Guide to Web-to-Pack Solution for Personalized Packaging

Summary: With the growing demand for highly personalized packaging, adopting a robust solution like web to pack has become essential. Explore this in-depth guide to web to pack solutions to learn its transformative impact on print packaging businesses, enabling them to provide extraordinary packages to clients.

In today’s competitive print e-commerce world, businesses of all sizes are seeking ways to enhance their customer experience with highly personalized packaging. The need for top-notch web to pack solutions is booming right now due to the high demand for tailored experiences, leading to customer satisfaction and retention.

Web to pack is web-based technology which enables packaging print businesses to manage, design and produce personalized packages, encompassing the entire workflow from the initial order placement to the final production.

According to research, 47% of customers say that high-quality packaging has left them with a positive impression, leading to excitement about opening their package, while 42% of them are more likely to purchase from the same brand again.

In this blog, we’ll explore web-to-pack solutions, ranging from key features to future trends that will equip you with the insights to thrive in today’s competitive print packaging market.

What is Web to Pack Solution?

A web-to-pack solution is an online system designed to streamline and automate the ordering, production, and fulfillment of packaging products. It provides complete control of the order workflow and production processes for the packaging print businesses, delivering a memorable experience for customers with stunning packages.

Key components of web to pack advanced solution:

1. Intuitive design tools for 360 degree personalization of every package face

2. Real-time 3D previews for all-round visibility and enhanced visualization

3. Precise cost estimations based on the materials and designs on each face of the packages individually

4. Reach clients from various industries through dedicated storefronts, offering tailored packaging options for their specific needs

5. Make the buyers journey effortless and provide easy online ordering with end-to-end personalization

6. Automated print packaging business workflow with 360 degree coverage

7. Capabilities for robust order management from multiple sales channels

The approach helps businesses to provide highly personalized packaging, faster production processes, and achieve significant cost reductions. This solution can be beneficial for any industry that relies on shipping products to customers including food & beverage, retail, and pharmaceuticals.

With the rapid expansion of e-commerce and the requirement for custom packaging solutions, web to pack is critical for PSPs to meet modern client demands while remaining competitive in an ever-changing market. Print packaging businesses can address ecommerce challenges with web to print packaging solutions, which increase operational efficiency, reduce errors, and improve customer experience.

Check out this interesting video of how an innovative packaging solution can help printers to effortlessly grow their print packaging business and provide clients with memorable experiences.

Key Features to Look for in Web to Pack Solutions

When selecting a web-to-pack solution, ensure that it provides the below given key features to get maximum return on investment. Let’s quickly dive into these features.

1. Custom Design Tools for Branding and Simple Design Creation

Provide your clients with design customization and robust editing tools to create highly personalized & branded packages including custom product boxes, mailer boxes and shipping boxes, ensuring that all brand elements are used consistently and comply with brand guidelines.

Ensure that the modular web to print packaging solution offers an easy-to-use 3D packaging designer software which provides professionally crafted pre-loaded templates of packaging box models for industry-relevant design inspiration and quick decision-making.

2. Shipping Configurations and Integration Capabilities with Existing Systems

Check for a solution that offers the capabilities for automated shipping label creations with precise calculations of shipping cost and delivery dates and location-based tax settings, provides shipping based on individual product types, and helps you connect with country-wise shipping providers.

To ensure secured package delivery to your customers, the solution should provide seamless integration with popular e-commerce platforms and shipping providers like FedEx, UPS, DHL and Ecom Express, as well as support integration with existing systems like CRM, ERP and production workflows.

3. Automated Print Packaging Production Workflow for Heightened Efficiency

Ensure that the solution of web-to-pack for ecommerce print packaging provides an automation-driven print production workflow software to streamline the production processes from order intake to packaging delivery, ensuring a centralized view of the entire print operations.

This automated solution will help you eliminate manual errors and speed up the process from start to end, providing complete control over your packaging print business.

4. Robust Print Management and Transparency into Packaging Print Orders

Find a solution that provides a robust print order management software for printers allowing the admins of the packaging print business with the capability to manage multiple sales channels.

It should be able to keep projects on track with access to order history, assigned orders and status updates along with streamlining shipping label generation for order fulfillment.

