Creating a successful business isn’t just about developing and selling a product - true success lies in making the customer experience as simple and fast as possible. Bristol-based online store, StickerShop are living proof that simplicity and reliability are important factors for business growth and, with the help of Roland DG equipment, they’re taking their business to new heights.
Origins
StickerShop was founded in January 2017 by directors Shane Pritchard, Calum Baker and Martin Baker. With a background in commercial print, they started the business from a solid foundation of technical expertise with their first printer, the SOLJET PRO 3 XC-540.
But print wasn’t their only passion - the StickerShop team are also keen web developers and they used these skills to create a clean, user-friendly eCommerce platform for the business. The hard work they put into developing their online presence paid off as they soon discovered a need to boost their production.
In an effort to expand their capabilities, they bought their first TrueVIS VG-640 in November 2017, followed a year later by another VG-640, both purchased through authorised Roland dealer, PrintMAX.
Business
“At StickerShop our goal was to make our website and business model as simple and easy to use as possible, but without cutting any corners!”
- www.stickershop.co.uk
StickerShop started out with a clear and distinct goal and they worked hard to align every element of the business with that goal. By managing their own website, they can tweak the customer journey and keep it as streamlined as possible. This approach has been so effective that they currently receive over 50 orders per day, and they need equipment that lets them fulfil those orders in a speedy and reliable fashion.
“We have a commitment to get a proof ready within 2 hours of receiving an order and to dispatch the finished stickers within 48 hours,” explains Shane, “To do that, we need reliable machines which can produce stickers and labels as quickly as possible without compromising on the quality our customers have come to expect”
The Machines
The TrueVIS VG-640 has become a crucial device for hundreds of print service providers and StickerShop is no different. “We run both our VG-640s 24 hours a day, six days a week, using the take-up units for overnight runs.” says Shane, “Because we deal with such high volumes, the reliability and build quality of the Roland printers is just what we need.”
Their efficiency and reliability are strong features of the VG series, but it’s the print quality and cut accuracy that keeps StickerShop’s customers coming back time and again. “We get a lot of return custom and with over 80 five-star reviews on Google, we’re clearly doing something right.”
In a typical order, StickerShop will produce full-colour artwork on the highest quality setting. Then, they’ll either cut the order into A4 sheets of weeded stickers, or use a perforation cut set-ting to die-cut each sticker individually. With a constant stream of orders coming through, having a machine that excels at both print and cut applications is a huge benefit to the business.
Peace of Mind
Aside from its ability to print and cut, the VG-640 is packed with several features that save time and waste. To put the spotlight on just one, Shane was particularly impressed with a feature that’s often overlooked. “The ink bags are great,” he says, “Unlike the previous cartridges, you can really squeeze every bit of ink out. They’re also really easy to insert and remove which is a great benefit for us; we frequently swap inks between machines as part of our workflow and the process needs to be as quick as possible.”
The benefits of StickerShop’s Roland equipment extend beyond the device itself. They have also invested in a Silver RolandCare warranty for their devices. “The after sales experience with Roland has been great,” says Shane. “We’ve had very few issues with the VGs or the XC 540, but any time we’ve needed help, we’ve always had an engineer on site within a day or so.”
Customer reception
Because their website is so accessible, StickerShop deals with a wide range of customers, from individuals to global corporations. To give an idea of the diversity, they have completed window graphics for Google using static cling material, vehicle graphics for Amazon UK, and even stickers for new Dyson products, to name a few.
StickerShop’s customers have come to expect high quality and the VG-640 lets them achieve pristine, repeatable results and keep a 100% customer satisfaction rate. The thing about satisfied customers is that they tend to return and when they do, their expectations are even higher.
“Whenever we get repeat custom, it might have been a few months since they last ordered with us,” Shane explains, “The VG lets us print the same job, months later, and be sure that the colours match the file copy we hold from last batch.”
“We’re always amazed at what the VG can do,” he continues, “One of our customers regularly orders small decals for model cars. These stickers are tiny and can be as small as 3-4mm across. The VGs handle this with ease, printing crisp details and cutting them with extreme accuracy”
What’s next for StickerShop?
As StickerShop continues to rapidly grow, they have their sights set on further expansion. “We’re moving into a new larger premises later this year and we plan to buy a third VG-640 to keep up with the volume of orders,” says Shane, “We’re also working on an update to our website that will let customers design and create their own stickers and labels using our own be-spoke online product builder and designer. Alongside this we will be launching some exciting new products on the website that will further increase our need for more Roland printers in the future.”
At Roland, we love to see our customers using their skills to grow their businesses. StickerShop are winning on all fronts by providing an easy-to-use service with guaranteed quality in every order and we’re delighted to see how the VG series is helping them achieve their dreams.
If you want to see more of StickerShop’s work, be sure to visit https://www.stickershop.co.uk, or check them out on Instagram.
