Transforming Printomatic’s Online Ordering for Improved Service Discovery and User Experience

Printomatic, a Toronto-based commercial print shop, specializes in on-demand printing services, offering products like business cards, flyers, and large-format signage. With a focus on providing a seamless customer journey, the company sought to enhance its online presence and ordering process. CMSMART played a critical role in restructuring their digital platform, improving the discoverability of services, and streamlining the ordering experience. Key enhancements included the implementation of an intuitive product catalog, simplified artwork upload options, and an online design tool, facilitating easier customer interactions and reducing order turnaround times. This transformation allows Printomatic to meet the evolving needs of clients efficiently.

The challenge

Context and Challenges

In the competitive landscape of commercial printing, Printomatic faced the challenge of providing a user-friendly online ordering experience while maintaining a vast catalog of print products and services. The existing system hindered potential customers from easily discovering offerings such as business cards, large-format prints, and real estate signs. Additionally, the process for customers to upload artwork and place orders was cumbersome, limiting the overall efficiency of operations.

Goals

Printomatic aimed to improve its online ordering process to enhance user experience and client satisfaction. The goals included simplifying the browsing experience, streamlining the artwork submission process, and improving the site structure to promote their diverse offerings effectively.

The solution

Solution Overview

To address these challenges, CMSMART delivered a comprehensive platform enhancement focusing on a more refined digital presence. This included a strategic redesign of the product catalog, facilitating easier navigation between different print services, and ensuring that customers could swiftly find and select items. The integration of intuitive uploading options empowered users to submit print-ready files, while the introduction of an online design tool allowed for quick modifications to templates directly on the platform.

Implementation Approach

The implementation took place in multiple phases. Initial assessments of the existing website were conducted, leading to improvements in the layout and functionality of service categories. Following this, CMSMART configured the online ordering system to offer enhanced features such as file uploads and design capabilities, while ensuring that these systems seamlessly integrated into Printomatic's existing workflows.

How it fits the order workflow

The enhancements to Printomatic's online presence seamlessly align with their workflow, beginning from the customer’s initial interest in product offerings, through the submission of artwork, and proceeding to the production and fulfillment phases. The streamlined process enables Printomatic to serve their customers better, reinforcing their reputation as a reliable, efficient partner in the commercial print industry.

Outcome

This strategic partnership led to a notable transformation in Printomatic's operations. The new platform architecture not only ensured faster processing and turnaround for print orders but also reduced friction in the ordering process, enabling customers to select products and submit artwork with ease. Services became more discoverable, and the overall user journey was significantly improved, positioning Printomatic favorably in the competitive printing market.

What the workflow covers

Faster product finding

Clearer categories and browsing paths help buyers quickly locate the right print product, reducing drop-offs and repetitive questions to your team.

Smoother ordering experience

Simplifies the steps from selecting a product to configuring options and checking out, making the storefront feel more reliable and professional.

Cleaner artwork intake

Improves file submission with clearer choices, reducing missing files, incorrect formats, and the manual follow-up that slows production.

Online design for non-designers

Gives customers a way to create or adjust designs in-browser, especially useful for templates and quick edits when they don’t have print-ready files.

Fewer production delays

Supports a structured proofing and approval flow so production starts with correct, approved artwork—reducing reprints and last-minute fixes.

Better expectation setting

Reinforces turnaround-time rules and key ordering guidance, reducing “rush” misunderstandings and improving customer satisfaction.

More consistent handoffs

Creates clearer handoffs between customer submission, internal review, production scheduling, and fulfillment, which helps teams stay aligned during busy periods.

Scales across product lines

Works well across varied print catalogs—from business cards and flyers to banners, window graphics, and rigid signage—without needing separate experiences for each.

What clients say

Online design option helps close more sales

Buyers who don’t have print-ready artwork can still place orders using templates and quick edits. It’s a strong fit for signage and repeatable marketing pieces.

[email protected]

Big improvement in artwork submission

The upload flow is clearer and reduces back-and-forth. We spend less time chasing files and more time producing orders that are actually ready to print.

UniQ Pathlab

Ordering feels noticeably easier

Customers can find the right products faster and move through configuration and checkout with fewer questions. The storefront experience feels more organized and professional.

