METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATED ON-LINE PRINTING SERVICE

There is disclosed an on-line print network comprising a print merchant computer, and a plurality of print service providers. Within each print service provider, orders are satisfied efficiently by optimizing throughput of print jobs within the print service provider, whilst at the same time, minimizing media wastage and achieving high printer device utilization, under control of a print manager computer interfacing with the print merchant computer on the one hand, and with the plurality of printer devices on the other hand.