eCommerce 101 for Your Print Business: A 4-Minute Guide

Global eCommerce sales are currently growing at a breakneck pace. According to Shopify, they’re expected to reach $6.5 trillion by 2023.

Most people are familiar with purchasing goods or services online, especially with the prevalence of online retailing. Most printers have some experience with online shopping for their printing supplies. Many, however, are less familiar with selling products online or running an online store.

Buying and selling online will become increasingly prevalent, so if you’re curious about eCommerce and what it can do to help your print business, there’s no better time to find out than now.

What is eCommerce?

Reduced to the simplest terms, eCommerce refers to an online commercial transaction. It stands for “electronic commerce” and includes both business-to-business (B2B) or business-to-consumer (B2C) business models. For printers, it requires a website that allows print clients to place their orders and make an online payment.

An example of a print business that has adopted an eCommerce model is SinaLite. Their website allows account holders to quote their job, place their order, and pay for it online, all within minutes.

What can eCommerce do for my print business?

There are many types of eCommerce models, so their features and benefits vary, but in general a basic model should at least have the following:

• An organized listing of products or services, so that your clients can browse them easily
• Shopping carts where clients add orders
• The ability for clients to select options, e.g. quantity, shipping, etc.
• An online transaction processing system
• The ability for clients to create an account to make ordering and viewing previous orders simple

These features make ordering printing easier, faster, and more convenient for your clients, which can in turn increase sales. Furthermore, it can also help small businesses gain a competitive edge.

Nevertheless, like every other model, it also has its drawbacks, such as:

• The cost of setting up, testing, and maintenance
• Difficulty of use for less technologically-savvy clients
• The need to reorganize your product listing or even your entire website
• Potential security issues
• A less humanized experience for clients

Keep in mind that you will still need a strong marketing strategy to drive sales to your website.

How much does it cost to set up an eCommerce site?

The cost of setting up an eCommerce site can range from $0 (where you download a free template and set it up yourself on your pre-existing website) to well over $10,000 (where you pay professionals to create an entire model specifically for your business).

Consequently, always identify your needs, do your cost-benefit analysis, and research your options.

How do I set up eCommerce for my business?

If you’ve decided that you’re ready to sell online, here are a few basic requirements that you’ll need:

• Computer literacy—the more literate you are, the less you’ll need to pay other people to set things up for you
• A set pricing system for your goods or services
• A domain name and web hosting
• Legal protection, business registration, and other business requirements indicated by your jurisdiction
• Lots of research

It is important to choose a model that is suitable for both your needs and the needs of your customers. Many models target retail sales, so make sure you pick one that works for your printing services. Don’t forget to consider the amount of time and money that will be required to maintain the site long-term and track your progress.

If you already have a website created in a website builder and want to add eCommerce to it, you can simply search for compatible templates or add-ons.

Here are some more eCommerce resources.

How to Build Your First Ecommerce Website Business is a comprehensive guide to getting started. Skip straight to Step 2 if you already have an existing business.

11 Best Open Source and Free Ecommerce Platforms for 2018 is a list of inexpensive eCommerce solutions along with the pros and cons for each.

eCommerce Lingo – A Glossary of Electronic Commerce Terminology helps you understand unfamiliar terms.

Top 5 Best Free Shopping Cart Softwares in 2020 is a list of leading software for setting up a shopping cart for your ecommerce site.

27 BEST eCommerce Platforms in 2021 is a list of top ecommerce platforms and their leading features.

Want to learn more ways to grow your print business?

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