Spinning a Web

Mergerdichian concurred.

"Print consumers cut back on their spending, and for those that did spend, more of them turned to the online direct to retail printers," he said. "As a result, our customers have been suffering and by extension so has 4over. The downturn in the economy meant that we had to make some hard choices with respect to where best to place our resources. We decided that continuing to expand our footprint and to develop new products and services would be more beneficial to our customer base in the long run, so we have continued to devote significant resources in these areas, when conventional wisdom would have suggested otherwise. Because our resources are not unlimited, however, some minor cutbacks in services were necessary."

Hoffman stated the current economic climate has impacted her company in a positive way. "Budget constraints have forced print buyers to look online for solutions. PrintPlace.com is poised to provide offset lithography at a speed and price that is difficult to match. Additionally, our commitment to customer service is aiding in our growth. There is an old saying that says you can pick two: speed, quality or price. Our customers say that they can get all three with PrintPlace.com. Our aim is to continually improve all facets of the business with an eye toward making a significant contribution to an industry we love.

Regardless of hot trends, dead trends and obstacles, there is something to look forward to in the future.

"The unlimited opportunity of print is the most exciting thing on the horizon," Vignjevic said. "I continue to believe that print is a fantastic way to communicate a message and direct mail is both a great medium to send a message and fantastic way to provide an additional revenue stream."