downloads.
I think people just don’t find it appealing or useful.

I design what I want and upload that, if others like it great, but if not, I don’t care as I designed it for me. I don’t do this for points so my incentive is based on that as my success metric so I am happy to explore the less mass appeal options.

I also designed this for myself. Not all, but many of my designs are for my own or my family’s use. For this one, I put in a bit more effort to make it both decorative and functional, so, thanks to my compulsiveness, I need to understand what’s not working with it.

Again, I really appreciate your effort in giving me so many hints on how to improve the “marketing strategy” for my model.

@johnfcooley Hey, don’t worry, I agree with you—everything is better with magnets.
Let’s pray to the Lord of Magnetism! :smiley:

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Remember to make it a second model, do not change the first.

I have recently started adding some Animated GIFs to my models where it is appropriate. I take a short video with my phone and then upload the video to Canva.com where for free, I drop it onto a canvas of 640x350, trim the video and export it as an animated GIF, remembering to keep the file size below the 30mb file size. I have found around 5 seconds is perfect.

You might consider adding a couple of aGIFs of you hanging things.

Clearly, I am suggesting additional work for something you may no longer feel merits the effort. I think the effort may be beneficial to this and future models.

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Thank you again.

Remember to make it a second model, do not change the first.

I have mixed feelings about this.
If I upload a new model, it should come with an enhancement, and right now, I’m not in the mood to modify the design to be larger or sturdy enough to hold a coat.
Plus, if I did that, the newly printed model would be useless to me—I’d probably end up throwing it away, which I’d rather avoid. I prefer not to discard things unless absolutely necessary, so I need to think this through a bit more.

I have recently started adding some Animated GIFs to my models where it is appropriate. …

I made a GIF for one of my other models (the sliding pencil case). But I’m a bit old school when it comes to tech, so I used local apps, creating a “stop motion” video and converting it to a GIF with ffmpeg and https://gif.ski/.
(Good old linux command line tools :smiley:)

This was actually something I considered initially but decided against, mainly due to time constraints and the need for good lighting to shoot a decent video.

Now that AliExpress has delivered the cheapest light on the market to me :rofl:, I think I can start the journey of shooting videos, and why not, begin shooting videos for my future models too.

Cheers!

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The design is NOT bad for the purpose, but the user might be :wink:

Not trying to make you feel bad or such, just some feedback on the obvious challenges with the design at hand:

The base is great and will be printed strong, the hooks however only get whatever strength the lay bond provides.
If the load is too high they will snap between layers.
Learned this lesson the hard way when I went searching for my Gopro when the motorbike mount failed for these reasons…
I really like your simple slide and lock system!
The only weak bit is the hangers, the rest, IMHO is plenty for the purpose.
If you could re-design the base for the hook a bit…
Make just the hook slide into it to lock into place.
That way the hook can be printed FLAT and the walls support it all the way, not just the layers.
Same slide design, just limited to the hook and maybe with a cover slide to make it flush once in.

Hitting the mark is quite relative with such designs :wink:
I like it…
Think is that these days the same or similar is already available in stores and quite cheap.
There they come with magnets, screws or removable stickers to mount them.
If your model would come with, let’s say these removable stickers and in a shop near me for a good price I would just buy them.
People still need to find a way to mount your design and if the hardware store only wants a few bucks more to get similar mounts and not just the stickers…
If you want a wider audience and maybe make a few bucks along the way try site like Etsy and sell the models for cheap.

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LOL… anti-magnetism at work… :grin:

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The idea is nice, the implementation was successful. A bit retro, which is also popular today.

There are a few problems:

  1. It is not a problem solver. Persons are much more interested to solve problems than on something how looks nice. So making something always starts by talking to other what’s sucks. Have you ever had to hang a key next to a towel? Where are the needs? How do I hang the key holder on the wall (This must be clear to the user in 3 seconds - you will rarely get more than 5 seconds from a visit, then the visitor is gone)?

  2. Your own Eyes and your own opinion are always dangerous. Sometimes you really are the only one in the world who thinks something is great - learning to listen and see things with different eyes is important. By designing something is nothing about you and everything about others. When a child gives his mother a drawing, it is the best drawing in the world - but that has nothing to do with the drawing and is all about the mother-child relationship.

  3. People how are looking for hanger system do not expect to find something like this. Most persons look on google for something. So the title must attract persons how look for something like this (and not for anything else) and you need to get it listed.

  4. In the global view, there are never small needs for something – the problem is to find the Persons how like it, that’s cooled marked transparency. So the best product is useless if persons how need it, can`t find it.

  5. and from my point of view by far the biggest problem, especially because of point 4. It was not tagged with your website. It takes time to be found and growth is anything but proportional. Your own website address on the product will become a buzzer after 5-10 years and is also theft protection.

