Web-to-Print is not exclusively for online specialists but also for traditional commercial printers.
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In the printing industry, Web-to-Print
procurement is not just a sideline business
opportunity. Web-to-Print has become
mainstream. Internet print procurement no
longer belongs solely to the printers who
exclusively do their business online. More
and more, traditional commercial printers are
utilizing the internet to meet the changing
buying behavior of their customers and to
take advantage of the new generation of
buyers who prefer to buy print online, who
they do not currently sell to.
Traditional/legacy Web-to-Print systems are
sold and installed as stand-alone-solutions
without interfaces to MIS order management systems. This has become a major challenge for printers
who have installed these systems as the amount of Web-to-Print orders increases daily, weekly, monthly
and yearly. The trend of online procurement is that buyers purchase much smaller dollar valued orders
and do so far more frequently. This trend is referred to as "buying more of less" and ultimately,
Web-to-Print orders utilize the same administrative resources and make their way through production the
same way as standard print orders. Early adopters of Web-to-Print did not focus on order administration
as the main focus was on the usability for the customer. The topic of integration was disregarded, but
experienced online businesses are becoming more aware of these challenges and looking for
integration from Web-to-Print, through production and onto delivery. |
Stand-Alone or in combination with the HIFLEX MIS - Integration is the focus
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For over 20 years, HIFLEX has provided its
customers with workflow solutions that have
significantly lowered their customers
administrative cost overhead. HIFLEX Systems
are installed in over 30 countries and 28
languages. The 80 heads company is lead by
the three Reichhart brothers, all of whom were
trained first as printers and second as business
economists. Thomas, Stefan and Markus
Reichhart grew up in the industry and
recognized early on, the potential of online
business for printing shops. In 2001, the
HIFLEX eBusiness system was developed as a module and extension of the HIFLEX MIS system. In
2007, HIFLEX took its JDF experience to a new level and launched HIFLEX Webshop, the World's
first and only dynamic Web-to-Print ordering system. HIFLEX Webshop (www.bestprint24.com ) is
offered both as a stand-alone system or bundled with the HIFLEX MIS.
Starting with the open design of HIFLEX Webshop, it can communicate as a stand-alone-solution with
any traditional MIS system via the JDF standard format or bundled with HIFLEX MIS. HIFLEX
Webshop is integrated with HIFLEX MIS using the very powerful HIFLEX Application Programming
Interface (API). The HIFLEX API offers many integration solutions for virtually any external system
using its XML/SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol). In 2008, HIFLEX's Webshop integration into
HIFLEX MIS was awarded two CIP4/JDF Innovation Awards and the PIA/GATF InterTech Award for
the consistent use of JDF through-out HIFLEX Web-to-Print & MIS and the ultra high level automation
for a Web-to-Print Storefront.
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Web design made easy, thanks to HIFLEX's chosen & cutting edge Web Content Management System (WCMS)
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HIFLEX Webshop offers a design configuration tool with 'Drupal' (www.drupal.org) the leading global
Web Content Management System (WCMS). System administrators can choose from hundreds of
design templates, or as Drupal refers to them 'themes' and changes only take place when the user
activates the new functions into the completed design. No programming or DTP skills are necessary
because single elements can be shown or hidden and can be moved via drag and drop functionality
within the page areas. These functionalities are why the Drupal community has grown so fast to
become a global leader in WCMS and why HIFLEX has chosen this technology..
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The key to Webshop's success is the 'Product Chooser Bar' and Matrix for highly flexible and quick online estimating
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HIFLEX Webshop has a simple and easy
user interface. The central element of
HIFLEX Webshop is the HIFLEX 'Product
Chooser Bar' and product matrix. The user
chooses a product they wish to order and
are then prompted to select, step-by-step,
each of the product's properties they
desire, such as format, pages, colors,
paper types, finishing and refinement. The
system then immediately calculates an
online quotation. Prospective buyers can change all of these properties and immediately and
dynamically see the resulting price changes. Individual and custom or non-standard formats and
quantities can also be entered by the buyer for custom quoting. During the selection process,
impossible combinations are excluded by plausibility checks and mandatory processing steps are
included, e.g. creasing with 200 g/sm paper.
