User:JessMW/draft-OPI

Industry History
In 1995, a number of printers had already embraced technologies such as Electronic Data Interchange and email as a way of transferring customer files and speeding up production schedules,. By 1997, the now-defunct ImageX.com was one of the web's first online-only printing companies. After acquiring rivals Howard Press, CreativePro.com, iPrint.com and PrintBid.com in 2000 and 2001, the company was eventually bought up by Kinko's in 2003 for $16.5 million. In the meantime, other startups such as VistaPrint, UPrinting, and PrintingforLess were already infiltrating the industry.

Today, the industry continues to grow with web-to-print providers servicing everyone from individual consumers to large-scale businesses.

Types of Online Printing Companies
Serves predominantly home-based, private consumers. These customers are individuals who maybe don't have the design skills, printing experience, software or even desire to create professional printing layouts. As a result, online printers in this category, like Snapfish, tend to focus on simple usability, templates and function. They also price for low-volume jobs, with many consumers ordering just one print of a particular photo or perhaps 50 prints of a custom Christmas card.
 * Consumer-Targeted

Serves small to large businesses and deals mostly in larger quantities (500+). For example, UPrinting.com offers quantities up to the hundreds of thousands and specializes in relationships with freelance designers. A number of small business-targeted online printers will also offer reseller services, meaning they'll provide printing services for smaller, local printers or designers.
 * Business-Targeted

Serves both business and private consumer clients. These printers offer a mix of templates, combining easy to use interfaces with high-end printing services like custom cuts and press-ready proofing. Hybrid printers, like VistaPrint also tend to offer a range of quantities; shorter-runs for consumers (100-500) and larger runs for businesses.
 * Hybrids

Technology
Depending on the company, most online printers will use either:


 * Digital Printing

Digital printing is the reproduction of digital images on a physical surface. It's generally used for short print runs and for the customization of print media. Because digital printing doesn't use printing plates, it's most often used for POD (print-on-demand) services, custom print jobs and short runs. However, what customers gain in flexibility and price, they tend to lose in overall print quality.


 * Offset Printing

Offset printing is a commonly used printing technique where the inked image is transferred (or "offset") from a plate to a rubber blanket, then to the printing surface.

Major Online Printers
Since debuting its online system in 1999, VistaPrint has become one of the largest online suppliers of printed and promotional materials to small businesses and consumers. At VistaPrint's April 2009 third-quarter earnings presentation, the company announced it would also supply technology and products under the FedEx Office brand.
 * VistaPrint

A L.A.-based, privately-held printing company serving businesses and individual consumers.
 * UPrinting.com

Started in 2001, the company specializes in business cards and promotional postcards.
 * Prints Made Easy

A consumer-targeted site known for its business cards.
 * MOO Printing