The store is live: store.thios.co
This isn't a press release or a marketing announcement. It's a reflection on what it took to get here, what's available, and what comes next.
Why Build a Store?
"Just use Gumroad/Shopify/Lemonsqueezy/etc."
I heard this advice from everyone. And they had a point — platform tools are mature. They handle payments, delivery, email, and customer management. For most creators, they're the right choice.
I built a custom store for several reasons:
Control Over Customer Experience
Platform stores impose their UX on your customers. Pop-ups, upsells, account creation friction, checkout flows designed for the platform's goals rather than yours.
Our store is minimal by design. No account required for purchase. No pop-ups. No dark patterns. You pick a product, pay with Stripe, get your download. Done.
Alignment with Open Source Philosophy
If the designs are open source, shouldn't the commerce be transparent too?
The store code isn't open source (customer data requires security), but the pricing is transparent. You can see exactly what each product includes, what it costs, and why.
Data Ownership
When you buy through a platform, the platform owns the customer relationship. They can change terms, raise fees, or shut down your store.
When you buy through our store, we have a direct relationship. Your email comes to us, not to Gumroad. If you need support, you're talking to us, not to platform customer service.
Learning
Building the store taught me skills I'll use forever:
- Stripe payment integration
- Digital product delivery systems
- Email automation
- E-commerce security practices
Every part of Thios is a learning project. The store is no exception.
What's Available
Three categories of products:
Handbooks
The core product. Comprehensive PDF guides for building Thiosphere variants.
Whole Thiosphere Handbook ($29)
The complete guide to building the base structure. Philosophy, materials, cut lists, assembly sequences, configurations.
Saunosphere Handbook ($55)
Everything in the base handbook, plus sauna-specific adaptations: thermal calculations, stove integration, ventilation design, safety requirements.
Lifetime Edition ($79)
All current and future handbooks. As we release Agrosphere, Ergosphere, Immosphere, and WTFosphere guides, Lifetime Edition holders get them automatically.
Templates
Physical aids for cutting accurate panels.
Paper Templates ($25)
Full-scale printable templates for all panel shapes. Print on a large-format plotter (Staples/FedEx can do this), trace onto plywood, cut. Perfect for one-off builds.
MDF Templates ($75)
Laser-cut MDF templates that you use with a router and flush-trim bit. Place template on plywood, route around the edge, perfect panel every time. Reusable for multiple builds.
Builder's Tier
For serious builders and project supporters.
Founder's Edition ($299)
Includes:
- Lifetime Edition handbooks
- Physical MDF template set shipped
- Name in handbook credits
- Direct Discord access to me
- Early access to beta designs
This tier exists for people who want to support the project beyond just buying what they need. The extra revenue funds prototypes and development.
How Pricing Works
I'm going to share the actual economics because transparency matters.
Handbook Costs
| Item | Amount |
|------|--------|
| Stripe fees (2.9% + $0.30) | ~$1.15 |
| Email/hosting costs (amortized) | ~$0.20 |
| Customer support time (amortized) | ~$2.00 |
| Total cost per handbook | ~$3.35 |
| Revenue after costs | ~$25.65 |
That $25.65 goes toward:
- Building and testing new prototypes (~$3,000 each)
- Photography and documentation
- Server and software costs
- My time developing new designs
At 100 handbooks/month, I can sustain part-time development.
At 500 handbooks/month, I can work on this full-time.
At 1,000+ handbooks/month, I can hire contributors and accelerate development.
We're currently between 50-100/month. Growing slowly, sustainably.
Template Costs
Paper templates are high-margin: the cost is mostly in design, not fulfillment.
MDF templates are lower-margin: laser cutting, shipping, and handling eat into the price. We make maybe $20-30 per set after costs.
Founder's Edition Economics
The Founder's Edition is explicitly priced for supporters. The included physical templates cost ~$50 to produce and ship. The handbooks cost us $3-4 in fees. The rest — roughly $240 — is direct support for the project.
I'm not pretending this tier is "worth" $299 in pure value. It's worth $299 to people who want to fund open-source hardware development. Different value proposition.
The Business Model
Let me state it clearly:
Designs are free. Guidance costs money.
Anyone can access the CAD files on OnShape. Anyone can read the blog posts explaining the design philosophy. Anyone can figure out how to build a Thiosphere from public information.
The handbook saves you 40+ hours of figuring things out yourself. The templates prevent measurement errors. The community provides troubleshooting.
Revenue from these products funds development of new designs, testing of new configurations, and improvement of existing documentation.
This is a sustainable model. Not wildly profitable — I'm not getting rich — but sustainable. The project can continue indefinitely on modest sales.
What We Don't Sell
Some things we deliberately chose not to sell:
Complete kits: We considered selling pre-cut lumber packages. The logistics are nightmarish — lumber is heavy, fragile, and varies by region. Shipping a kit would cost more than buying materials locally.
Installation services: We don't build Thiospheres for customers. That might change eventually (certified builder network), but for now, we're focused on enabling DIY builders.
Subscriptions: No ongoing payments required. Buy once, own forever. Updates are free.
Advertising: The site has no ads. Your attention isn't the product.
Technical Details
For the curious:
Platform: Custom PHP application with Stripe integration.
Payments: Stripe handles all payment processing. We never see credit card numbers.
Delivery: Digital products are delivered via email with secure download links. Links expire after 7 days but can be re-sent.
Security: All traffic is HTTPS. Customer data is encrypted at rest. We collect minimal information: email and purchase history only.
Languages: The store interface supports the same 16 languages as the main site. Handbooks are currently English only.
Future Plans
What's coming to the store:
More handbooks: Agrosphere (growing), Ergosphere (office), Immosphere (entertainment) — each gets its own dedicated handbook with configuration-specific guidance.
Physical products: Beyond templates, we're exploring jigs, specialty hardware, and tool kits. Things that are hard to source locally or benefit from standardization.
Community marketplace: Eventually, a place for certified builders to offer services and for community members to sell their own Thiosphere-related products.
Regional pricing: Lower prices for lower-income regions. Still figuring out the mechanics.
Customer Support
What to expect when you buy:
Order confirmation: Immediate email with download link and receipt.
Download issues: If the link doesn't work, email us. We respond within 24 hours.
Refunds: 7-day refund policy, no questions asked. After 7 days, no refunds on digital products.
Questions about building: Join Discord. That's where the community troubleshoots together.
Questions about products: Email store@thios.co. I read every message.
The Invitation
The store is live. The products are ready.
If you've been waiting for the "official" version of the handbook — this is it. The same content that helped us build three working prototypes, now available to you.
Designs are free. Guidance costs money. Revenue funds the mission.
Let's build.
Visit the Store — Handbooks, templates, and tools.
Get the Handbook — Complete build guide, $29.
Join the community — Builders helping builders.