Web to Print - Not Just a Solution but a Savior

The importance of web-to-print is rising. It is no more just a need but has become mandatory for survival.

A web-to-print site is a way to offer your retail (B2C) & corporate (B2B) clients personalized services and easy ordering anytime. The way eCommerce is emerging & Vistas of the world are growing, for Print Service Providers, Web to Print is a savior.

Print service providers must offer web enabled ordering to attract customers who expect an online offering. This helps PSPs in a number of ways - create a central digital asset depository, reduce manual efforts, eliminate errors, save time as the solution generates high resolution print ready files, auto email notifications, auto order status update, auto invoicing & shipping labels further speed up the turnaround time of job.

Some interesting facts were recently published by InfoTrends in a whitepaper titled - Web to Print Drives Print Volume and Ensures Economic Viability.

Key Findings

• 54% of in-plant PSPs and 58% of print-for-pay offer web to print solutions.
• A cornerstone of print-on-demand (POD) is the automation of the entire printing process, from order origination to delivery—much of which can be achieved by deploying web to print.
• A web to print solution drives increased print volume and has other benefits including higher levels of client satisfaction and improved customer loyalty.
• Offering web to print is increasingly an expectation. Print providers who don’t offer this service are unlikely to remain in business over the long-term.
• The most recent forecast showed that, in 2012, 19% of print value in the U.S. was web-enabled. This is forecast to grow to 28% of the total market by 2016. This excludes files attached to e-mail and FTP sites.

Print e-Shipments in the United States, 2011-2016

InfoTrends’ research demonstrates the time saving advantages of using web to print

Below table includes comparison of some specific tasks—entering the order, proofing, and communicating with the service provider.

Other Benefits of Web to Print

• 24/7 availability: A web to print offering is always open for business. Clients can order at their convenience.
• Ease in reordering: Reorders can take seconds to accomplish.
• Product expansion: The web to print solution can feed production at a partner, allowing a broader product offering.
• Expand your geographic reach: Clients can submit work from any location. An in-plant can easily meet the needs of remote offices and employees.
• Customize your offering: The look of a site can be customized to the needs of a specific client or department.
• Increase productivity: Print centers typically handle an increase in volume without an increase in staff.
• Automate accounting: Web to print solutions collect data and feed accounting systems.

Naimish Patel,
Senior OnPrintShop Consultant
OnPrintShop