Blog Synopsis – Print businesses nowadays mostly want to opt for a comprehensive web to print (w2p) solution to modernize and synchronize their functioning. It comes with several attractive benefits. Intelligent automation, reduction of business costs, and amplified customer experience and sales are to name a few. But what perplexes print service providers the most is the w2p implementation process. Today, in this blog, we will make it easy for you. Read the best step-by-step guide below to explore and understand how you can promptly implement and accomplish a w2p project.

Investing in successful web to print implementation is the key for print service providers to survive in this evolving print industry. Today’s competitive Print Business landscape is embracing innovation each day. With more and more printing companies revolutionizing their businesses with web to print (w2p), the print industry is booming incredibly. In fact, research says that the global print market size is expected to grow up to $ 494.91 billion by 2028, and it is showing significant growth at an incredible pace since the COVID-19 pandemic.

With over a decade of experience in offering the award-winning SaaS web to print solution to the global print industry, we have truly mastered web print integration. And based on our extensive experience in this niche, we will discuss a comprehensive guide to implementing w2p successfully in this blog.

What is a Web to Print Solution?

It’s an online platform that enables print buyers to design, customize, and order printed products through a web-based interface, in turn helping print businesses scale up effectively.

The web to print solution enables print service providers to offer easy online ordering & designing capabilities to their B2C, B2B clients. So instead of manual email/phone communications, their end-clients can easily estimate, design and submit orders using an online storefront. It is followed by generating print-ready uploadable PDF files that can be sent directly for printing without making the process complex.

How to Perfectly Execute Your Web to Print Project?

Executing a web to print project with precision requires the involvement of people with substantial w2p knowledge. It requires a synchronized series of well-planned steps, which ensures holistic efficiency in your print business. At OnPrintShop, we have successfully implemented web to print projects for many years. And from such considerable working experience, we can vouch that a strategically defined step-by-step w2p implementation approach is crucial. It can assure you a hassle-free experience. Below we have discussed the ultimate guide for that.

Step #1 – Research the Best Web to Print Solution

The first and foremost step of implementing a web to print project is conducting extensive research and finding out the right w2p solution that suits your business objectives. You will find many w2p providers in the market offering different features and capabilities. But the one you will finally select should be evaluated based on some critical factors like customization aspects, user-friendliness, scalability, customer support, and integrating ability with your existing system. Once you are satisfied with respect to all these parameters for a w2p solution, proceed further with that.

Step #2 – Consider Your Customers’ Needs

Once you have selected the right w2p solution per your requirements, don’t go for implementation immediately. Before that, it’s essential to understand your customers’ expectations. After you know their pain points and what they expect from you as a PSP, you should be able to understand and analyze whether your selected w2p solution offers those capabilities. Prioritize factors like ease of use, delivery timelines, design and product customizations, etc. If you have your w2p solution streamlined with your customers’ preferences, you can, in turn, provide a memorable CX that will have a great chance to boost repeat business.

Step #3 – Plan & Communicate

In the next step of the w2p execution, your web to print provider must be ready with the entire project plan for you. This is the foundational step to start your web to print storefront. Most web to print solution providers communicate intricately with print businesses at this stage. They will let you know their working process and about different vital goals that the w2p provider has planned.

Having a person of contact (POC) or a small team to communicate from your end at this stage is crucial as it ensures flawless communication with the w2p solution provider. And for proper implementation, good communication is the differentiator.

Your team should ask for all details, including technical product knowledge, working formula, and the approval process required in different implementation stages. This will help you keep things clear and avoid future problems in your print business. Also, it is essential at this stage to ensure your team asks for critical documents for project initiation. It will help you get all the details for starting the web to print ecommerce project and stay empowered. When this stage is done, it’s time for you to begin planning the web to print execution phase.

Moreover, it is recommended to go automated at this step. Various interactive projects and communication management tools are out there to help you. For example, you can use JIRA, Redmine, Workfront, etc., to automate and centralize your communication and functioning. The more you avoid manual processes like emails, the more convenient it will be for you.

Step #4 – Share Exclusive Business Insights

Once you have discussed the technical specifications with your web to print solution provider, it’s time to share your valuable print business data. Unless you share the critical print business information, your w2p provider can’t customize your storefront per your needs. Look for the best and most seamless data migration capability from your w2p provider.

Some of the most important information you must pass on are your logo design and graphics, relevant standard keywords, product entries, catalogs, client reviews, and product costing. Make sure you are ready with detailed files of all this critical information. If you are proactive, it will help your w2p provider easily accommodate them in your web to print storefront.

However, w2p can also help create new elements for your print business when something is missing. For example, if your print business is too new and lacks a logo, you can use an interactive w2p design proofing tool to accomplish it.

