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Print e-procurement: Changing the Face of the Printing Industry

# Pages: 619
# Figures: 128
Publication Date: March 2002
Service: Production Workflow Solutions, Market Research
Region: North America

Introduction

The past few years have illustrated how quickly business models can change as the explosive mixture of entrepreneurs, capital, and technology are applied to traditional markets and work processes. Within the printing industry, a variety of new models and numerous technology and service providers have appeared. Nevertheless, only a few e-Business models will produce lasting success. The ready availability of capital for Internet ventures ensures that many varied models will appear and even seem viable in the short term. These will, at least for a while, divert business from established channels.

Longer term, however, few businesses will emerge as winners while many will fail. Along the way, companies’ methods for buying and selling printing and related services will forever change. To succeed, vendors of printing and related services must understand the immediate and long-term impacts of the Internet on their businesses, and must develop tactical and strategic plans to address these challenges, combat new challengers, and keep their offerings fresh.

InfoTrends conducted a detailed analysis of the rapidly changing print e-procurement marketplace to provide print service providers and their customers with the information and insights needed to develop short-term and long-term plans for success.

Key Findings

• Corporate buyers and large spenders purchase a broader array of printing and buy more frequently than agency/design firm buyers. Creative firms like corporate entities focus most of their print spending on product literature and letterhead/envelopes. For corporate buyers, newsletters and product catalogs/booklets represent key secondary applications.
• Those who spend $1 million or more annually make the greatest use of the Internet in their work – roughly half of these buyers not only communicate via the Internet, but also submit jobs and review creative work via the Web. Corporate buyers in smaller companies are less likely to use the Internet overall, although those in the smallest firms are somewhat more apt to purchase and/or manage their mailing lists using the Internet.
• 18% of today’s print buyers report that they currently use the Internet. Two years from now, 67% expect to be using it.
• Buyers who will be on the Web expect that about 25% of their print spending will be conducted electronically in 2002. At the same time, however, it is likely that these figures are overstated.

Learn More Today

InfoTrends' study is available immediately for purchase. To learn more about the report or to make a purchase, please contact Alison Hipp at +1 , ext. 126 or via e-mail at .