Personalization is an Expectation, Not a Niche
- Published: February 27, 2026
By Wacław Mostowski, Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) and Co-Founder of Antigro Designer
Traditionally, volume has been the key driver of success for printers and converters producing long runs of standardized products, with print businesses relying on predictable workflows and stable order volumes. This picture has evolved significantly and today looks very different with demand shifting towards shorter runs, faster turnaround times, and growing demand for bespoke and personalized products across packaging, labels, and promotional print. Customers are seeking printed products that speak directly to a specific audience, event, or moment and are looking for products that can stand out on busy shelves and cut through the noise rather than a one-size-fits all approach.
While personalization was historically more of a premium or niche offering, today it’s an expectation, with businesses and brands seeking ways to connect more meaningfully with customers. Print is one of the most powerful ways to achieve this, particularly in the packaging space, and for converters this change presents both a challenge and an opportunity. With traditional, high-volume work declining, the rapid growth of print personalization is making diversification more accessible than ever.
The Sticker Builder tool simplifies and enhances the production of custom die-cut stickers Image courtesy of Antigro Designer
Personalization is an Expectation
Personalized print can seem complex and challenging by printers and converters still operating a more traditional, long-run approach, and this is understandable. Variable data jobs can require expertise and a streamlined pre-press setup and this can sometimes make personalization tricky to scale meaning it’s not always something that converters feel is achievable in terms of efficiency.
However, advances in personalization software have significantly lowered the barriers to entry. Automation, template-based design and real-time previews enable personalized jobs to be produced with far less manual input and customers can see exactly how their finished product will look, make edits themselves, and approve artwork instantly. For converters, this means less time spent on revisions, fewer errors, and a shorter order-to-production cycle.
This means that personalization is no longer limited to specialist print-service-providers and is becoming a standard part of print, particularly for businesses looking to differentiate in crowded markets or looking to offset declining print runs and commoditized product ranges.
Software Evolution
The evolution of print personalization is driving this diversification, with modern tools and solutions designed to enable customization in an efficient and scalable way. Automation is key here, with pre-built templates enabling brand consistency whilst still allowing for variation. Smart design features automatically adjust layouts, reducing the need for manual intervention. Tools such as background removal or intelligent cropping help users achieve professional results quickly, even with little to no design experience.
User experience is another key factor here and intuitive, mobile-friendly interfaces allow customers to place orders, personalize designs, and approve artwork in a single, streamlined process. For converters, personalization software makes it possible to introduce new product lines without fundamentally changing existing workflows or investing in new equipment as it doesn’t require additional design staff or specialists to manage complex workflows, it becomes an extension of the current operation.
The Sticker Builder and Print Customizer tools feature real-time previews, enabling customers to see exactly what their design will look like. Image courtesy of Antigro Designer
Sticker Market
A great example of personalization-led diversification is the rapid growth of the sticker market. Demand for stickers has surged across multiple sectors from e-commerce and events to personal branding and promotional marketing. According to Towards Packaging consultants, the global personalized stickers market is predicted to reach around $7.99 billion by 2034, increasing at a CAGR of 5.73%. This growth is driven by demand for short-run, customized products across e-commerce, retail, and personal gifting as well as ongoing advances in digital print technology.
For converters, stickers are a natural diversification opportunity as many businesses already work with similar substrates, adhesives and finishing processes involved in creating stickers, making it relatively straightforward to add stickers to an existing product offering. However, the difference is in how the personalization element is managed.
This is where personalization software comes in. Consumers ordering stickers are often less interested in creating complex designs from scratch and more interested in speed, simplicity, and confidence in the final result. Personalization software addresses this by offering structured customization options such as templates, instant previews, and mobile optimization. All of this creates a smooth and streamlined design and ordering experience whilst maintaining production control for converters.
By utilizing software that minimizes time spent on design variation and approval stages, converters can offer a wide range of sticker formats for a variety of applications from promotional handouts to event-specific designs, without increasing the operational complexity. Stickers can also be a gateway product to other personalized products and can result in new customers who may go on to purchase labels, packaging or other printed materials.
Personalized Products
In addition to stickers, there are many diversification options enabled by print personalization software. Branded stationery, inserts, short-run promotional items, seasonal packaging designs, and even apparel can be added using the same underlying tools. The key advantage of this for converters is flexibility. Personalization tools enable businesses to test new product categories with minimal risk, enabling them to offer limited ranges or seasonal products without committing to large inventories or stock or investing time and resources into complex setup processes for each new product. This is especially beneficial for printers and converters servicing markets where demand is increasingly event-driven or campaign-led.
By focusing on products that align with existing capabilities such as labels or packaging, converters can expand their offering while maintaining efficiency and without investment in new printing or finishing equipment. Personalization is an opportunity to draw more value from existing equipment and expertise.
Personalization Tools
As personalized and short-run work continues to grow, workflow efficiency is becoming just as important as creative capability with shorter runs meaning higher order volumes, tighter deadlines and increased pressure on production. The good news is that as well as taking the stress out of the design side, personalization tools also support workflow efficiency.
Smart design features, automated ganging, and seamless integration with bespoke APIs and e-commerce systems such as Shopify and WooCommerce all help to ensure that personalized jobs remain achievable and profitable. By reducing manual touchpoints and improving the workflow from order to press, converters can handle greater order complexity without needing to sacrifice turnaround times or profit margins in the process.
With this in mind and as print personalization demand continues to grow, it will be a case of how well businesses implement these print personalization tools into their production and those that incorporate these tools within their operations will be the ones best positioned to scale and diversify.
With the print and converting industry moving away from a volume-driven model, market fragmentation, shorter runs and rising expectations for quicker turnarounds and personalization mean that diversification is now a necessity.
The good news is that diversification doesn’t necessarily mean complex challenges or disruption due to the evolution of print personalization software and the fact that it has removed many of the barriers of entry. Instead, converters and packaging printers are able to add new products to their offering and offer more differentiated print that meets the evolving needs of their customers rather than competing on volume alone.
About the Author
Wacław Mostowski is Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) and Co-Founder of Antigro Designer, a developer of print product customization and personalization tools. Since co-founding the company, Wacław has utilized his passion for automation, new technologies, and innovation to position Antigro Designer as a leader in the digital customization and personalization industry.
