Method and apparatus for automated on-line printing service

A method for automatic operation of an on-line print merchant for:

• (i) allowing a plurality of content retailers to offer a plurality of print products from a plurality of content providers to retail customers and make a plurality of print product orders;
• (ii) offering a direct service to business customers for generating and ordering print products out of their own content;
• (iii) fulfilling print orders from content retailers according to item (i) above and from business customers according to item (ii) above via a plurality of print service providers each using print manager software, a plurality of printers and a plurality of couriers to deliver print products to retail and/or business customers;
• said method comprising the steps of:
• supporting a transaction of an order of a first type between a retail customer and one of said plurality content retailers for supply of at least one print product marketed by the print merchant to the retail customer;
• transacting an on-line order of a second type between said one of said plurality of content retailers and said print merchant for fulfillment of said first type order by said print merchant or transacting an on-line order of a second type between said business customers and said print merchant for fulfillment of business customer orders by said print merchant;
• and
• transacting an order of a third type between said print merchant and a selected one of a plurality print service providers for printing and shipping said at one print product to either said retail or business customer on the basis of the print product ordered by the retail or business customer pursuant to said second type order.

A method of operating a print service provider facility comprising:

• receiving an electronic order for a plurality of print products;
• receiving electronically an image content data;
• and transferring electronically said image content to a printer device, and
• printing an image content onto a print media to produce said print product in fulfillment of said order.

A method of operating a print merchant operation for matching a plurality of orders of a second type for print products, with a plurality of print service provider operations capable of fulfilling said order, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a request for an order identification;
• issuing an order identification in response to said request;
• receiving an order of said second type for supply of print products;
• acknowledging said order;
• selecting a print service provider operation from said plurality of print service provider operations;
• placing an order of a third type with at least one said selected print service provider, for ordering supply of said print products.

At least one computer entity configured for:

• receiving electronically, a plurality of orders of a second type, for supply of at least one print product;
• selecting a print service provider operation from a plurality of print service provider operations;
• and
• placing at least one order of a third type with at least one selected said print service provider for ordering supply of said at least one print product.