A Complete Guide to Web-to-Print Solutions for Trade Printers

Summary: Tired of facing inefficiencies in your trade print workflows? Then, it's evident that you are not utilizing the right technologies for streamlining your operations. This blog will cover everything you need to know about web-to-print solution for trade printer and strategic ways to utilize it for improving your print business potential.

In the rapidly evolving printing industry, trade printers face unique challenges like global competition, shorter run lengths, cost management, data privacy and others, that require a smarter way of tackling it. The global printers market size is valued at USD 55.63 billion in 2025 and is anticipated to reach USD 78.64 billion by the year 2033.

As trade printers seek efficient, scalable, and cost-effective print innovations to overcome these challenges, innovative web-to-print technology can prove to be a game-changer.

If you are a trade printer looking to streamline your print operations and centralize order management for a smooth workflow, this guide provides a comprehensive overview of how new-age trade print solutions can transform your printing business in no time.

In this article, we will delve into all the necessary information you must know including key benefits, essential features, and practical steps for implementing online trade printing solution to achieve heightened success in the trade printing industry. Let’s begin.

What is Trade Printing?

Trade printing is a B2B model printing where print businesses provide wholesale printing services to resellers such as graphic designers, marketing agencies, and print brokers. These resellers then sell the print products to their customers at retail prices. This creates a win-win situation for everyone involved in the printing process, including the trade printers, resellers and customers, ensuring profitability and satisfaction.

In this printing, wholesale trade printers don’t have to be directly in contact with the end-customers. Instead, the reseller manages the order intake from the customers and pushes it to the trade printer for production. This arrangement allows print resellers to focus on customer-facing aspects of the business without investing in expensive printing equipment or maintaining inventory.

Key Challenges Faced by Trade Printing Service Providers

Although trade printing is a highly profitable business, trade printing service providers face numerous challenges that hinder the productivity and competitiveness in the print market. Before delving into the solution, let’s quickly understand what these challenges include.

Watch this quick video of how trade printers can grow their reseller network effectively.

1. Economic Pressure and Poor Cost Management

With the rising cost of materials such as ink and paper, it becomes difficult to manage profit margins and force trade printers to reduce their prices.

2. Disruptions in the Supply Chain Management

Shortages of raw materials can cause delays in production and shipments, affecting delivery times and reliability on the trade printer.

3. Requirement of Faster Turnaround Times

The increasing demand for personalized products and short-run print jobs makes it challenging to meet the customer expectations in less time.

4. Concerns of Customer Data Security

Trade printers need to ensure that the sensitive information and intellectual property of customers, such as designs, are safeguarded from unauthorized usage.

5. Quality Control with Reduced Errors

Printers need to maintain high standards of print quality and consistency across all print jobs with minimized costs, errors and wastage of precious raw materials.

6. Shipping and Logistic Complexities

Due to the rising shipping costs, the inability to track orders and delays in delivery, trade printers find it challenging to handle bulk shipments for multiple resellers at different locations.

7. Market Competition at a Global Level

With global competitors adapting to new technology and having reduced production costs, it becomes challenging for trade printers to compete with them and stand out from the crowd.

How Web-to-Print Solutions are Helping Trade Printers Grow their Business?

Just like the saying goes ‘modern problems require modern solutions’, web-to-print solutions solve the unique challenges of the new-age trade printers with its next-generation advancements in today’s world. Let’s look at how it makes this possible.

1. Streamlining Order Management for Trade Printers and Resellers

Web to print solutions for trade printers streamline order management by automating the entire ordering process, from initial order intake to production, reducing manual intervention, minimizing errors, and speeding up turnaround times. Moreover, smart print order management software help trade printers to efficiently handle multiple orders from two or more resellers, improving the entire order workflow and productivity.

2. Providing Competitive Advantage for Both the Parties

It offers trade printers with a competitive advantage by offering advanced customization options and the ability to quickly adapt to market demands. With this solution, trade printers can attract a wider range of clients and stand out in a crowded market by enabling resellers to create new-age b2c storefronts and offer personalized products.

3. Enhancing Customer Experience with High-Tech Features

This trade printer solution enhances the customer experience by providing an intuitive, user-friendly platform for placing and managing orders. Customers can create designs with ease using pre-defined templates, proof their products by seamlessly collaborating with designers, and get real-time order updates, ensuring satisfaction with the final output.

4. Increasing Efficiency and Reducing Overall Costs of Printing

This online trade printing solution significantly increases operational efficiency and reduces costs, allowing trade printers to offer competitive pricing while maintaining high-quality printing standards. Since web-to-print solutions offer automated workflows, it eliminates repetitive tasks, reduces labor costs, and decreases the likelihood of manual errors, ultimately boosting profitability.

5. Offering Scalability and Adaptability with Changing Market Demands

W2P solutions offer high scalability, allowing trade printers to adapt with market changes and grow their printing business without the need for any additional investment. As the demand for products increases, the system can handle higher order volumes, integrate new resellers, and expand product offerings seamlessly.

Key Features to Look for in a Web to Print Solution for Trade Printers

There are several web-to-print solutions in the market. However, when choosing the right one, you need to consider some essential functionalities for your print business success. Below given are the key features to seek in a web-to-print solution for trade printers. Let’s discuss them one-by-one.

1. Storefronts for Trade Printers and Reseller Network

A web to print solution allows trade printers to set up unique and progressive b2b storefronts for each reseller, ensuring they can offer tailored product catalogs, pricing, and promotions to the end customers. With a centralized order management system, trade printers can efficiently process and fulfill orders from multiple resellers, enabling resellers to offer a personalized shopping experience to their end customers.

