The Birth of On-Demand print services

On-demand print services are revolutionizing the way we trade in the present, yet their real impact will be a matter of the future. As the world and the global economy move together when almost every transaction takes place digitally and online, e-commerce and print on-demand services will be at the top of many businesses. To better understand the importance of on-demand print services and show how they came to such prominence, it is necessary to understand how e-commerce was born and how it came to us today.

Most people referred to the beginning of e-commerce when household names like Amazon and Google began to emerge in the late ’90s. However, e-commerce was formed slowly years ago, and it has been for more than 40 years now. E-commerce began in the early 1960s with the integration of EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) and its implementation by many businesses. EDI has laid the foundation for B2B and e-commerce by setting standards that allow businesses to share data electronically. The exchange of invoices, shipping orders and many other important documents was a beacon for how effective digital transactions can be. Over the next 20 years, technological advances continued to put placeholders on the road to e-commerce.

This was resolved in 1994 with the advent of SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) encryption. SSL encryption provides a secure connection that allows private and personal data to be transmitted online. This encryption strengthens the confidence of both consumers and businesses in digital transactions. Advanced security was established ten years later in 2004 with PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard). PCI DSS is the only information security standard for companies, organizations and individuals that handle branded credit/debit cards from major card schemes.

Rising demand of eCommerce

The nature of e-commerce is constantly evolving, and many kinks need to be worked on, but one thing is for sure, e-commerce has been beneficial to the growth of the global economy and has led to the needs of specific markets. To address this, fulfillment results in the formation of centres.

With the growing importance of online transactions and the added convenience and comfort they bring, it is not surprising that the markets around them began to integrate and customize everything in e-commerce. The question was not when this craze would end but how long the old ways of processing transactions would not last.

Source: The Birth of On-Demand print services