With the design tools delivered by Wix, it seems that content for print, merchandise, etc., can now be handled by Wix as well - and with websites often being the starting point for many businesses, this seems like a good move. With Vistaprint's ownership of 99designs, the company can now offer print and website customers services in one centralized solution. No doubt, a solution that many will find interesting - and I believe selling print and merchandize printed with Vistaprint will be as easy for Wix customers - and their customers, so very smart!

As there is no doubt that the management and boards of both companies (public) have identified synergies, there are even more far-reaching potentials, I believe!

Vistaprint is, by all means, a beacon for many printing companies in the world. When Vistaprint was launched, I believe, many PSPs saw the company as a massive threat to their business. Today, I think most PSPs don't really notice Vistaprint much since the market Vistaprint address is very different from back then - or the market has changed, so the competition is eliminated?

When Vistaprint some time ago acquired 99designs, I wouldn't say I was surprised, and I couldn't help thinking about an article I wrote (pre-INKISH NEWS) back in 2018 'Printers become factories and print buyers buy somewhere else..."

Vistaprint does precisely what was my point in the above article. By adding the creative/content layer to their offerings, they can profit from print and creative work and drive traffic to their other offerings. Vistaprint can now have even more drivers towards their products and services and grow with the Wix partnership. With Wix CEO Nir Zohar also on the board of Fiverr.com, I wouldn't be too surprised if Fiverr, at some point, also will be part of the equation.

But there is more to it. The industrial age is over, and the number of NEW 1,000+ employee companies is on a global scale decreasing. With technology like Wix, Vistaprint, online payments, drop shipping, APIs, and new types of products in a new 'e-time,' a company like Vistaprint is positioning itself and most likely for where the majority of the future business is.

Vistaprint is and was a first-mover in the printing industry, and with new partnerships, global presence, and a technology base, Vistaprint may very well be stepping into becoming even bigger. Vistaprint doesn't even need to own the entire value chain, as their size today allows them to play the 'Amazon' game, where they offer a platform that buyers and sellers can hook into.

Can any compete with Vistaprint? Well, that is one of the good things (for those not part of Vistaprint/Cimpress) in my mind. Vistaprint and online print need the volume of each product/service offered to be profitable. So, as mentioned thousands of times before, the conventional printers left MUST deliver on higher service, faster turnaround, higher quality, unique products/services, everything that differs from the commodity, and all trends are pointing to more customers explicitly asking for this!

Customer trends are that buying local, buying sustainable will be the toughest competition to huge online printers. Vistaprint will - if not already - work on local supply chains. Competition pushes innovation, and with companies like Cloudprinter (enabling global printing for all PSPs) and HP's new content creation tools, print has a bright future. Greatly, I am certain that another of my predictions will also come true. Commercial print will revive, not because business from the past will come back, but because smart people develop entirely new solutions that will create demand for printed products like never before. We will not only see printers like Vistaprint investing in the creative arm. Many other online printers have started to roll out creative opportunities. Still, the real game-changer is when content creation on demand enables all eCommerce providers and businesses to create print files on demand. HP has already signed up with numerous TikTok accounts to create printed content based on the video content already there (automatically) - and you won't believe your eyes when you see this! I am confident that within a short time, we can show you more on INKISH about this!

So if you have a decreasing business, wake up, innovate and develop. There is a tremendously huge market waiting for print, as print becomes a unique luxury thing!

I can't, however, help thinking about how smart Vistaprint is. By identifying drivers for their business as clear as this move indicate is simply brilliant. And with SO many other drivers in the market that support that mission - that's really, really smart thinking!