Laying out the store before any templates are built
We begin by mapping the way your print shop sells work today, then align that with the products you want online. That includes the categories, artwork rules, quantities, turnarounds and any branch specific handling that affects an order once it lands in the system.
The first pass is practical. We look at what should be visible to customers, what should stay behind the counter and where pricing needs to be fixed, calculated or reviewed before checkout. This keeps the storefront aligned with the way your team already works in Durbanville, Cape Town or any other branch handling the same job flow.
- Product groups are grouped by how the order moves through production.
- Artwork requirements are defined before templates are opened to customers.
- Pricing rules are matched to size, quantity, material and finishing.
- Approval points are set so staff know where intervention is needed.
Template build work that keeps measurements honest
Product templates are built around the real variables your customers enter. That can include standard sizes, custom dimensions, quantity bands, finish options, upload limits and artwork checks. The aim is to make the build feel straightforward while still protecting the print side from bad files or impossible combinations.
We also shape the wording around each template so the customer understands what is being ordered before payment is made. If a product needs bleed, safe zones, a fixed stock choice or a specific file type, that is built into the flow. It reduces back and forth and keeps the production team from sorting avoidable errors later.
- Templates can be fixed size or custom size.
- Artwork rules may cover file type, bleed and resolution.
- Option sets are trimmed so the form stays usable.
- Each template is checked against the production process behind it.
Price matrices, approval logic and payment paths
Price matrices sit at the centre of most onboarding work. The logic has to reflect how your shop quotes jobs, whether the price changes by size, quantity, board type, print side or finishing. Once those rules are in place, the storefront can give a live price that matches the line items your team would normally calculate by hand.
We then connect that pricing to payment and delivery choices where required. Some shops want card payment at checkout, others want account based ordering for approved clients, and some need both. The same applies to courier choices, collection rules and the way delivery is calculated for different towns or service areas.
- Price bands can be set for different quantities.
- Hidden surcharges can be built into the matrix where needed.
- Account clients can follow a separate B2B checkout path.
- Courier and collection options are matched to the order type.
Proofing, artwork checks and the first internal handover
Once the storefront logic is settled, we move into proofing workflows and artwork preflight. This is where the order is shaped so staff can see what needs checking before production starts. Some shops want manual approval on every first-time job, while others only want checks when the upload falls outside the set rules.
The internal handover matters as much as the customer-facing build. Your team needs to know where to find uploaded files, what to do with rejected artwork and how to push an order from intake into production tracking. Training is part of this stage, not something left for later when everyone is already under pressure.
- Proofing can be manual, rule based or mixed.
- Artwork preflight flags file issues before the job is accepted.
- Staff learn where notes, files and approvals sit on each order.
- Production tracking is aligned to the steps your shop already uses.
B2B portal setup for corporate accounts and repeat buyers
Where corporate clients place follow-on orders, a B2B portal can make the process cleaner. We set up user groups, account based access, product visibility and approval paths so returning buyers only see what applies to them. This is useful for offices, franchise groups and departments that need controlled ordering rather than a public retail-style storefront.
The portal structure can also support brand rules, separate price lists and order tracking per buyer group. That matters when one organisation has several branches or several people entering orders from different locations. The result is less confusion at the front end and cleaner records inside the shop.
- Different client groups can see different products.
- Account based pricing can sit behind a login.
- Approval rights can be split by department or user role.
- Order history stays visible for repeat reordering.
Launch preparation, staff training and the first live week
Before launch, we do a final pass through the live order flow, admin screens and shop settings. The point is not only to make the storefront look ready, but to make sure the production side can carry the orders without confusion once customers start using it. A launch should feel like a controlled opening, not a rush of guesses.
Training is kept practical. Staff need to know how to update products, check uploads, manage order states and handle questions that come in after the storefront goes live. We also review what should be expanded later, such as new categories, extra template sets or tighter workflow steps once the first batch of orders has settled in.
- Admin training covers day to day order handling.
- Launch support focuses on the live storefront and its settings.
- Workflow review helps spot gaps after the first orders.
- Catalogue expansion can be planned once core products are steady.
