Inline digital printing for e-commerce
As the e-commerce industry evolves, the challenge for brands is to deliver improved brand value that extends beyond the product itself to the whole pack experience, according to Mark Naples, VP business development Europe and APAC, DataLase.
In a recent survey from Dotcom Distribution, 52 per cent of consumers said they are likely to make a repeat purchase from an online store that delivers premium packaging. The survey also found four out of 10 consumers would share an image of an online delivery via social media if it came in a unique package.
Naples commented: “Today consumers are less interested in purchasing products to just meet their basic needs. They are much more interested in engaging with brands whose values they agree with. Brands are beginning to understand this and are positioning packs to meet these evolving consumer needs – a sector that has traditionally been dogged by the boring ‘brown box’ approach.”
The inline digital printing technology from DataLase enables high speed, inline digital printing of products and packaging, ideal for this exact scenario. The solution enables the creation of customised secondary packaging and also eliminates the need for costly labelling, offering a more sustainable approach to online packaging.
The digital printing solution from DataLase combines its core colour-change materials technology with the latest generation of laser print engines to deliver high speed, high resolution, on-demand, digital printing that is a high performance alternative to conventional print methodology.
The technology relies on a unique additive which is incorporated into a material or patch applied to a pack. When exposed to CO2 or a near infrared laser, it generates a colour change reaction in the pigment.
Fundamentally, the DataLase solution facilitates real-time marketing capability on a pack or product through its highly responsive delivery mechanism at the point of packing and filling. The technology can be used on a wide range of packaging formats across the FMCG marketplace.
Naples continued: “For brands and retailers, using the DataLase inline digital printing solution means they have the ability to do more things real-time. From adverts to personalised messages, competitions to variable data codes, the solution allows packaging to entertain and engage consumers at the point of receipt. DataLase can help to deliver the single most satisfying interaction between consumer and brand at the ‘moment of truth’.”
DataLase inline digital printing can be used to interpret and respond to the preferences of individual shoppers by customising graphics, images or codes on every individual pack within 24-48 hours of the requirement. Personalised variable data messages and graphics engage consumers and can also be used to gain insight to shopping behaviour.
The company today has offices in the UK, North America and Japan and is seeing the development of a range of market applications on a global basis. The new DataLase Variprint technology also delivers a new level of pack differentiation with promotions and key variable data messages able to stand out from traditional black coding and marking style graphics featuring monochrome colours such as blue, green and red.