Society always changes. Business practices are no different. With the ever-increasing power of our personal technologies, from computers to phones to tablets, we have become accustomed to immediate gratification. When we want something, we get it. Between searches providing us with easy answers to any question we have to impulsively buy something, simply because we can do so by voice command, we have become wired to the instantaneous.
This has given rise to on-demand services like Netflix, which allows people to watch shows at their own pace. Binge-watching has become a cultural norm that has overtaken our lives. Amazon has features that enable us to automatically renew subscriptions to key household items with the click of a button. Apps on our phone cater to so many of our needs from ordering food to a cab to sending mail or receiving money. Things happen instantaneously.
The on-demand economy doesn’t just mean streaming services though; it means a whole new way to conduct business. Technology has advanced to the point where we can produce products for consumers as they want it. Rather than mass-producing a large number of products that will either sell out or sell too little, it is now possible to have a digital copy of a product that a consumer will buy, and then produce the product specifically for them.
This, unbelievable as it may seem, is actually very cheap to do.
Amazon revolutionized the publishing industry with its on-demand-printing. This meant that self-publishers from around the world could not only put their eBook for sale on Amazon, they could also set up a means for their readers to buy a physical copy. The quality of these printed, on-demand books are on par with many traditional paperbacks, and, the best part? These books are printed at no cost to the author. Amazon includes a base price for their printing service that is incorporated into the cost of the book. This means that you get your share without paying out of pocket for the production costs.
Another industry that on-demand marketplaces have taken the world by storm is the fine art industry. Artists around the world struggle to get their works from being admired to making them money. The appeal of having on-demand fine art is that it is an affordable solution to decorating your home with unique items perfect for your sense of style. Fine Art America, is a marketplace, where there are not only canvas prints and canvas art for sale for art enthusiasts, but it’s also a place for artists to sell their own artwork.
On-demand marketplaces allow independent artists to sell their work to a marketplace without the worry of hefty production costs. On demand is taking over the face of business practice as we know it. 3D Printing is the newest tech that is breaking through, offering solutions in many industries from construction to medicine. The world is moving away from mass production to exact production, meaning less waste for both the manufacturer, the merchant, and the customer.
