Paper preferred: Sivakumar checking a machine while printing receipts at his printing factory in Jelutong, Penang.
GEORGE TOWN: Amid the shift to e-invoicing, demand for paper receipts and invoices is still holding up as some businesses continue to favour physical documentation.
Printing companies report a surprising uptick in orders, especially for customised paper receipts, highlighting that the digital transition has not fully replaced the need for tangible records.
Lee Shyang-Way, 25, who works alongside her father at their printing shop, said today’s demand is more on customised products featuring company logos.
“There is still demand for physical invoice and receipt books, especially among manufacturers.
“Some companies order as many as 100 booklets per year.
Lee looks at the information on an invoice before printing at her office. — CHAN BOON KAI/The Star
“However, we focus more on customisation and less on off-the-shelf products these days,” she said when met at her office in Jelutong here recently.
Lee added that there is still a market for calendars, but interest in ang pow packets has declined.
She said there were still companies that ordered calendars featuring their logos, as this provides year-round advertising.
On ang pow packets, she acknowledged that demand has dwindled drastically over the years.
“Many companies no longer see ang pow packets as an effective advertising tool due to the rise of social media and other platforms.
“Before this, they would distribute such packets featuring their logos as a form of promotion, but not anymore, as they feel this is no longer a viable way to connect with people,” she said.
Another printer, K. Sivakumar, 54, said the landscape of traditional printing has shifted significantly.
“We used to print a large volume of invoice and receipt books, but now orders have declined.
“While there is still demand for customised books from some companies, it’s not like the past when every business needed them.
“Factories still require physical receipts and invoices, so we maintain our regular orders.
“In the past five years, demand has dropped by about 50%, which is normal as the industry evolves, especially with the availability of e-receipts.
“From the 1990s to 2010, I printed millions of greeting cards for Deepavali, but now there’s totally no demand for them.
“Times change and now, there’s a growing need for product packaging, so we have shifted our focus to printing more of that,” said Sivakumar, who has been in the printing line for over 30 years.
Sivakumar, who operates his printing press in Jelutong, said there is still some demand for red packets although it has decreased compared with the past.
“People continue to order them due to the tradition of giving money during the festive seasons.
“However, even wedding cards have fallen out of favour, as many now prefer to send e-cards instead,” he added.
