In an industry where margins are tight and competition is fierce, finding smart ways to reduce printing costs is a must. As we step into 2025, print businesses must rethink their operational...
How is AI going to shape the next generation of web-to-print?
From 2024 to 2030, the AI market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 28.46%, so it’s not surprising that we’re often asked how we at ePS are leveraging AI tech, and how we are incorporating it into our product roadmaps.
There’s a great deal of innovation in this space, and perhaps one of the best examples is the recent partnership between ePS and Picsart, and the integrated web-to-print solution, marking a significant milestone in harnessing artificial intelligence.
This collaboration integrates Picsart’s cutting-edge AI-powered creativity tools into ePS' MarketDirect StoreFront, revolutionizing how printers and their customers approach to print and design projects.
Contents
- Democratizing design with AI
- Enhancing user experience and driving business growth
- Unlocking new business opportunities
- Conclusion
Democratizing design with AI
There are many different options for AI-enhanced design today, but AI that has real practical applications, and is integrated can have the greatest impact.
The integration of Picsart's tools into MarketDirect StoreFront (MDSF) provides users with access to advanced AI-driven image editing tools. These functionalities today include sophisticated background removal and in the future will include image enhancement, and upscaling capabilities, which streamline the design process significantly.
By embedding these tools directly into the web-to-print platform - even users without professional design experience can produce high-quality designs efficiently. And that is key – by enabling more people to participate in the print specification and design process, printers can drive more engagement and revenue.
...by enabling more people to participate in the print specification and design process, printers can drive more engagement and revenue.
Greg Shomstein, the Chief Revenue Officer at Picsart, emphasized the transformative impact of AI in simplifying and speeding up image quality improvement. This not only makes professional editing more accessible but also enhances the user experience, encouraging creativity and experimentation among users.
Enhancing user experience and driving business growth
When we (ePS) looked for an AI developer to partner with, we were very specific about our requirements and the need for a high-quality platform.
MDSF supports a wide range of products, from print and non-print items to digital and even rental products. The integration of the Picsart Create Editor further enriches this platform, offering users an extensive library of pre-designed marketing and communication templates.
These templates drastically reduce the time required to go from concept to market. Instead of spending weeks on design and configuration, users can leverage these ready-to-use resources and customize them as needed.
Picart’s AI tools not only speed up the design process but also open new revenue opportunities for businesses by reducing time-to-market. Printers who can provide their customers with easier and more fluid tools to configure, design and order products will win – and customers increasingly want access to “ready to design” templates and tools that they can simply customize, rather than build from scratch.
...printers who can provide their customers with easier and more fluid tools to configure, design and order products will win.
Unlocking new business opportunities
The ePS and Picsart partnership is not just about enhancing design capabilities; it's also about expanding business horizons. MDSF customers are leveraging the Picsart integration to drive adoption and growth in the online business.
Sonia Shwabsky, CEO of Kwik Kopy Australia, highlighted the game-changing nature of this collaboration, which brings compelling content and robust design tools to its customers across over 90 print centers. By providing an intuitive and seamless design process, the partnership enables printers to attract a broader customer base, including those without prior design experience.
This inclusivity is pivotal for business growth, as it taps into a previously untapped market segment of users who need personalized print products but lack the skills to create designs from scratch.
Conclusion
As we continue to develop and build on the partnership and our AI offering, the strategic alliance between eProductivity Software and Picsart through the integration of AI tools in the web-to-print domain is a testament to the transformative power of technology in traditional industries.
This partnership not only enhances the design capabilities of ePS’ platform but also opens up a plethora of new opportunities for business growth and customer engagement.
As these tools become more embedded in everyday print businesses, they pave the way for more innovative, efficient, and user-friendly print solutions, setting a new standard in the industry.
