Reap all benefits of e-commerce with the e-calculator

With the growing popularity of e-commerce platforms for printing in both the B2C and B2B environments, demand for more sophisticated solutions is also on the increase. Virtually all platforms still make use of standard product lists with standard price lists, while the dynamic nature of the market – in terms of both demand and supply – requires much greater flexibility. The new e-calculator module from MultiPress makes this possible, thanks to a powerful calculation engine and full integration with the entire workflow.

Many online printing providers have portals offering a portfolio of standardised products with only a limited number of variants. This is connected with the fact that, in the background, a fixed price list is used for this product range. This limits the portal user’s choice enormously and there is also the risk that (potential) customers navigate away from the site because their needs cannot be met.

This way of working also prevents the production assets being used to their full potential. Ideally, all possible variants should be prepared, calculated and entered in the system – a virtually impossible task using this work method. Another issue is that the available production capacity is underutilised.

Using a fixed price list also means that the current daily prices of substrates or special rates may not be reflected in the system. As a result, advantageous pricing cannot be guaranteed, which can have a detrimental effect for both the end users and the printing company.

The e-calculator module from MultiPress drastically changes the e-commerce approach, making the process fully dynamic. All process variables in the MultiPress system are updated continuously in one central location, ensuring that the users always have the latest information and options.

Powerful and dynamic calculation module

The e-calculator is the online version of the powerful MultiPress calculation module that forms the backbone of our MIS/ERP system. Using current information for all variables throughout the production process – ranging from the daily price of substrates to the available machine capacity – quotations and orders can be put together with optimal pricing at any given moment. Thanks to this fully dynamic product configuration, printing companies can now coordinate supply and demand perfectly. The most efficient production method and the best possible price can be selected every time. By making these unique calculation capabilities available online via web portals or third-party APIs, both the end customers (B2B or B2C) and the printing company can benefit from the sophisticated and lucrative possibilities that e-commerce has to offer.

Full integration of the complete workflow

Using the e-calculator module ensures that customers are no longer limited to standardised and predefined products. They can also see, in real time, what product customisations are possible, such as a different paper type or an alternative version – and how that affects the production, delivery time and price.

For the production company, the e-calculator module allows a much faster and more accurate response to requests – and thanks to the accessible self-service functionality, this can be done without any human intervention. The intelligent automation goes much further than simply the calculation and quotation: all information relating to the order is fed directly back into the system so that it can be reflected in the planning, production, logistics, delivery and invoicing. The e-calculator module from MultiPress allows full integration with the complete workflow – from top to bottom and vice versa.