Step #5 – Assure an Instinctive User Interface

If you want to succeed in your print business using a w2p platform, user experience is a crucial factor to consider. You should focus on designing an intuitive interface that can meet your users’ needs. Make sure your w2p provider is helping you with such a dynamic platform that allows your customers to navigate easily and customize designs. Custom designing must be taken care of as it is one of the foremost aspects of any print or POD business. Your web to print service provider should be able to offer you the most brilliant and streamlined design approach. This will help make things organized and avoid delayed design approvals.

Moreover, your w2p platform must be mobile-friendly so your end customers can quickly browse, design, and order on the go. There should be easy-to-comprehend instructions and interactive design previews to further ensure the ordering process is smoother and more engaging for your customers.

Regarding the production department, check whether each designated user has relevant access. Also, see whether the role-based w2p access is working.

Step #6 – Confirm Secure Payment & Smart Shipping Capabilities

For any business to run smoothly, offering customers a smoother experience is imperative. And for that to happen, a few things are vital. First, you should set up an innovative and user-friendly payment gateway so your customers can checkout effortlessly. Make sure your w2p provider is offering a payment gateway that is widely accepted at the global level if you have customers worldwide. Also, look for robustly secured and safe payment gateways to protect your customers’ invaluable information and personal data. If there are SSL certificates, encryption, and secure payments incorporated with your w2p platform, it will help you gain your customers’ confidence in making online transactions.

Finally, your product shipping and delivery strategy must be on point. Ask your w2p provider to keep the shipping and delivery module smart, automated, and integrated. At OnPrintShop, our state-of-the-art web to print solution offers the smartest shipping so your customers can get the delivery fastest at their doorsteps. It helps you give your customers a real-time shipping cost calculation perk while they place their orders based on different product specifications.

Step #7 – Verify the Workflow & Access

Once the above steps are done, it’s time to check the w2p implementation in your real print business landscape. It involves bringing together different verticals like your products, departments, and teams to adapt to the new w2p environment. At this stage, you should create login credentials (wherever required) and give access to each team who will work intricately in this w2p system.

For example, your accounting team should understand and have complete control of the print order management, including taxation, invoicing, etc. Decide POCs and generate credentials for those accounting team members who will have real-time access to the system.

Regarding the production department, check whether each designated user has relevant access. Also, see whether the role-based w2p access is working.

Your design team must check whether the available web to print design templates can be widely used. We at OnPrintShop, don’t only offer hundreds of unique design templates but also help your customers design their orders independently for excellent CX.

Considering the logistics team, they should check and confirm if they can automatically see all shipment-ready orders in real-time.

Step #8 – Assure Online Visibility

If your web to print solution provider is ready with an up-to-the-mark status in all the above steps, it’s time to ensure world-class marketing and SEO. In today’s digital print business environment, it is vital for you as a print service provider to provide solid marketing and SEO capability. This will help your online print store get better visibility online and gain more traction.

Your chosen web2print software must help you strengthen your SEO and easily find high-ranking keywords. This will keep your website and its content continuously ranking at the top of the search engine.

Step #9- Go Live

Once all the above steps are accomplished, it’s time to launch your website and practically take your print business online. You can do it yourself or ask your web to print solution provider to do that for you. Some w2p providers don’t offer store setup service as an option; only self-service is the one and only option. Based on our over a decade of experience in the web to print industry, we recommend you not choose one like this.

If your team is capable enough, they can launch your store independently. But if you need help, you must have an option for a seamless implementation. And that is only possible when your w2p provider offers that to you. At this level, you should ask them to show you the entire automated software workflow by placing dummy orders. You will thus ensure the checkout process is flawless, and there will be no errors during the real-life use of the print order management system.

After everything is verified, voila! You can go live.

Step #10 – Market, Monitor, & Analyze Performance

Now that your web to print system is up and running, you should aim to market your service effectively. Several digital platforms including social media, email marketing, paid ads, etc., can help you create awareness about your w2p-driven print business.

Also, you must consistently track and analyze the performance of your w2p platform. If there are any areas for improvement, you should identify them and inform your w2p provider immediately. You must remember some pivotal KPIs while evaluating a w2p platform, like conversion rates, customer reviews, user behavior, and the order process and volumes.

Having these insights will help you make data-driven decisions and refine the w2p functioning of your print business per the changing customer and market needs.

Wrapping Up

Unique value addition is paramount to ensure your print business survives successfully in the recent cut-throat print industry.

You can 100% assure that with a dynamic and agile web to print software. It ensures your sales and revenue are boosted incredibly. Your customers are consistently happy and satisfied. And your print business also gets a comprehensive automated solution to solve all challenges without baffling between multiple technologies.

We hope you found this blog helpful in understanding how you can successfully implement and execute one such excellent w2p software. Are you ready for it? Get in touch with our w2p experts now!

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