Hot topics within the printing industry today include the need to get new orders in more quickly, and finished products out even faster, while streamlining warehousing and distribution. Thanks to developing technology, an assortment of tools is available for accomplishing these goals. Systems offering integrated warehouse management features are garnering a lot of attention as the ability to track and monitor goods from production to distribution points creates a competitive advantage.
Reno, Nevada-based e-Quantum, and PageDNA, Redwood City, Calif., discussed some features and benefits of their respective e-commerce offerings, and how an evolving marketplace relies on technology and enhanced functionality to drive profitability.
E-fficient Ordering
Previously a business forms distributor, Ross Barker, CEO of e-Quantum, explained that the company offers both a business-to-business solution and a business-to-consumer solution. The company first developed its Quantum software system in 1979, and has been addressing the changing needs of independent print and business forms distributors ever since.
The e-Quantum Distributor Management System is a single-source software solution designed for print distributorships that runs on Microsoft Windows. The Quantum Net e-commerce tool provides leading-edge technology for efficient ordering and effective business management. Quantum Net offers a fully integrated e-commerce platform for electronic ordering, client catalogs, credit card purchases and custom imprint templates, as well as sales of traditional printing, ad specialties, office supplies and computer consumable products.
“The most important element for distributors is [a] business-to-business [model], providing their largest accounts with online ordering, and all the benefits of electronic order entry,” said Barker. “Last year, more than 1.3 million items were purchased through our Quantum Net [by end-users] using distributors’ e-commerce sites to obtain new products or request items that may be warehoused.”
Of course, one of the objectives of any good electronic ordering tool is to eliminate some time-consuming tasks typically performed by distributors. “Our [system] is different in that ... orders automatically populate [a template] and also go directly into the distributors’ back office accounting and inventory programs. This makes it easier for distributors to sell multiple product lines to their clients,” he continued.
Adding office supplies and promotional product catalogs to their online catalogs of traditional products is helping distributors expand their offerings and provide valuable one-stop-shopping benefits. “Distributors can set up [online] company stores for their larger clients personalized to look like the clients’ [website], where visitors to the sites can order company-branded products. For the most part, they would be anonymous purchasers, although our system—like most retail systems—remembers frequent users. In this scenario, the distributor is in charge of all of the acquisition of the logoed and branded items and the warehousing distribution and fulfillment,” added Barker.
Multitasking Technology
At PageDNA, President Doug Ballinger pointed out that since it is the customers who convey their information in some form, it makes sense for them to do so through an easy-to-use website. “With e-commerce, the idea is to [direct] the ordering process onto the end-users,” he said. The business stationery segment still counts for more than half of PageDNA’s business; the rest, said Ballinger, consists of more complex Web-to-print products and a lot of fulfillment business—both growing areas for PageDNA and its customer base.
A recent system upgrade has added a multi-imprint shopping cart tool to the PageDNA platform. “It is probably the biggest thing we have released in the last several years,” stated Ballinger. “This is really a major step forward for administrative [staff] doing a lot of ordering for several people.”
He went on to say that the biggest problems occur with e-commerce tools when distributor and customer expectations are not in sync. “For instance, a small customer wants a lot of customization in the look and feel of [an] e-commerce site, and want[s] to order all kinds of products—some that seldom get ordered online or offline. You need a big customer to justify spending the time and money necessary to do some kinds of customizations or add some kinds of complex products to sites,” observed Ballinger.
“We like to say nothing is impossible with time, code and money, but that does not mean that the investment is necessarily worth it. The problem starts with salespeople who don’t understand all the features and functionality of the platform they own, much less the various offerings in the marketplace. Today, it’s just as important—perhaps more important—to understand the nuances of Web-to-print and e-commerce, than [it is] to understand trapping, registration and other printing terminology.”
Ballinger noted that quality, turnaround and price have been commoditized although technology, e-commerce and customer service have emerged as the big differentiators. “You still have to get the right imprint on the product and get that product delivered on time to the customer, but you increasingly also have to manage the customer’s information,” he said.
Going forward, Ballinger predicted there will be more interoperability between complex systems on both the buyer and distributor sides. “For instance, on the vendor side, we have integrated with leading distributor systems such as Kramer/Smilko and e-Quantum, and with print MIS systems—both legacy and third party solutions,” he explained. I think another important trend for our particular segment of e-commerce is tying in a feedback loop to direct mail. We have developed the capability for our customers to sell customizable direct mail and purchase and/or upload mailing lists within a single Web session. Now, customers want to be able to find out how well their direct mail campaign performed by embedding PURLs, or Personalized URLS, that track response [to the campaign].”
E-commerce will continue to be an important factor for distributors in adding value and growing profits. And, with increasing interest in systems integration, they may be surprised at how effective a tool it is in helping to cement the relationships between them and their customers.
- Companies:
- E-Quantum