Webmart's free PM portal 'goes trade-only'

Webmart has relaunched its free self-service print management portal, freeprintmanagement.com, as a 'trade-only' site in a move that it claims will help give printers "the print management profits of the future".

The website gives printers the toolkit to work out prices for jobs that they are unable to produce in-house and to place the job should they win the contract.

Use of the site is free for printers, although Webmart charges an "average print management fee" of 8%, which is automatically included in the freeprintmanagement.com prices.

However, the service is still available to any buyers who have placed work direct with Webmart in the past, while new buyers can pay around 99p per day to use the site, which will be refunded once they place their first job direct with the Bicester-based print manager.

Webmart managing director Simon Biltcliffe said: "We already have over 350 printers registered on the FreePrintManagment.com site. On average, they are making 15% on the print that we manage for them: they are making more money by not printing than by printing themselves.

"Trust is everything in print and our suppliers are all quality printers working under a strict NDA/SLA framework. With our all-in print management prices, there really is now a new, no-risk way to make money - by selling to your existing customers a broader range of print than you can manufacture, and with no investment needed. It's a world first, and every printer can win from this new service."

Earlier this month Webmart picked up the Business Growth Strategy award at the European Business Awards 2009.