The past two years have been some of the most unpredicted times in the current history. The pandemic caused confusion and panic in equal measure. It literally changed the way we do business. The world of printing was in no way an exception.
This article reviews the developments amid the pandemic that affects your printing business. ;
Why Exactly Caused Resurgence of Home Printer
1. Remote Work Demands Home Printers
Printers form an essential part of workplace equipment. Employees still need printouts to carry out their day-to-day activities. Online platforms do not eliminate printers. They only come in to complement printouts and make collaboration even more fruitful.
Printouts are usually done with office printers in a standard office setting.
So what happens while working from home?
Printouts are still necessary even while working from home. That is why employees had to buy home printers to bridge the gap. They needed these printers to keep up with their ongoing need for printouts.
They might want to print some handouts to use during online conferences. Some might also want to print some papers fill and scan them. This causes a resurgence in the small printers that copy, print, and scan.
2. Teachers and Students Need Printouts
The pandemic has also led to an increase in online classes. The world of academia cannot do without printers, and that is a fact. Before the pandemic, academic institutions relied on office printers for their everyday prints. They needed to print assignments, transcripts, reference notes, and more.
The need for printing did not stop when classes shifted online. Students still needed to print some papers even while working from home. It’s possible to rely on soft copy notes, but hard copy notes are best for some sections.
Most assignments can be done online, but some, like math, need a printout. Most students have to print math questions, do their calculations, and scan them. They can then send it to their teachers, who will print and mark it. All these are made possible through home printers. This led to a resurgence in demand for small printers for homeowners.
3. Parents Need to Engage their Children at Home
Schools closed during the pandemic. There was not much going on in the workplaces either. Parents were forced to spend more time with their children. It was, arguably, the longest time parents had ever spent with their children.
Parents were largely idle, and so were their children. Engaging these children with assignments was one of the best options available. Parents cannot copy assignments for their children. It’s a mundane task that unnecessarily takes much time.
Some parents resorted to acquiring home printers to make it way more manageable. They could then look for soft copy assignments and print them right at home. It proved to be an affordable option that allowed them to homeschool their children.
That undertaking was a considerate discovery for some. Even when children went back to school, they still serviced their printers for home use. It caused a resurgence in demand for printers and their consumables.
4. Social Distancing and Frustrating Lockdowns
Most governments imposed lockdowns to reduce the spread of the virus. Non-essential businesses were forced to close their offices in compliance. Printing shops are not essential, and they had to shut down in some regions.
Getting print services was proving to be a big hustle. Most people resorted to buying home printers to meet their day-to-day printing needs. This resulted in a resurgence in home printers and consumables such as ink and toner.
How Business Owners Can Adapt to Home Printers Resurgence
The resurgence of home printers presents some implications to business owners. If consumers have printers at home, they will not contact you for printing needs. As a business owner, you need to rethink your strategies to remain in the business.
Here are some opportunities to think about:
1. ;Tap on Wide Format Printing
Even as home printers come back amidst the pandemic, they are simply for home use. They can only print homework and small-scale printing needs. They hardly even print a colored A3-size sheet.
The demand for large format printing remains uninterrupted. Many businesses still want to market their brands through large banners and stickers. You can invest in large format printers and stay relevant in the market. The problem is that these printers are expensive. But you can make some good profits if you can afford them.
2. Tap on Printing Brand Packaging
The pandemic has had a positive impact on online businesses. While people stay at home, their shopping demands still need to be met. Online shopping centers allow consumers to shop from their phones. They receive orders and organize deliveries.
Most product deliveries are done with branded packages. Many businesses contract independent printing firms for branded boxes. You can tap on this rising demand and reduce your dependence on traditional printing. You can buy printers that print brand packaging. You can then market yourself to factories and online businesses. That way, you would remain relevant in this world of fierce competition. ;
3. Take Your Business Online
If online businesses are the way to go, why not tap it?
One of the ways that caused a resurgence in home printing is the comfort it brings. Home printers allow consumers to print right with a click of a button at home. They wanted to print without having to leave home.
You might also excite them if you offered to print and deliver to their doorsteps. You can develop a system that takes printing orders from them. Your work will be to print and ship to them. You can also deliver printing supplies to consumers.
4. ;Embrace Innovation and Expand Your Portfolio
Business is dynamic, and you need to be brutally innovative to remain relevant. Change is inevitable, and innovation is the bread and butter of businesses. You will remain irrelevant if you stick to traditional prints, which everyone does.
As a printing company, you should scale your business further. Making it a full-fledge communication company would help. Integrating printing and IT support services would place you on the competitive edge. You could even extend your services to web and software development. That way, you would be able to reduce your dependence on traditional prints.
5. Focus on Printer and Consumables Supply
Your all-time goals as a business owner should be to invest where there is money. What comes to your mind when many homes are acquiring printers?
It means that you will get fewer printing orders from homeowners. Consequently, their demand for small printers and consumables will increase.
Many consumers will no longer bring printing orders. Instead, they will be looking for printers, ink, and toner cartridges for their home use. The demand for printing papers will also increase. ;
You can start supplying these products. You can source them from manufacturers like Ikalor and retail them in your shop.
What Does Ikalor Promise?
We promise a smooth shopping experience, affordable pricing, and quality. We know the pain of buying faulty products. We understand how a simple mistake could drain off your years of income in your business. That is why we stick to cartridge manufacturing best practices.
We also ensure that you buy the exact cartridge you are looking for. If there is a need, we can send you a sample to assess the quality. We will then process and ship your order to your country.Feel free to Contact us.