2. Shipping and Delivery of Products to End Customers

An ideal web-to-print software for trade printer offers flexible shipping options, including direct shipping to resellers and blind shipping to end users on behalf of resellers. Consider capabilities like support for multiple shipping speeds and production timelines to meet diverse client needs, as well as comprehensive job tracking and role-based access for staying updated with order and delivery statuses.

3. Flexible Pricing Options for Resellers

It supports flexible pricing structures based on order quantities and job volumes, mass product pricing, quote request workflow, providing competitive rates to resellers. The print reseller solution should enable trade printers to configure various pricing models, including reseller-specific commissions and product-specific pricing, allowing resellers to adjust their prices for end customers and enhancing their market adaptability.

4. Support for Third Party Integrations for Better Control

A web-to-print solution offers support for robust web-to-print integrations such as CRM, accounting applications, ERP systems, API like 4Over and Sinalite, by enhancing efficiency and providing better control over the entire online trade printing process. This integration helps trade printers expand their product line and streamline their operations by managing all aspects of their business from a single interface, reducing the need for multiple systems.

5. Timely Updates and Notifications of Orders

An effective web to print solution for trade print providers includes a comprehensive notification system to keep everyone informed throughout the order lifecycle. This system should send automatic alerts for order confirmations, shipping updates, and production status changes to both resellers and end customers, preventing miscommunication and ensuring a smooth workflow from order placement to delivery.

Top Benefits of Implementing a Web to Print Solution for Trade Printers

In today’s printing world, adopting web-to-print solution for trade print business can be a game-changer. Let’s uncover the multifaceted benefits of implementing advanced W2P solutions for trade printers.

1. Convenience of Online Ordering for Customers

Utilizing web-to-print solutions for print-eCommerce can maximize profitability by providing resellers and end customers the convenience of placing orders online at any time. It enables resellers to efficiently manage their print orders via print reseller solution, simplifies the print ordering process, leads to faster turnaround times and improves customer satisfaction.

2. Diverse Range of Customizable Print Products

A modern web-to-print online designer enables trade printers to offer their end customer a wide variety of customizable products with design personalization capabilities like pre-loaded templates and layouts. This versatility helps trade printers attract a broader customer base, allowing resellers to cater to the unique demands of customers.

3. Real-Time Design Proofing and Approval Process

With new-age design proofing tools, a W2P solution allows customers to review and approve their designs instantly before finalizing the order. The quick feedback loop speeds up the production process and minimizes the likelihood of costly reprints, reducing errors and ensuring that the final product meets the customer’s expectations.

4. Easy Reordering of Previous Print Jobs for End Customers

A web to print system streamlines the order management process by enabling the reordering of previous print jobs for end customers, saving time for both resellers and trade printers. It provides customers with the convenience to quickly access their order history and reorder with just a few clicks, ensuring consistency in repeat orders and customer loyalty.

5. Cost Savings and Minimized Manual Errors

Due to the automation of various aspects involved in the print ordering and production processes, implementing a web-to-print solution can lead to significant cost savings. It eliminates manual intervention, minimizes errors, and reduces operational costs, enabling trade printers to offer competitive pricing to their resellers.

6. Streamlines Print Workflow from Order Intake to Production

The powerful technology of web-to-print can transform your printing business by streamlining the entire print workflow from order intake to production, ensuring a smooth and efficient process. It integrates critical tasks like order management, design proofing, payment processing, and production scheduling into a centralized platform, reducing bottlenecks and enhances the overall efficiency of the printing processes.

7. 24/7 Accessibility of Storefront for Placing Orders

A storefront that is available 24/7 and can be accessed from anywhere - provides flexibility for end customers to place orders at their convenience. This capability helps businesses in meeting the needs of a global customer base and increase order volumes, ensuring the trade printers can intake orders at any time, boosting overall business growth.

Implementing Web-to-Print Solution for Trade Printers

Here comes the most important part of the article – the ‘detailed implementation strategy’ that involves the step-by-step approach for trade printers to choose and get started with the best web-to-print solution partner. Let’s dive in.

1. Planning and Preparation

The first step in implementing a web-to-print solution is thorough planning and preparation. Trade printers need to assess their current workflow, identify specific needs, and set clear objectives for the new system. This phase involves selecting the right web to print solutions partner, defining the project scope, and allocating resources to ensure a smooth transition.

2. Software Installation and Setup

Once the planning phase is complete, the next step is the installation and setup of the chosen web-to-print software. This includes configuring the system to align with the printer's specific requirements, integrating it with existing systems (like CRM, ERP, and accounting software), and setting up customizable storefronts for resellers. Proper setup ensures that the software functions seamlessly within the existing infrastructure.

3. Training and Assistance

After the software is installed, ensure you provide comprehensive training and assistance for successful implementation. Train your staff and resellers on how to use the new system effectively, including order management, design proofing, and customer communication. Provide ongoing support and assistance to address any issues that arise and ensure that all staff are comfortable with the new system.

4. Ongoing Management and Optimization

Post-implementation, shift your focus to regular monitoring the system performance, updating software as needed, and continuously refining workflows to enhance efficiency. Trade printers should also gather feedback from staff to make necessary adjustments and improvements, ensuring the system evolves to meet changing business needs.

The BottomlineIncorporating a robust web-to-print solution can be a transformative approach for new-age trade printers seeking to streamline their print operations, boost customer experience, and remain competitive in the evolving printing industry.By automating print workflows, enhancing scalability, and providing a user-friendly platform for trade print providers, resellers and end customers, this high-tech solution can address the unique challenges faced by modern printers.By choosing a next-gen trade printing solution like the ones offered by OnPrintShop trade printers can harness the full potential of the solution to achieve long-term success.OnPrintShop follows a structured implementation strategy specifically developed for trade printers. If you want to know how OnPrintShop can transform your trade printing business, then request a demo with OnPrintShop today and experience the impact for yourself.