World Wide Domination

With the Internet progressing in its quest for global takeover, pay close attention—technological advancements occur faster than one can say: “Google.” Since English developer Sir Tim Berners-Lee launched the World Wide Web in 1990, browsers such as Mosaic and Netscape Navigator have forfeited their hold of the top contender title to Internet Explorer and Firefox. Today, Amazon, Yahoo! and eBay fuel growth in online advertising; Google has its own virtual planet with Google Earth; social networking services, including MySpace and Facebook, have subscribers in the millions; and blogs, mashups, podcasts, widgets and wikis have brought about Web 2.0.

The Web is even proving to be a reliable tool for traditional print suppliers and distributors. More and more transactions for printed material orders are being conducted through e-commerce software. Many industry professionals have already—or are currently—incorporating this type of platform into their businesses. Therefore, this may be the appropriate time for reluctant companies to review any potentially antiquated practices in order to outsmart the competition.

Norcross, Georgia-based DemandBridge and Redwood City, California-based PageDNA are two companies with a strong presence in the e-commerce sector. Representatives from both discussed what it takes to survive in a market characterized by change, and how members of the print industry can benefit from taking the plunge.

New Beginnings

In an industry fraught with mergers and acquisitions and economic strife, overall, many companies are vanishing with the quick stroke of a delete button. This was almost the case for DemandBridge. Shortly after document management solutions provider Global DocuGraphix filed a petition under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy code in 2006, Webb/Mason, Hunt Valley, Md., made a defensive move for TopForm Software. From a strategic standpoint, Webb/Mason already used the company’s software products and didn’t want to risk someone else stepping in to acquire, and possibly dismantle, TopForm Software.