It started as a niche but become mainstream quickly: online printing.

There are different ways to describe or define an online printer, but the main distinguishing point is that the printing company receives the majority of its jobs and customer interactions via online tools. Finer distinctions can be made according to the customer type the company focuses on (B2B or B2C), the applications (commercial print, photo print, etc.), or the type of portal (open or closed). There are companies with a narrow focus and other that play in all areas mentioned. Additionally, there are traditional printing companies that developed online competences and are doing more and more business via the web.

This variety makes it difficult to get detailed insight and data. Some companies and industry experts do provide good insight, however. Zipcon and its founder and owner Bernd Zipper have been analysing and supporting the on-line print market in the German-speaking countries (Germany, Austria, Switzerland—also known as the DACH region) for years, supplying market data and tracking prices.