Spinning a Web

There's no denying the advantages of a web-to-print system. It allowed the process to move quicker, permitted last minute changes and wiped out the middle man or woman (no more face-to-face meetings for approval or to discuss changes).

Remote publishing was an invention that allowed print houses, graphic designers and clients to tweak prepress templates, therefore, making it cost- and time-effective.

As the days go on, innovations in the web-to-print arena only are getting better.

Lisa Hoffman, brand manager for Arlington, Texas-based PrintPlace.com, said the company is always striving to be a leader in the web-to-print arena. She believes the key is innovation beyond e-commerce.

"Some of the things we're working on for 2011 include interactive online proofing (example: moving a fold or perf line on an interactive proof without requiring new artwork upload) and custom job management," she explained.

And that's not all. Recently, PrintPlace.com added the capability for brokers and other resellers to have privately branded PDF proofs. In 2010, it also expanded its product line to include new offerings such as different sizes, options and stocks in booklets, presentation folders, door hangers and newsletters.

In addition, this year, Hoffman said the company extended its cut-off times for sending jobs to press. Next year, it will add mailing list purchasing to the website, as well as inserting and numbering.

Zarik Mergerdichian, CEO of Glendale, California-based trade printer 4over, touted Redtagprintsale.com as the latest innovation for print resellers in the web-to-print industry. It is a business model and website specifically designed to capture orders from an increasing number of price-conscious consumers who are going online to purchase their print needs directly from web-based retail printers.

"The average print reseller can not compete against these retailers, so Redtagprintsale.com does it for them, captures the order and then distributes the retail profits and customer leads it generates back to the participating resellers," he said. "This innovative technology will soon be offering unique and compelling products that are designed to draw in the retail consumer and drive the profits and customer leads back to the participating print resellers."