Hotel Linen

Better structure for a large catalog

The category organization makes it easier to discover services across multiple print types, including large-format and specialty items, without overwhelming the customer.

maurolunardon

Great foundation, needs tuning for edge cases

Overall the workflow is solid, but we still had a few specific scenarios to adjust (like certain upload/design interactions). With a paid plan, fine-tuning is straightforward.

fapoo

Questions about this project

It’s designed for commercial print shops and web-to-print storefronts that sell multiple product categories (signage, banners, business cards, print collateral) and need a smoother ordering and artwork submission experience.

Yes. Many print stores reduce errors by disabling the design tool when a file is uploaded (and vice versa). This can be configured to match your preferred checkout behavior; paid support can help implement it faster.

It focuses on clearer product taxonomy and navigation so customers can quickly locate what they need (for example, signage vs. print collateral, or specialized categories like real estate printing).

It supports a structured handoff where artwork can be checked before production begins. You can align it with your internal preflight and approval rules; Pro plans help keep these steps consistent at scale.

Yes. The workflow is structured to support two common paths: customers uploading print-ready files or creating/editing designs in-browser. A paid plan is recommended if you want extra guardrails and monitoring.

Yes. The workflow can present and reinforce that production timing starts after artwork is approved, helping set expectations and reducing “where is my order?” messages.

Yes. You can guide customers to a custom quote path when the catalog doesn’t match their needs, reducing abandoned carts and capturing higher-value bespoke requests.

Yes. It’s suitable for both conventional print and large-format items, including products that require size/material selections and add-ons (like stands or hardware).

Have your product categories, key SKUs, artwork requirements (file types, color mode, DPI), turnaround options, and fulfillment rules ready. Paid plans can assist with best-practice structure and rollout.

Ongoing support depends on your plan. Free usage doesn’t include commercial support. A paid plan is recommended for priority help, monitoring, and continuous improvements after your store goes live.

More corporate & b2b portals case studies

Corporate & B2B portals

Enhanced Online Ordering Experience for Custom Print Products

CMSMART recognized the need for an improved online presence and ordering flow for a print product business. The client offers a wide range of services, including business cards, flyers, posters, plans, and signage. By streamlining their online ordering process, CMSMART helped the client enhance product discoverability and provide a seamless customer journey. Customers can now easily navigate through clearer service categories, upload artwork, and select product configurations with reduced friction, resulting in a significantly enhanced online experience.

Read the case study →

Corporate & B2B portals

Enhancing Customer Journey and Ordering Experience for Custom Products

The client specializes in delivering high-quality custom products, including business cards, posters, and banners. Their service-oriented approach emphasizes an effortless customer journey from selecting products to artwork submission and production. CMSMART played a crucial role in refining their online presence by improving the catalog structure and enhancing the ordering flow, thus enabling customers to easily navigate their offerings and submit designs.

Read the case study →

Corporate & B2B portals

Improving Customer Experience for Print Products with Streamlined Online Ordering

In today’s competitive landscape, a seamless online presence is imperative for businesses in the printing industry. Our client specializes in offering a variety of print products and services, such as business cards, flyers, and custom signage. Cmsmart recognized the need to enhance their service discovery and ordering efficiency. By implementing a tailored solution, we improved their online ordering process and facilitated easier product personalization. Our efforts helped to simplify the customer journey from browsing to final purchase, ultimately providing a superior user experience.

Read the case study →

Transforming Printomatic’s Online Ordering for Improved Service Discovery and User Experience

The challenge

Context and Challenges

Goals

The solution

Solution Overview

Implementation Approach

What was built

How it fits the order workflow

Outcome

What the workflow covers

What clients say

Questions about this project

Related tutorials

Managing Bulk and Recurring Corporate Print Orders: Cards, Labels, and Documents

How to Set Up a Corporate Printing Portal for Company Merch and Gifts

Corporate Gifting Campaigns: Planning, Approval, and Fulfillment

Enhanced Online Ordering Experience for Custom Print Products

Enhancing Customer Journey and Ordering Experience for Custom Products

Improving Customer Experience for Print Products with Streamlined Online Ordering

Want a store like this?