Vpress take on some of the most common Web2Print Myths in the printing industry.
We have seen and done some amazing things in Web2Print software, but there is still more to do. There are a number of Web2Print myths doing the rounds and it’s time to try and squash some of them down.
In nearly 18 years of business, we have seen and done some amazing work. We have spoken to people inside and outside of the printing industry about Web2Print and pretty much everything around it (Dynamic Publishing / eCommerce for Print etc).
There are a number of common misconceptions about Web2Print, many that we won’t be able to cover in a short blog; what we will cover however, is the fundamentals.
If you’re reading this, most likely you have some form of Web2Print and maybe even realise the huge benefit that come with this method of working or perhaps your still one of those yet to invest in a system. Perhaps you just don’t know the pros and cons and need some advice on what is true and false in the vast technology market.
The most important thing to us is that we put forward everything that we know about this technology in the printing industry in plain English. We have built our reputation on knowledge and straight talking – and you wouldn’t expect any less from us.
So here’s the first Web2Print Myth – it’s probably the most common and most pervasive.
1. Web2Print is Expensive
The short answer to this is yes. Some Web2Print providers are expensive. Some solutions cost more than buying a house in some areas of the UK! However, as with everything, just because something costs a lot of money, doesn’t mean that it’s good (for you and your needs).
All we know is that Web2Print works best as a cloud based SaaS solution and that it doesn’t have to be expensive. In fact, if you’re outlaying more than £10,000 for an entry level Web2Print solution, you’re definitely paying too much (more so if they limit the number of Storefronts you can have!).
Essentially whatever the cost of the Web2Print solution you buying, it has to be good value for you and what you need as well as add value to your business. You can purchase a working Web2Print platform for as little as £1,000 – obviously it comes with limitations but it is possible.
Of course, it’s never just about the upfront cost, because Web2Print does have ongoing costs, which leads us to our next point…
2. Click Charges are Prohibitive
Read our blog about Clicks or Licence
We wrote about this in our blog clicks or licence because it is a myth that we keep hearing again and again. We can understand why it may put some people off the idea of adopting a Web2Print solution in the long term. The idea that the pricing ultimately punishes those who grow their business is dangerous and unsubstantiated. There are some solutions out there that price that way, and that’s their prerogative to – it’s just something you need to look out for and ask when buying.
This is why you need to weigh up the pricing models that you are presented when you are choosing a system and know that you are asking the right questions.
A licence may feel like it’s a heavy extra monthly expense, but when you compare it to what your projections are for the future, it may not seem that bad. You may even be able to negotiate more favourable terms as you grow. Don’t let it hold you back.
3. I don’t need Web2Print
To be honest, that statement doesn’t even faze us anymore.
Your business may not be eCommerce, but what about your customers?
72% of corporate buyers are buying online (source: Deloitte), and that number is only going to grow.
If you are not giving your customer the opportunity to login and make their purchases, then they will eventually go to someone who will. It saves them time and is on demand 24/7!
For a small investment, you can take away all of the back and forth of emails and repeating yourself about crop and bleed marks. Instead, why not enjoy the artwork making its way straight to you as a production ready file?
Find out more how our RFQ module can help you sell more print
In a world where margins are being strangled, breathe life into them again!
4. Web2Print is hard to sell to customers
Sure, we get that – we sell Web2Print every day. Some people we need to show them what it’s all about and other people are just as experienced as we are.
This query comes up so much that we wrote our very own blog about it.
Stop Selling Web2Print to your Customers
When you put yourself in the position of the customer and how you as the printer/print manager/marketer can help them, all of a sudden, the possibilities open up.
B2C customers expect online 24/7, and this standard has crossed into B2B. Why stop taking orders when you close your front door? Chances are your customers are still working.
5. Automation is Concerning
There’s a lot of hype about the rise of the machines, and the technology is becoming better, faster and more reliable and this will only continue.
However, for Web2Print and other software automation solutions out there, it’s not just about heartlessly pushing for profit, it’s also about thinking how we can utilise people to keep them doing what they do best, more efficiently.
Why is a talented graphic designer simply inputting names on business cards when it can be done by the end user or it’s an automated process? They could be putting in the time and effort to design something that wows the customer and convinces them that print is where they need to sink their budgets.
Conversely, why are experienced estimators spending their time quoting for jobs like leaflets, beholden to their emails when they could be spending their time looking for and bidding for large tenders/contracts/opportunities/new products.
Read more about our RFQ functionality
6. It’s complicated and time consuming
With Coreprint, after training, you can get a Storefront up, operational and branded within 20 minutes. We have seen this happen again and again – if it’s not simple then people aren’t going to use it. Web2Print has to be intuitive.
There are some solutions out there that are difficult, inflexible and not easy to use. Part of that could be perception, part of it could be that training was not a priority at the time of purchase. Our advice would be to never disregard training. Our advice to you, is always have a visual demo and ask for demo system access to see the system from an end user perspective and after purchase make training a priority.
7. Using the Cloud is Risky
It feels like we have been talking about The Cloud now for nearly 20 years. You would think that people know what it is and why they should use it.
However, we all have our own area of expertise. It’s what makes the world such a wonderful and varied place.
In short, The Cloud allows us a more flexible and secure way of working with unlimited capacity. We used to buy our software from discs and this would keep us from investing in updates. The software would be used until it could no longer work with the latest operating systems. It was frustrating because you would then need to spend possibly thousands again for the same bit of software on top of ridged licensing.
Yes, you may be paying a monthly fee, but you are always going to have the best and most up to date version.
There’s no messing around with drivers, there’s no hosting on your own servers where one accident could see you lose not only the program but the work you did with it.
The Cloud has come a long way, and it still continues to grow.
Conclusion
So that’s it – the 7 biggest Web2Print myths that are out there today in the Print and Creative industries. These are the biggest misconceptions that can put a barrier to adopting Web2Print in the first place.
If there are any that you think we missed off – please contact us and tell us, we can’t wait to hear from you. Maybe there is the potential for a part two.
