Printing Embraces the Internet: Traditional Models Meet Emerging Forces

With the Internet playing a larger role in social life, more industries are treating online channels as a breakthrough for transformation. The success of some e-commerce sites has reshaped how consumers shop, and people are increasingly seeing the convenience of buying online even when the source is far away. Even traditional sectors like printing have been moving online one after another to broaden their markets.

Within printing, combining Internet thinking with print operations is far from rare, and the formats vary widely. Across the sector, two approaches stand out. In one, printing companies take the lead by building platforms or even establishing dedicated companies to go online. In the other, individuals take the lead: some printing professionals with Internet thinking have left traditional printing plants entirely, moved into the Internet space, and focused on creating online platforms that take printing orders. The first is company-led, the second individual-led, and both have become pioneering flags for printing's Internet foray.

Still, there are several concerns about running online printing, mainly the following five points:

1. Not doing digital printing will be fatal. Digital print quality keeps rising while unit costs keep falling. If that continues, the hardest hit will be short-run and gang-run printers, especially jobs with runs of 100–500 sheets. Other traditional printers will also feel pressure, depending on how quickly digital press makers advance technology and cut costs. Should digital printing unit costs drop by 30% each year, then by 2016 all jobs below 2,000 sheets will be taken by digital.
2. IT supports Jianhao digital printing. As gang-run and digital printing grew, some IT software companies developed printing-related software, including tools for online photo books and business cards. Some of that software was good, yet IT people did not understand printing at all. Jianhao has its own IT department, so why not build such software in-house?
3. Online printing can achieve 100% B2C.
4. How much does digital printing investment require? It mainly depends on positioning. In fact, traditional printing, short-run printing and digital printing should be combined earlier and put into use.
5. What should be considered when investing in digital printing? Buying a digital press alone is not enough; the whole chain must be considered, including front-end image upload, online production and IT implementation. The biggest issue is customer speed requirements and how to get products to customers quickly. In addition, automation and process optimization are needed to lower costs and strengthen competitiveness.

Experts in related industries note that compared with traditional printing organizations, online printing companies may be more transparent and straightforward in customer cooperation and communication, and better reflect the spirit of the times. With so many people interested in the Internet and more skilled in related operations today, it is little wonder that traditional offline printers are transforming one after another, hoping to make a big splash in the online printing market.

This article is reprinted from China Packaging Network (pack.cn). Original link: http://news.pack.cn/show-361796.html