ImagesMagUK_February_2021

www.images-magazine.com FEBRUARY 2021 images 69 KB PRINT-ON-DEMAND in the printing process. This repeated manual intervention from operators and other parties means there is also precedent for more human-error. The solution? Automation. Orders should be confirmed by the website, as with any order, once payment is made, but with print-on- demand, it will also route the order data and artwork to the relevant supplier and/ or production line, via an API. Internal stock can be checked based on the product SKU and stock can be requested based on daily orders arriving. Garments should be identified by barcodes which track the individual shirt or job through printing, quality control, branding and dispatch where carrier services are integrated to automatically generate dispatch paperwork and update the website that the order has been completed, which in turn advises the buyer. This all helps to minimise touch-points throughout the process. T here has never been a better – or frankly easier – time to transition to on-demand printing. Printers who typically work with B2B clients can seamlessly transition to the B2C sector thanks to print-on-demand and effective drop-shipping techniques for one-off products. On-demand opens up even more new market opportunities and has the ability to reshape the entire supply chain for many businesses. On-demand enables unlimited virtual products. Instead of keeping costly stock in their warehouses, brands and retailers can fill up their virtual warehouse and print at the push of a button, all in a profitable way, eliminating costly inventory and printing single runs. Previously, operators in the printing process would have to approve designs manually, check for errors and manage file types, creating a significant hold-up Ian Bell from Custom Gateway explains how print-on-demand and effective drop-shipping enable B2B printers to transition seamlessly to the B2C market Handling anything manually will remove the profit from jobs as it is lost in labour costs. Using a print-on-demand- enabled workflow eliminates any manual process that can be automated, maximising the profit per shirt and increasing throughput, which ultimately increases the bottom-line profit. Times are changing, and so are consumers In his bestselling book, The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business Is Selling Less of More , entrepreneur Chris Anderson introduced us to the concept of unlimited choice – something made possible by on-demand and product customisation. The ‘long tail’ indicates that our culture and economy is increasingly shifting away from the homogeneity of mainstream products and markets to more niche, personalised goods and services. These have been favoured for many reasons – sustainability and a desire to express individuality, to name just two. There’s no question that this model has been proven to be economically attractive. By harnessing print-on-demand, you can benefit from full autonomy, agility and transparency throughout the entire production process – from product creation to product on-boarding and delivery. Today, it’s never been easier to deliver on creativity, personalisation, faster turnaround times and shorter run-lengths. www.custom-gateway.com Making the move to B2C Ian Bell is workflow consultant for Custom Gateway, provider of software tools and service to the personalised products industry There has never been a better time to move into on-demand printing, advises Ian Bell of Custom Gateway