The Webshop platform offers the possibility of creating custom print designs from the web browser
and the powerful and automated HIFLEX 'File Uploader Tool' where buyers can upload files for all of
their jobs and specific orders. The customer receives a simultaneous preflight report, advising if the
files can be processed without problems. HIFLEX Webshop provides print buyers with a "softproof"
option that automates the proofing process with an online digital proofing workflow. The buyers
submitted print files are preflighted automatically, in real-time and proofed immediately for their review.
Manufacturing processes and costs vary widely for the extensive variety of products that are offered.
HIFLEX Webshop accurately calculates all the necessary costing information for each special
workflow process and product ordered. HIFLEX Webshop provides the widest assortment of printed
products of any Web-to-Print Storefront on the market today with millions of different product choices
including non-traditional products such as cups, baseball caps, ballpoint pens or roll-up banners.
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Web-to-Print profitability with the HIFLEX Collective Order
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The bulk of administrative and technical processes for orders are handled automatically by the
HIFLEX MIS backend. HIFLEX
Webshop automatically creates
quotes, order confirmations,
invoices, job tickets and delivery
notes as well as JDF data for
import to other systems.
Web-to-Print orders are normally
produced using the ganging of
multiple jobs onto single forms. In
addition to the processing of
single customer orders, HIFLEX
Webshop organizes the creation
of 'Collective Orders' using interfaces to automatic layout calculators for gang printing forms. HIFLEX
provides an automated workflow for combining these orders onto individual forms by then passing the
impositions via JDF data format to pre-press. After the orders are completed, production costs are
automatically split up into the individual orders.
Using Internet shipping interfaces (e.g. UPS or DHL) the order will be marked for parcel pickup service
and standardized parcel stickers with valid tracking number will be printed.
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Marketing is the challenge
The actual challenge of a successful Web-to-Print Storefront is its branding. HIFLEX Webshop offers
partner and affiliate programs to support proactive new customer acquisition. Webshop also provides
an integrated voucher system for bonus and discount campaigns, which is executed by means of
email newsletters.
To ensure customer acquisition and customer retention are working correctly an exhaustive target
group analysis is necessary. While printing resellers may be in need of products they call "stitched
books", publishers might be looking for "magazines" and direct consumers for "club books" or
"yearbooks". All three want the same thing but each may call it something completely different. If you
want to acquire their business, you first need to speak their language. To be able to efficiently address
all of the identified target groups, HIFLEX provides a Multi-Branding license. This unique HIFLEX
licensing model enables print solutions providers to connect multiple storefronts running under
different domain names, but under to the same Webshop backend system. Each domain name can be
branded and optimized to address the needs and speak the language of that specific target market.
Lastly, search engine optimization which is the process of achieving a high search engine ranking, is
already included in HIFLEX Webshop. HIFLEX has dedicated its target optimization efforts toward the
leading search engines such as Google "PageRank" and Alexa "Traffic Rank" which are the accepted
standard in internet search engine technology. HIFLEX Webshop uses Google Analytics to evaluate
user 'utilization behavior' which provides closed loop, customer feedback. Additionally, the HIFLEX
backend provides diverse statistics on customers, orders habits and product trend analysis.
HIFLEX Webshop is the complete package designed for profitable Web-to-Print procurement
HIFLEX Webshop offers the broadest range of available online products in a totally dynamic online
storefront; MIS, UPS and FedEx integration, automated invoicing, automated file uploading, real-time
preflighting & proofing and finally HIFLEX eMarketing assistance for your Web-to-Print Storefront. In
summary, HIFLEX Enterprise Solutions provide its users the complete package with the highest level
of integration and functionality on the market today
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DTP, CTP, digital print: For the last 30 years the printing industry has been in a state of constant
change. The latest developments have been in this area of Web-to-Print. Revenue for Web-to-Print sales
in Western Europe is over 4 billion euros and 12 billion USD in the USA. These amounts are projected
to double by 2010 according to the market research institute InfoTrends meaning that more than one
third of all print jobs are going to be purchased and handled through the internet. 
