The UPS Store has launched a new online printing service for US small businesses to respond torising demand and expand its range of shipping, postal and office services.
The UPS-backed franchise network, with 4,400 locations in North America, has rolled out thefirst phase of its new online printing solution, and expects to become an online printing marketleader thanks to its sheer size and accessibility.
“After reviewing the research and listening to our small-business customers, we realisedthere is a real need in the marketplace for an online printing platform that is easy to use,provides functionality geared to small businesses, and is supported by a convenient network ofphysical locations,” said Stuart Mathis, president of Mail Boxes Etc., Inc. (MBE), franchisor ofThe UPS Store brand.
Every aspect of the user-friendly program is built from the small-business perspective, withthe ability to work on the fly and manage print production from any computer with Internet access.Payment is made online, and shipping services will be added at a later date.
The UPS Store solution provides a one-page view with a pull-down, accordion-style menu,eliminating the need for the user to navigate back and forth when choosing printing options. Theuser actively pages through a document preview, selecting print options such as paper, binding,covers, etc., which are applied in real time. Furthermore, by allowing customers to distributeinformation or documents first and then print at the point of need, the solution reduces cost andenvironmental impact.
“As small-business owners themselves, our franchisees know the opportunities and challengesof running a business,” said Mathis. “We have nearly 30 years of experience helping fellowsmall-business owners grow their businesses. We’ve always employed a follow-the-customer strategy,so as our customers began making the transition to the online world, we needed to make thattransition with them.”
Online printing accounted for 14% of the total US printing market last year and is expectedto grow 24% a year until 2011 as firms and organisations seek simpler and cheaper printingservices, the company pointed out.
