In 2021, Printlogik invested in a website solution from VB Media, an e-commerce platform built specifically for the print industry, to streamline the process of creating and managing its website and improve the online ordering process for clients.
PrintLogik is an award-winning printing company based in Derby, UK, that delivers a wide range of print services to a diverse client base, including banners and exhibition prints, marketing materials, apparel printing, and high-end wedding prints, C-type, and Giclée prints.
Finding the right solution
The path to online success hasn’t always run smoothly for Printlogik. A previous initiative to develop an e-commerce site for the business ran into some challenges, but not before a year of development and significant financial investment had been expended on the project. A second attempt unfortunately also ended in financial loss without achieving the desired outcome.
“A review of the progress made it clear that a fresh start was essential,” says Brad Leivars, Director, Printlogik. “This led us to explore more streamlined solutions, bringing us to VB Media.” The VB Media website was up and running by the end of 2021, and in July 2023 the business rebranded, necessitating an update and repositioning of the site. “While a website is never truly complete, ours currently serves our requirements excellently, facilitating smooth interactions for both us and our clients,” adds Brad.
VB Media is an e-commerce platform for the print industry, designed to help businesses establish an online presence without a hefty price tag. Trusted by hundreds of print companies, VB Media serves printers, designers, and copy-shops across the UK, enabling users to create B2B, B2C, trade sites, and private storefronts, all seamlessly integrated without relying on third-party plugins.
Brad doesn’t recall the exact circumstances of Printlogik coming across VB Media, he just knows that he’s very glad they did.
The configuration of the solution immediately appealed to Brad, as he explains: “What really grabbed our attention about VB Media was how everything is set up. It’s all modular, super-fast, and ticks all the boxes for accessibility, which is huge for us. The way it’s built means we can scale things up as much as we need without a hitch.”
The benefits of this user-friendly nature have been demonstrated as Printlogik continues its journey, with the VB Media site playing a crucial supporting role and allowing the business to keep its attention on delivering for customers. “The system itself is a dream to use,” adds Brad, “fast, user-friendly, and designed to streamline website management. This ease of use really took the stress out of developing our online presence and allowed us to focus more on what we do best.”
The VB Media difference
In contrast with previous projects, this time Printlogik’s website implementation process was a lot more straightforward, and if there were any questions or concerns it was simply a case of picking up the phone. “Our experience working with VB Media was nothing short of fantastic,” says Brad. “Whenever we had questions or needed support, their team was right there to help us out. They were incredibly responsive and knowledgeable, which made a huge difference. Their customer service team is always on point, ready to listen to our ideas and make changes that don’t just benefit us, but all of their users.”
For a ready-to-use, affordable website solution like VB Media, the proactive approach that Printlogik takes to its e-commerce offering is crucial. Rather than sitting back and expecting orders to roll in, Printlogik works to maximise the online selling opportunity. “We see ourselves as one of their flagship projects, really pushing what their platform can do,” Brad explains. “Sure, it may not have everything we dream of, but we almost always figure out a workaround, adding our own custom tweaks here and there. Plus, the cost is a no-brainer—it’s super affordable. We’ve been on the Pro plan (£89/month) since 2021, and it’s still way less than what we were shelling out before for custom site development that was unique to Printlogik.”
He adds: “It’s important to remember that no matter how well-built or SEO-optimised a website is, it won’t draw more visitors without a strong, consistent marketing push across different platforms. The site is designed to be SEO-friendly and has all the right features to potentially boost our rankings significantly. We know it’s going to take some elbow grease and a bit of time, but I’m confident that with some dedicated effort, we can really ramp up our web traffic.”
Gavin De Boos, Director, VB Media, says: “Printlogik are always improving their VB Media site, which is part of why it’s so successful – Brad and the team are continuously putting time and effort into it. They have done a lot of customisation, taking it much further than a standard site, and it’s a great example of what you can achieve with our platform, really demonstrating the flexibility and versatility. We love sending potential customers to the Printlogik site to showcase just how far you can take it from the basic themes with some customisation and effort.”
A customer-centric approach
Ultimately, the experience that matters the most is of course that of the end customer. How has Printlogik’s customer base responded to the VB Media website solution? “The response has been overwhelmingly positive,” says Brad. “Our customers are thrilled with our new online store. It’s made the entire process of ordering print products and exploring our services much more accessible and user-friendly for them. They appreciate the simplicity and efficiency of being able to handle everything online, from browsing our offerings to placing their orders with just a few clicks. This enhancement has definitely improved their experience with us. This functionality also enhances our ability to promote our products, providing direct URLs to specific products and services where customers can learn more and even purchase immediately.”
As well as elevating the experience for Printlogik’s existing customer base, the VB Media solution has also delivered a boost in numbers of new customers since its rollout. Brad explains: “We’ve got new folks finding us online who are really getting into what we offer. Plus, many of our loyal customers are buying more products than before. A big part of this uptick is because our website makes it super easy to find what they need, and we’re very upfront about our pricing, which our customers appreciate.”
Since implementing a VB Media site, Brad has also noted the shift towards custom, value-add print products; the website solution makes it simple for Printlogik to capitalise on this lucrative trend: “Businesses are getting back into printed marketing, but they’re ditching the cookie-cutter approach and looking for something more unique and high-end. This shift is really resonating with their audiences, who are responding well to these more personalised and luxurious marketing efforts.”
Tangible business benefits
This customer satisfaction is evident, with Brad reporting a noticeable impact on sales thanks to the VB Media platform. “Roughly 25% of our orders can be directly linked to using their system, and we suspect the actual figure could be even higher,” Brad explains. “Our current website has been a game-changer for us—it’s hard to imagine achieving the same volume of orders without it. The investment in the VB Media platform has paid off handsomely.”
As well as boosting sales, it has also boosted efficiency for the Printlogik team, streamlining their workflow and improving customer service. “Our business processes have never been smoother thanks to the VB Media platform. We now use the system almost like a CRM tool. It allows us to add all our orders, track their progress, and keep our customers updated throughout the process. This has made managing orders a breeze and really helped us stay organised and efficient. It’s like having a dashboard for our entire operation, which not only simplifies tracking but also enhances our ability to communicate promptly and transparently with our clients.”
As for the future, Printlogik plans to keep maximising the benefits of its VB Media site for sales and marketing, and aims to continue shifting more of its business online to better serve its customers and streamline operations. “We’re convinced that ramping up our SEO and marketing efforts could drive our ROI even higher,” says Brad. He concludes: “Overall, VB Media not only met but exceeded our expectations, making the entire journey a smooth and rewarding one. They have been a big part of our journey, and I’m thankful for where we’ve ended up thanks to their help!”
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