The solution should provide complete order status transparency including different stages of the print process like approved, out for delivery, delivered or cancelled for the business and customers to avoid client dissatisfaction.

5. 3D Visualization or Previews to Detect and Refine Packaging Designs

Make sure the solution provides clients with live interactive 3D previews of the packaging designs in a realistic and folded format to visualize a real-world representation of the package before purchase.

These photorealistic 3D models will allow them to detect any inaccuracies including wrong font, effect or text placement instantly and make the necessary adjustments for refining their designs accordingly.

6. User-Friendly Interface and Fast Site Speed for Quick Navigation

Check for a solution that provides an intuitive and easy-to-navigate interface for customers, ensuring they can quickly browse different packages and create unique designs effortlessly.

A fast-loading, trustworthy and user-friendly storefront along with personalized targeting based on diverse niche markets will help you provide your clients with a captivating user experience, making them purchase repetitively from your packaging print shop.

7. Real-Time Price Estimating and Quoting Capabilities with Accuracy

Seek a robust solution that has the best print estimating software for offering real-time price estimating & quoting based on factors like custom or standard dimension, packaging material type, colors, designs and size variations. It should have capabilities for creating custom pricing logic as well as providing offers & discounts for regular clients.

This easy-to-use price calculation tool can enhance transparency and trust among customers, ensuring customer retention and profitability for your print packaging business.

8. Automated Packaging Design Proofing, Approval & Version Control

The web packaging solution should be able to provide an automation-focused print design proofing software for seamless collaboration with designers and performing tasks such as reviewing, modifying and approving the packaging designs, ensuring alignment with brand standards and regulatory compliance.

These automated proofing & customer approval workflows along with version control capabilities to revisit different iterations of files can avoid delays in the production processes and ensure timely delivery of packages.

Before we dive into how web to print exactly works, explore the blueprint to packaging design software to understand the necessity of a technologically advanced solution for print packaging businesses.

How Web to Pack Solution Works?

Here’s a step-by-step process explaining how web-to-print solution works in the real world, helping you understand the benefits for both your business and end customers.

1. User Uploads or Creates a Design

At the initial phase, the user will visit the storefront and browse through different packaging products like mailer boxes, product boxes or shipping boxes.

Users get the choice of either uploading a packaging design, creating one from scratch or leveraging design templates collection to customize designs.

After this the user will select attributes like size, quantity, printing sides and material type, for which a price estimation will be shown.

2. Design Proofing and Approval Process

After the design has been created, users can preview their design proofs in 3D format to view their packaging in real-time and refine it for modifications.

After editing the design to remove any inaccuracies, users can either send it directly for production by placing an order or share the designs for approval to internal or external team members.

With processes like rule-based approvals, the design proof will be approved via the storefront’s interface or email by the managers and external users respectively.

3. Production and Printing of Packages

Once the order has been placed by the user and the print service provider receives the order, the packaging design is prepared for printing using pre-press processes.

This involves ensuring color accuracy, checking for image resolution, image size, ensuring proper bleed and imposition.

After printing the packaging design on the selected material, post-press operations like cutting, folding and binding as well as finishing processes like design embossing, die-cutting, varnishing and laminating are performed.

4. Quality Checks and Delivery

After the production has been completed, the final quality checks are carried out and the packages are prepared for shipment.

This involves packing the orders, adding labels on each individual order for seamless tracking and sending it to the recipient.

Recipients can choose to receive multiple shipments of each order at separate timings and locations. Throughout the process, the user will be informed about the status of orders such as awaiting for approval, shipped or delivered.

Benefits of Implementing Web to Pack Solutions

Significant Benefits for Print Packaging Businesses

• More Operational Efficiency and Less Errors in Packaging Orders

This automation-driven solution eliminates repetitive tasks like order processing to reduce manual errors and increase operational efficiency. It streamlines collaboration across team members and provides version control to keep track of design iterations, avoiding miscommunication and human errors.

• Cost Savings through Automation-Centric Operations

These solutions automate the pre-press, production, and post-press operations, reducing material wastage and eliminating rework. This reduces the extensive usage of raw materials, leading to cost savings and controlled budgeting.

