Over the past decade, the printing industry has witnessed huge
growth. As per the statistics, the web to print market was valued at USD 867.3 billion with an estimated growth rate of 7.62% until 2025.
It is high time all Magento
Web-to-Print store owners start catering ever-increasing customer demands.
Adopting the latest trends in this web-to-print industry to survive and grow
has become a must.
To stand out in the printing industry here is the
list of trends any e-store owner can look forward to:
Trends Worth
Welcoming in the Web-to-Print Industry
· Automation
Any delay in a printing job can raise questions on the business
owner’s competence in meeting deadlines and fulfilling customers’ demands. So,
staying on top of customers’ demands has become all business owners’ major
responsibility.
To cater to customers’ demands in
a better way, the industry has come up with ‘Automation’ of almost every
process. Fully automated strategies and programs are improving both owners’ and
consumers’ experiences gradually.
For instance, now consumers don’t have to manually place an
order. They can simply load and send photos via any channel.
All these automated programs or strategies reduce
dependency on manual processes. They not only help you auto-create designs but
also automate manufacturing and production processes.
·
3-D Printing Technology
3-D prototyping printing technology settled the entire printing
industry by storm. The global market of 3-D printing is forecast to grow to
nearly USD 50 billion by 2025. With more and more printers adopting this
technology, it surpassed subtractive manufacturing in popularity.
3-D printing can not only be speedier but also more
accessible. And a Magento printing extension or software design tool has
boosted its potential further.
Healthcare, automotive, robotics, education, etc.
all are tapping into the potential of 3-D print technology.
·
Variable Data Interface
A print e-commerce store can also accommodate on-the-spot
changes in the requirements.
For example, your consumer sent a print request for
invitation cards. However, a few minutes later, they realize that they’ve made
a typo in the venue address.
In order to correct that, they just can simply update the file at their end.
The Magento Web-to-Print software will recognize the update and make edits
accordingly.
This is why the variable data interface can be
useful. A requestor or consumer doesn’t have to go through multiple channels
and operations. They can simply change their information in no time.
Hence, variable data interface saves both consumers’
and business owners’ time and adds to their convenience.
·
Personalization Options
A business constantly needs to
maintain its brand image in today’s competitive market.
Personalization isn’t just about customizing design. It also includes
customizing format, specs, and other details as per customers’ preferences.
These personalization options are easily accessible for customers
these days. They just have to input their preferences and the W2P technology
will recognize them. With a Magento printing extension, customers can even
design their products.
·
Integration with a Shipment Partner
Carrying out an initial transaction online has now become
possible with the W2P technology. It doesn’t make any difference to shipment of
a product to its destination.
As a result, the importance of having a reliable
shipping partner has increased.
The W2P software transmits the shipping request to
ship designs to customers to a third-party just after the click of the ‘Order
Now’ button.
Real-time connection between shipping partners and
business owners is a fairly new concept. It can go far ahead in the coming
years.
Live Tracking can also come in handy. This feature
keeps a customer informed about the status of their orders through text
messages.
·
Voice Control and Command
Today, the need for efficiency is on the rise in every industry
and the W2P industry is no exception. Some products with voice integrations
have recently come up in the market.
Such voice integrations reduce the time and effort that go in manually typing
all print specifications. Customers can simply mention their print specifications
through voice commands. This new-age technology is a giant step towards making
print job orders more customer-friendly.
·
Online Printing Portals
Web-to-Print technology is a technology to thrive in the future
too. The proof is that all small businesses and even big entrepreneurs are
preferring this technology. On top, consumers are also welcoming this service.
Therefore, several online printing portals have
flooded the market. Online store owners have given full-fledged customization
freedom to customers by providing a web-to-print storefront to them.
By partnering with an online printing portal, you
can give your consumers more convenience and ease of transaction. Exploring
this new option in the coming future may bring in more new customers for a steady
flow of business growth.
Original source: https://customerthink.com/trends-to-look-for-in-the-web-to-print-industry-in-2020/