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EFI unveiled the forthcoming version of Digital StoreFront, the company's Web-to-Print platform, at its Graph Expo booth 2000 (through Oct. 29, McCormick Place). A "Must See 'ems" 2008 award winner, EFI Digital StoreFront (DSF) provides customers with an intuitive e-commerce interface and powerful back-end automation. The latest version, DSF 4.0, has powerful new Variable Data Printing (VDP) features, superwide format product options, enhanced integration, and a fulfillment module.
Digital StoreFront enables print service providers to create a unique shopping experience for their customers, allowing them to easily navigate through a full suite of print products and services all in one place, including personalized print items and managed catalogs. Print customers can shop, specify, proof and buy print products using familiar e-commerce tools. Inside the print operation, DSF acts as an on-ramp to the digital production workflow and print management systems, reducing manual data entry, decreasing the likelihood of print errors, and reducing labor costs. In addition, print service providers can provide proactive job status via the web and customers can access online job tracking for better visibility into the stages of production.
Marc Olin, senior vice president/general manager, EFI Advanced Professional Print Software (APPS) said: "Already in use at more than 3000 locations, Digital StoreFront enables print service providers to create a unique, loyalty-building user experience for their customers. We've been listening to user requests and are excited to introduce the forthcoming version at this year's Graph Expo. We think visitors to our booth will be impressed with industry-leading VDP tools such as multi-record data upload and PPML support, easy to use tools for ordering superwide format products, and even tighter integration with EFI's print management and digital printing solutions. In today's tough economic market, more print service providers are relying on Web-to-Print platforms to cut costs and streamline production, and DSF is the perfect partner."
The new version builds on already strong VDP features. Data lists now allow for multi-record data file upload, storage, modification and use of one or more records within a data set for VDP job creation. Image galleries provide the ability to select an image from a group of images displayed in a single window as thumbnails. With this release, support for PPML has been added as an output format. Digital StoreFront remains the only solution to offer a choice of VDP technology providers, supporting FusionPro and XMPie.
As more and more print service providers offer superwide format options, DSF has been enhanced to ensure successful online ordering. These enhancements give buyers a simple but powerful tool for ordering large and SWF products online. Background File Upload allows the buyer to continue the order while the file is uploading "behind the scenes." A state-of-the-art pricing engine, with price list functionality, provides the ability to see the correct price online based on quantity, media, finished size and finishing options that include stitching, pole pockets, grommets, various frames, wind slits, lamination, mounting and many more.
