Customer service, user experience, and transparency are all important elements of a strong website for print. We take a look at some of the successful players in this market and find out what works for them
The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent increase in e-commerce and online shopping demonstrated the role a good online storefront can have. It’s convenient, fast, and easy to purchase print online, with a number of established companies offering online printing services today.
According to Big Commerce, 67% of consumers say they shop differently now due to Covid-19. Interestingly, customer loyalty to favourite brands has fallen with 80% of consumers reporting buying a different brand than usual in mid-2021 (eMarketer).
These figures show the need for a strong and engaging website and online storefront more than ever, as it is no longer a case of consumers shopping with one brand and sticking to it. They will opt for whatever is easiest to use, the best price, and the best experience.
Factoid: 67% of consumers say they shop differently now due to Covid-19
Often when purchasing print, there are very specific needs, quick turnarounds, and the consumer or print buyer needs to be able to visualise the product they are going to end up with in the end.
To enable businesses to demonstrate the print they can provide as well as enable consumers to personalise and design their own printed products, there is a whole host of web-to-print software on the market from the likes of Flex4 with its online print solution (OPS) web-to-print solution, and ePS with its intuitive print software which is designed to make selling print online easy.
In this feature, we will focus on the companies offering solid and successful online offerings to learn what works for them, and explore the importance of having a strong online storefront when promoting and growing your print business.
Described as an “upload and print” business, Tradeprint’s biggest sales channel is online. According to Anthony Rowell, sales and customer success director and sustainability lead for the company, Tradeprint differentiates itself by offering a personal touch through phone lines, live chats, or Zoom, with the team also heading out and visiting customers in person too.
Specialising in wide-format print and signage, small-format booklets and brochures, as well as dye-sublimation products such as mugs and coasters, Tradeprint prints thousands of jobs for thousands of customers each week with its state-of-the-art litho, inkjet, and digital printing.
Like most print companies, the Covid-19 pandemic saw a dramatic drop in sales for Tradeprint, however Rowell explains that the company went right back to basics as a result. “In sales, we followed everything up in terms of the bespoke products we offer, chased every quote, and spoke to as many customers as we could to drive as much sales as we could through the limitations that Covid caused.
“It was a time for us to be more entrepreneurial and we spun up services like warehousing and pick, pack distribution to service specific customer requirements. We noticed the increased demand for signage, vinyl, and the obvious demand for face masks – we flexed, adapted quickly, and introduced new products.”
Rowell adds: “We learned a huge amount about ourselves during that time and we like to think we carried over some great habits from that time. There’s nothing like a crisis to help you focus!”
With this ethos in mind, Tradeprint’s ambition is to maintain a user-friendly online platform that is easy to navigate and place orders on. This is in the form of providing comprehensive product information and clear pricing and policies, as well as providing a live chat and responsive customer support to assist customers in real-time as this makes a big difference to customers’ experiences.
“We also place a high value on customer feedback and that is so important for our continuous improvement,” says Rowell. With Tradeprint’s key customer group being print resellers, the company has spent a great deal of time talking to customers to help craft its Tradeprint PRO loyalty program to help support these customers.
“We think that by implementing these strategies, we guarantee a high level of customer service and maintain customer satisfaction as more volume moves online. I could go on, but we don’t want to give away all of our secrets!”
In terms of practical ways that Tradeprint is making its online storefront easy and enjoyable for customers, Rowell says the key is to keep things simple when operating not-so-simple technology. The company has a great team of developers and marketer who work hard on the user experience to maintain this simplicity.
“We want to provide an intuitive and user-friendly experience with that easy navigation and well organised menus, search functionality, and good design. I’m looking forward to re-launching our ever-evolving pre-press services to see how that helps and benefits customers.
“The tech is one thing, but central to that is providing the best in class team that support that. I’m very proud of our customer success and pre-press team as they work very hard to make sure the customer has a good experience.”
Another big player in the online printing world is Route1Print (part of the Bluetree Group) with the company describing itself as a “reliable and innovative print partner”. The largest trade printer in the UK, Route1Print produces over 8,500 jobs each week from its state-of-the-art 100,000sq ft factory.
“Whether it’s business cards, brochures, flyers, banners, or any other print materials, we have the expertise and resources to produce outstanding results,” explains Phil Tasker, head of Route1Print.
Much the same as Tradeprint, Route1Print’s core focus is to provide a user-friendly service that simplifies the print process for its trade print customers, both online and offline. “We understand the importance of convenience and efficiency, and that’s why we’ve developed an intuitive online platform,” Tasker adds.
Route1Print’s web-to-print offering serves as a trade buying platform specifically designed for print partners who have registered as businesses. The website showcases a comprehensive range of products and services that you would typically expect from a leading print manufacturer.
The entire customer service journey starts with an engaging online experience, where customers can explore the website, browse products, and make informed decisions before proceeding with a purchase. This is typical to any online storefront however, and Tasker explains that what sets Route1Print apart is the human involvement that complements the online platform.
“Once an order is placed, it undergoes a seamless transition, with jobs passing through to our factory. The entire process is closely overseen by our dedicated studio and service teams, ensuring quality control and attention to detail at every stage.
“This hands-on approach supports our online proposition to guarantee that the customer’s vision is brought to life with precision and expertise.”
