The idea: Build a Shopify-based store with web-to-print
QTCo, Australia’s largest digital print fulfiller, had the idea to build a Shopify-based store called The T-Shirt Co. The company requested an online store with web-to-print integration to sell custom T-shirts.
We decided early on that we wanted to build a Shopify online store. I used Google and LinkedIn to search for online design tools with modern technology that worked with Shopify. It was also important for us to find a solution that we could integrate with our existing fulfillment system
The Customer’s Canvas team develops web-to-print editors, but our full range of services goes much further. We assisted QTCo at all stages of the project, from planning the customer’s journey to implementing web-to-print with a non-standard Variable Data Printing (VDP) functionality.
About the Company
QTCo began in 2013 to bring custom digital printing to the people and has since grown into Australia’s largest and fastest digital print fulfiller. The T-Shirt Co is a company brand selling custom T-shirts and other apparel.
The challenge: Find a reliable web-to-print solution
QTCo was interested in replacing its old web store that relied on an outdated design tool.
From experience with our old design tool website, we had a list of pain points to improve user experience. We needed to find a solution that would be reliable and allow for easy customization
Since the company encountered some difficulties with its previous design tool, the QTCo team decided to find a web-to-print provider that could meet the following requirements:
- Make the design editor work equally well on desktop, mobile, and displays of varied sizes. The previous tool took up only about a third of the desktop screen and was not responsive, which severely limited the user experience.
- Simplify the design process to make navigation easier.
- Implement a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) personalization scenario.
- Integrate with existing software to process artwork accurately and quickly.
The solution: Use a turnkey online store with custom web-to-print features
The Customer’s Canvas team worked with QTCo during the entire process, from building a sensible customer path through their store to building a custom VDP functionality tailored to their needs.
Planning the customer’s journey. Online shoppers value an intuitive user experience with a short path between them and their desired products. We helped QTCo plan and organize a convenient customer journey on their website.
Making an intuitive online catalog. An online product catalog is more than a list of products with their descriptions. It is an effective tool that helps businesses boost their sales numbers. We worked with the QTCo team to implement a user-friendly catalog with simple filtering by garment type, brand, and color.
Preparing T-shirt mockups. Our designers prepared a large library of attractive T-shirt mockups in different colors. Completing this work ahead of the launch of the online store gave the QTCo team a running start back into the market.
Implementing web-to-print with a custom VDP functionality. The company previously used an order management system that required manual work. The process was time-consuming and confusing for the QTCo team and end-users. We aimed to simplify order processing and provide customers with a user-friendly interface.
Our engineers integrated the design editor for personalizing T-shirts into the Shopify-based store through the API. We implemented a custom VDP technology that allows customers to enter variable data directly in the editor and send the job to fulfillment.
This technology fluidly processes large orders with different data fields. For example, a basketball manager could order hundreds of T-shirts of various sizes for players with different numbers. Now, the company and end-users can change T-shirt designs in a straightforward way.
Customers love that they can seamlessly copy their design to multiple products
The results: Order processing is much quicker and more convenient
According to Leah Storer, order processing has been faster and easier than ever.
We can now be confident that we always receive accurate data into our API without any errors or downtime
What results have you seen with your web-to-print integration?
We have heard from a lot of delighted customers about how much better our new website and design tool are to use. We no longer have issues with artwork importing to our system differently from how the customer sees it.
How does the Customer’s Canvas implementation currently affect your business?
Our customer experience is much improved – customers can easily find and create what they want to get printed on their T-shirts. We have been able to easily edit our product availability and add new products to our website using the Customer’s Canvas integration.
What impact do you think utilizing our online editor has had on your company’s revenue growth?
Customer’s Canvas makes sales and conversions easier. We are seeing more repeat customers with larger orders.
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