By Milt Vine
Two months ago I wrote about the importance of keeping clients informed of the many changes occurring in our industry. Within that column, I wrote, "The only conclusion I come to is that electronic commerce is a concept we're just beginning to fully ex plore. We have little choice but to march onward with certain knowledge that those who react quickest will be the least likely to be left behind."
I was of course referring to our varied, sometimes negative reactions to start-to-finish digital workflow and moaning (a bit) about the fact that it sometimes seems impossible to keep up with the latest and greatest wizardry, even though it's clear we must. And now I learn we're not alone.
In a recent insert to Stores magazine prepared by Ernst & Young (my former employer of 14 years), I read that manufacturers of every type are gingerly testing the water, relying on anecdotal evidence that's often misleading about the actual state of what's going on. But as my former boss, vice chairman Stephanie M. Shern says, "The Internet has arrived as a shopping channel." So, I'd like to share some of what I learned in "Internet Shopping: An Ernst & Young Special Report" and then off er a thought or two about the place of printers and postpress houses in the midst of these many adaptations.
Shopping Trends. According to Ernst & Young, two-thirds of online shoppers are men, most of them well-educated. Women seem to prefer a more traditional method of shopping, but their online numbers are steadily growing as well. The majority o f both genders are between the ages of 30 and 64, prime spending years.
Also, satisfaction with shopping online seems to grow with experience, suggesting that repeat buying is a good bet once someone makes a successful first attempt. The most popular items to buy via the Internet include computer-related products and books , which together equal 60 percent of all that's purchased.
More importantly, Ernst & Young discovered that "almost half of consumers with Internet access do research online and then buy products by fax or telephone. Sixty-four percent research products and later buy them through traditional channels." To f ind where to buy or where to research, web shoppers use search engines, directories, related links and "a fair amount of guessing."
Connections to Printing. So what does this information mean for those of us producing business-to-business printed materials? Quite a lot, I think. These web-savvy consumers sound to me like printbuyers, most growing steadily more comfortable wi th their own version of "web shopping," hopefully with our help. For example, the majority of printbuyers were men at one time, but I see equal numbers of talented women doing the work these days, and I know few of these pros who are much under thirty or would consider themselves uneducated.
Plus, we can probably agree that few products exist that are more information-intensive than printing jobs. So, if buyers and sellers can communicate well enough via the Internet for hardware and software sales, then it makes sense to expect we can rel ay information digitally about capabilities and job requirements.
And, again, I think many of us are doing just that. The number of printer and postpress websites grows daily. Still, I think several of the conclusions Ernst & Young reaches are applicable to what we do.
- A website must be easy to find. Link to search engines and directories. Trade links with clients, vendors and other businesses you know and trust. Think carefully about the URL that's chosen-is it "guess-able"?
- The Internet drives sales not made online. Don't let competitors win jobs simply because they provide better research options. Use the site to educate. At seattlebindery.com, our "Tabbing Solutions" section has proven popular.
- Customization is highly valued. Relay the full array of services offered. Make certain posted forms can be filled out online as well downloaded as hardcopy.
- Retailers are offering electronic catalogs, plus online order processing and order tracking capabilities. Where are we on printing industry comparatives?
- If you haven't put your business on the Internet, don't wait.
The Bigger Picture. Beyond these individual points to consider, it occurs to me that much of what's being signaled in this report is that the printing industry is undergoing a fundamental shift in the very nature of our business. No longer c an we content ourselves to be specialists only of the printed word. We must prepare ourselves to be managers of information, printed and digital. After all, recent news reports claim that the amount of information relayed via the Internet is doubling ever y 100 days. An all digital workflow and Internet commerce are just two logical extensions of our new role in this continuing expansion.
Milt Vine is president of Seattle Bindery, a postpress house specializing in custom
tabs and presentation folders; folding and stitching; foil stamping, embossing and
diecutting; plastic spiral, Wire-O® and perfect binding. You can reach Milt at
206/682-2558.
© 1998, Seattle Bindery. Reprinted from Printing Journal, June 1998.