  6. This can may help for problems 1 and 3 https://trends.google.de/trends/

  7. Never give up. No master has ever fallen from heaven. It’s normal to ask yourself these questions - experience it. Get your own answers and get better.

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If you have any difficulties with the German language, try this one: https://trends.google.com/trends/.
From here you can select a more localised version (based on geographical area and/or language).

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Only 4 Down lodes? I was fight 6 months to get 100 clicks on my first YouTube Channel. Today and I do not up lode any Video since 4 Years and there are 500-600 clicks per hour on the moste popular 2 Videos (which is still nothing at all, but I’m paid really well in my job, so investing time in that is kind of useless). Point 5 is the most imported one - Get listed, seen and findable! And you will start with small amounts always.

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I think there’s a bit of a misunderstanding here.

I don’t intend for this to be my main job, nor do I plan to open an Etsy shop or sell my designs.

As I mentioned, this isn’t my primary focus—I already have a job that I’m happy with and never considered turning this hobby into full-time work.
It’s just one of many hobbies I enjoy to relax and disconnect from work.

Sure, I could start a SEO campaign, optimize keywords, create a blog or webpage to promote my designs, launch a social media campaign, etc., but that’s not my goal.
I spent nearly 10 years in that field, and I’m not interested in diving back into online marketing.

My aim is simply to share the designs I’ve created for myself. And, as in this case, if they don’t work as I expected, I want to figure out what’s wrong.
That said, I’m not losing sleep over download numbers—this hobby isn’t putting bread on my table.

From all your feedback, it’s clear that the way this design has been conceived and presented isn’t working.
I’ll quote myself from my first response:

I’m not sure of the location where you would want keys and towels hung in close proximity

That wasn’t the intended use (and I understand you’ve already realized it was just a showcase photo).
The system is designed to be customizable in both shape and layout, so users can choose to have just keyholders, towel hooks, or any combination they prefer, without being limited to a “classic linear hanger” setup.

I’m not claiming this is the best, most original, or most useful model out there.

I was just asking for feedback on what might be wrong with it, because it’s clearly not appealing or useful to nearly 99% of the people who visit the page.

I think I’ll move on from this model and start working on something new.

Again, thanks to all of you for your suggestions.

Cheers!

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@BuildByte3D

Of course. I would also never approach it to intention of making it to a main job. It’s the same as by money: If you are just busy to run after it, you never will get it.

You may viewing my feedback a bit too commercially - Take the half view.

Webpage to promote the designs, SEO campaign, optimize keyword? Think the other way around. Your designs will promote the website. The fact that the website supports the designs too is just a nice side effect.

You don’t have to optimize the keywords either - it’s about making sure the keywords are fair and relevant :wink: And by the way, everyone fights for the most relevant keyword - thake the lowest ranked since still a lot of persons will search for it but all the competition is gone - you can afford this becouse is a hobby… Especially since you’ve been in for 10 years. Quickly google it and see what’s listed under the term. So your one only fits halfway into the topic. Since it`s a hobby you can afford that and may, just may you will get surprised how this way will work. If not, it was just a hobby :wink:

Great - and that’s exactly the right approach to get it done because it gets better and better every day. And since you use them yourself, they become more and more useful… Talk to your friends about it, listen to what they think. If it fits, include the feedback and if not, leave the feedback out - but all without pressure. The advantage of being the boss is that you can speak last and listen to everyone else first before you have to make a decision. Use it or waste your opportunities.

So everything is absolutely 100% fine. Sort out the feedback and move on as you see it and have fun :wink: This is by far the most important thing :slight_smile:

This statement alone your design shows great potential. There are always 100 ways to make it better and 1 million ways to make it worse. I have never and will never get the best piece without potential for improvement :wink: The first basic insight to become free and surpass most.

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Really? Everything you say?

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Without using marketing techniques I believe it’s about 95% pure luck to even get noticed.
Look at the ‘competition’ in the area that you chose. Like google, if you aren’t in the first ten pages or so for ‘hanger’ better add ‘wall hook’ or something.
But I’m not convinced your hooks could deal with much shear force.

Straight polygonal designs are ‘easy’ and won’t attract so much attention. It seems that popular stuff tends to be more … designed. Rabbit faces, flowers, sci fi, dragons - all are going to get more attention than flat hex tiles. If you used a tiling such as Penrose, then there’s going to be interest also.

Those of us who have printed a lot of hex tiles may feel pretty wary about bow ties. Sometimes they need hammering in, and they are prone to break - so bow ties on hexagons is … not always great.

The modular images are not clear as to how they work. Reliable fixing to the wall itself is going to be a query.