The 3 forces driving the on-demand print boom

The print world is changing. Fast.

Global brands and ecommerce businesses are leaving traditional offset print behind in favor of agile, digital-first production. Why? Because on-demand isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a $100 billion market shift driven by personalization, sustainability, and the unstoppable rise of ecommerce. And for print service providers (PSPs), that shift is already here.

But while the opportunity is massive, so are the challenges. PSPs are finding themselves caught between rising demand and legacy systems not built to keep up. That’s where the next generation of production platforms—like GelatoConnect—are reshaping the game.

Here’s what’s fueling the on-demand revolution—and how the most forward-thinking PSPs are scaling smarter, faster, and more profitably.

Online stores used to be the outliers. Now they’re the standard. Today’s ecommerce landscape is powered by platforms like Shopify, Etsy, and Amazon, where selling physical products doesn’t mean producing in bulk—it means producing on demand.

Print-on-demand (POD) fits this perfectly. Every time a consumer clicks “buy,” the item is made and shipped in real time, often directly from a local PSP. This model reduces inventory costs, increases speed to market, and supports a new wave of micro-entrepreneurs building brands from bedrooms and browsers.

And it’s working. The POD sector is growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 25%, heading toward $103 billion by 2034.

The implications for PSPs? Massive. But accessing that volume—at speed, with quality, and at scale—means moving beyond outdated workflows.

Custom is the new standard. From custom apparel to personalized packaging, 48% of consumers are willing to wait longer for a product made just for them—and 36% expect it by default.

Print-on-demand unlocks this at scale. With digital print, unique products can be made one at a time, using data to dynamically personalize images, text, offers, and more. No plates, no setup delays—just fast, flexible production tailored to the end user.

This shift is particularly powerful in B2B marketing, where customized sales materials help brands stand out. Personalized banners, business cards, event kits—all produced locally and on demand—give teams what they need, when they need it.

Today’s consumers and companies are putting sustainability first. Nearly 75% of millennials say they’ll pay more for products from eco-friendly brands. On-demand production makes that commitment real.

By only producing what’s sold, PSPs eliminate overproduction waste and reduce carbon emissions from long-haul shipping. Localized fulfillment means fewer trucks, fewer planes, and less landfill.

And as ESG reporting becomes standard for large enterprises, localized print becomes a strategic advantage—not just a green choice, but a business decision.

Print aggregators like Ciloo, Cloudprinter, and GelatoCreate are transforming how brands buy print. These platforms act as global connectors, linking large demand (brands, ecomm platforms, creators) with distributed local supply (PSPs).

For PSPs, this opens access to a consistent stream of orders from clients you’d never reach on your own. But it comes with a twist: volume only flows to those who can perform. Orders are routed based on speed, quality, and data visibility. It’s not enough to be “good”—you need to be great, reliably and repeatedly.

Global aggregator Ciloo puts it best:

“When we serve brands like Honeywell, it’s crucial that our partners can onboard fast and provide API access to real-time data. We have a strong preference for PSPs with GelatoConnect.”

— Christian Saeterhaug, Co-founder of Ciloo

Why? Because those PSPs consistently:

• Deliver <0.35% error rates

• Dispatch 98% of orders on time

• Reduce shipping costs by 25%

• Increase margins by up to 7%

That’s not just operational success—it’s a competitive edge.

The print economy has changed. Aggregators are the gatekeepers. And the winners are those who can deliver speed, scale, and sustainability—without sacrificing profitability.

GelatoConnect is your foundation for this transformation. Whether you’re already fulfilling aggregator orders or just starting your journey, the time to act is now.

Because the future of print isn’t about more machines. It’s about smarter production.