With this focus on user experience in mind, Tasker adds that an e-commerce website is never truly ‘finished’ as user expectations and technology keep evolving. Because of this, continuous development and optimisation are essential to stay competitive and meet the ever-changing needs of users.
Being a trade-only printer, Route1Print’s online offering continuously evolves to respond to the needs of trade customers and Tasker says the company listens to its print partners and builds online solutions and services that support them to increase their portfolios and sell more print.
Describing its website as more of a “Partnership Platform”, Tasker explains: “We’re set up to be agile when it comes to managing our online offering. From launching products that print resellers feel there’s a demand for to pulling together marketing packs that benefit both those in the trade and print consumers – no two weeks are the same for our online team.”
Away from the technicalities of building a successful storefront, Tasker also highlights the importance of investing in print technology as the only way to futureproof your business. At Route1Print, its LANDA machine is built to digitally integrate into its print workflows and ensures compatibility across common file formats and its own bespoke software.
“At the moment we’re focusing on optimising our digital platform even further,” Tasker explains. “From exploring user-friendly interfaces, intuitive design, and robust technologies, everything we develop further enables customers to navigate through our online print services with ease.
“By eliminating unnecessary steps and reducing complexities, our online offering supports our entire process from order placement to final delivery.”
Over to the end-consumer side of online print services and instantprint, also part of the Bluetree Group, services businesses of all sizes from clients running a consultancy business, boutique or retail stores, to restaurants and bars.
Through the instantprint website, customers can update their existing marketing collateral or event signage and use a range of design templates. This can be for business cards, branded merchandise, roller banners, exhibition stands, flyers, leaflets, and posters, all needed to brand a business and cut through the noise of competitors.
Jennie Hopkins, e-commerce manager at instantprint, explains: “Our web-to-print offering provides clients with a product on a fast turnaround, for a good price, without compromising on quality. With our free 10-point artwork check and continuous investments in the latest print technology, our clients can rely on us to deliver a consistent product, no matter what their requirements.”
The company has recently made it even easier for customers to order print with the launch of its new and improved Design Online Tool. Using this, clients can make use of hundreds of pre-made templates, saving time and money. According to Hopkins, instantprint has some big plans in the pipeline for making its web-to-print offering even more personalised than before.
“Clients will soon be able to view artwork and products specific to their industry, helping to create a journey that is bespoke to them. Going forward, we want to create an online space where clients can truly experience the final product before it’s even printed.”
For instantprint, there are three key points that contribute to a strong online storefront for print. The first is a strong user experience with clients able to easily access the products they need right from the homepage. To achieve this, instantprint regularly conducts ‘product findability’ tasks to ensure the entire product range can be easily found through search, website navigation, and landing pages.
Secondly, Hopkins says the company values transparency. “At intantprint, we take pride in providing our clients with clear pricing transparency. Our prices include VAT and we explicitly state our delivery costs to eliminate any hidden surprises at the checkout.”
Finally, Hopkins says high-quality product images and detailed descriptions are essential. This is to provide the customers with comprehensive information to aid their online decision-making process.
“We believe in constant monitoring and improvement through customer feedback,” Hopkins says, adding: “We utilise a range of tools to collect feedback, but the most valuable source is the relationship we have with our client services team. They provide us with a wealth of information that we can leverage to create positive user experiences for our clients.”
Specially designed for the print industry, VB Media is a custom-built website platform that gives customers control of their website. Used by hundreds of printers across the UK, VB Media has API connections with print trade suppliers which enables users to easily add their products as well as send orders through directly.
“We have built VB Media in-house from the ground up with key metrics such as speed and security a measurable priority,” explains Wayne Bodimeade, director, product manager, and lead developer of VB Media. “It is not based on any pre-existing platform which allows us to update and develop with more freedom without the worry of add-on conflict or depreciation.”
Something Bodimeade highlights that has been echoed throughout this entire feature is the importance of customer service and the fact that this doesn’t just end when you move away from a physical storefront model.
“Just because you have a website, customers will not all follow the same channels into your business, it takes time for customers to ‘switch’ channels,” he says. Therefore, some people need a bit more guidance and new customers will want to know that a business is legitimate and may want to contact the business to gain a level of trust.
“This is all due to the nature of print. It is a bespoke product that you are creating for them, and they do not want to get it wrong. So, in print, more so than in many other industries, hand-holding is quite an important part of the business, especially with newer customers.”
For all these reasons, Bodimeade stresses that a customer service approach must not change, and that you are still there for any questions a customer may have and are there if any problems arise. We all know the frustration of calling a helpline and being directed back to the website for support!
Custom landing pages for products are highlighted by Bodimeade as another great way to improve a site. These are pages dedicated to a specific group of products which have an expansive and diverse range such as business cards.
“Something to steer clear of is sliders,” Bodimeade adds. “We have written a whole article on why these are not a good idea to have on your homepage, along with the data to back this up. An alternative to sliders are ‘call to action’ groups where you can promote offers or products, but you can ‘weight’ them based on their importance, but they all remain visible and non-distracting.”
With web-to-print a popular term that also refers to ‘upload-to-print’ and ‘design-online-to-print’, Bodimeade says one of the ‘challenges’ with the online-design approach is that you have non-designers, designing.
