Fast forward to today. While finding and working with a local printer is still very popular, consumers now have other options for their commercial printing needs. The e-commerce revolution has hit the printing industry. You can now buy and manage your commercial printing projects over the Internet. There are currently over 200 different online firms offering a wide range of printing and graphic arts services.
New ones seem to crop up every week, and existing ones disappear.
It's a new era in printing, this e-printing revolution, and the dust has yet to settle. There are mixed feelings about e-printing. Not all printers and print buyers are converts, for it means a new way of doing business in a very old industry. Traditionally, printing has been accomplished through personal relationships between buyer and printer. To think that suddenly, this age-old craft can be done over the Internet is a big leap of faith.