Page 208 - Graphic Design and Print Production Fundamentals

7.2 E-commerce for Print Manufacturing

Steve Tomljanovic

E-commerce is by definition the buying and selling of goods online. Print companies are turning to e-
commerce to target the ever-growing number of people who want self-service and a more convenient
way to purchase products in their busy lives. Today, many customers are online and the number of users
purchasing goods through the Internet is growing substantially (Statistics Canada, 2014). The ability to
offer an effective e-commerce service for ordering can put a print company ahead of its competitors.
This approach challenges traditional thinking that a printer is only a bricks-and-mortar or face-to-face
business. As more and more businesses move online to satisfy their customers’ procurement needs, so
must print companies (Supply Management, 2014).

A print company should transition with its customers to stay ahead of the competition. E-commerce
allows a customer to order any product 24/7 without having to leave the office or pick up the phone.
Providing online ordering has other benefits besides increased sales. It can help a company gain more
knowledge about its customers and track purchasing trends. As well, online ordering allows print
companies to offer customers additional products and services that may not come up in discussions
during traditional forms of print procurement.

Not all business can be conducted online, as the more complex a project is the more a company will
benefit from offering its services and expertise in traditional face-to-face communications. However,
the ability to stay ahead of the competition by using Internet technologies helps solidify a company’s
relationship with its customers. For example, even if customers are buying products offline, they are
likely doing their research online first. Therefore, a company can use the valuable data generated
during this research to greatly improve its ability to evaluate and manage its business. When customers
place orders, companies can analyze the frequency of those orders, their customers’ buying trends, and
which products are more successful than others. Data-gathering is the most important advantage online
ordering has over traditional offline ordering. Using an e-commerce system allows a print company to
learn more about what, when, and how customers are ordering. Online technologies enable a company
to broaden the products and services it provides more than ever before.

Templated Variable Data Printing

Templated variable data technology allows a customer to produce a product using a template-driven
order-entry system. These templates are used most frequently through an e-commerce store. A variable
template allows the user to control the information made available on a product and see the real-time
end result. Variable data entry is an ideal solution for direct mailers, promotional flyers, event posters,
and stationery. Variable data allows for the custom printing of one-of-a-kind pieces that are unique to the
targeted market. The potential for variable data is endless and is only limited by the imagination behind
a design.

Variable data is not limited to digital presses, as many lithography presses can incorporate designs with

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