• Enhanced Customer Satisfaction with Personalized Packaging

The web to pack technology based solution enables print packaging businesses with the capability to provide their clients with the capability to tailor packages as per their branding requirements. It enables the production of high-quality packages and timely order delivery, ensuring enhanced brand reputation and high customer satisfaction.

Significant Benefits for End Customers

• Intuitive Storefront with Ready-to-Use Design Tools

The solution offers a user-friendly storefront with an intuitive interface for customers to browse and quickly create eye-catching packaging designs, irrespective of their design skill level whether beginner or professional.

It provides customers the flexibility to upload files or choose from various pre-designed templates for design creations, providing a 3D visualization of the final design in real-time and options for swift approvals.

• Quick Turnaround Times

The automation-focused solution speeds up the entire print order cycle and integrates with shipping providers to ensure faster turnaround times.

Customers can choose their desired delivery time frame such as 5-7 business days or 10-12 business days and benefit from order tracking, resulting in on-time delivery and enhanced satisfaction.

• High-Quality and Customized Packaging

Clients can choose the specifications for their packaging ranging from dimensions, material type to quantity, ensuring that the final product meets their exact requirements.

The solution delivers high-quality and customized packaging to clients, providing memorable packaging with enhanced brand recognition.

Steps to Implementing Web to Pack Solutions

Now that we are in the most important section of this blog, read carefully as we will be discussing the step-by-step approach of implementing web-to-pack solution for your ecommerce print packaging business.

1. Assess your Current Workflows and Identify Gaps for Improvement

Evaluate your current capabilities and identify gaps in your print packaging production workflow to understand which parts of your business needs to be automated with the web-to-pack solution.

2. Selecting the Right Web to Pack Solution for Maximum ROI

Based on your specific business needs, select the best web to pack solution that provides all the above-mentioned key features, ensuring to pay only for the required capabilities and achieve increased return on investment (ROI).

3. Integrate the Web to Pack Solution with Existing and Third-Party Systems

To leverage the full potential of the web to print packaging solution, ensure to integrate it with your existing systems like CRM, MIS and connect with third-party applications for critical operations including payment, shipping and others.

4. Proper Training for Team Members on the Newly Implemented Solution

Make sure to train your entire team and keep them informed about the implementation process and well as new upgrades with knowledgeable resources, ensuring everyone is on the same page and effectively utilizes the solution.

5. Launch and Market your Print Packaging Business to Boost Success

Implement effective marketing strategies with a web-to-pack driven marketing automation solution to provide personalized messaging and tailored print packages for a successful launch as well as ongoing promotion.

By following the given steps, you can ensure to attract customers from a global level and ensure maximum outcomes for your efforts.

Packaging Industry Trends That Web-to-Pack Solutions Can Address

Here are a few popular trends in the packaging industry that can be effectively addressed by web to pack solutions. Let’s dive in.

1. Interactive Packaging

Interactive packaging leverages features like augmented reality or QR codes to engage with customers in an interactive manner as well as collect valuable data to track consumer behavior.

By providing immersive experiences and collecting valuable data with interactive packaging, this solution can help brands to stand out from the competition and strengthen customer relationships.

2. Interior Packaging Designs

In the coming years, interior packaging designs are set to redefine the unboxing experience, adding anticipation and brand impact.

With the help of web-to-pack solution, print packaging businesses can enable brands to leverage interior artwork for creating unique and eye-catching packaging, motivating customers to share their experience on social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube.

3. Sustainable Packaging

Sustainable packaging trends emphasize raw materials and textured designs to meet eco-friendly demands.

With web to pack solutions, print packaging businesses can encourage brands to prioritize eco-friendly materials and avoid coatings to preserve natural textures in packaging solutions.

Over to YouWe explored everything about web to pack technology driven solution, ranging from the basics, implementation strategies to future trends in the packaging industry.Print service providers can adopt technologically advanced web to print packaging solution to stay competitive, streamline operations and offer memorable packaging to end customers.Request a demo with OnPrintShop right away to discover how web to pack solutions can transform your print packaging business by providing complete automation and high personalization capabilities, ultimately driving profitability & customer satisfaction.