The cheapest color printing ever
There aren’t many things you can buy cheaper today than 10 years ago. Cheap, high-quality full-color printing is one of the few exceptions to the best-value purchases any business can make. The truth is that printing is no longer an art or a trade. The old seasoned master printers are now with the dodo birds. Gone are the letterpress houses, airbrush artists, color separators, film strippers, and press masters who would work miracles to get the most out of a difficult print job.
Now anyone with very little knowledge can replace the creative professional craftsman with just a cheap digital camera and cheap computer. Printing is now a technology. While great design and layout is still an art, the tools are available to anyone who wants to do it themselves. Automated digital color separations have been replaced by direct-to-plate technologies. Computers now make color separations directly to the printing plate and make pressure peeling easier and more accurate. Newer presses read colors and set ink levels. Old-style solvent-based inks and varnishes have been replaced by vegetable-based inks and aqueous coatings to protect the environment.
Online printing services have replaced many local printers, except for most simple 1 and 2-color jobs. With the replacement of all highly skilled craftsmen, printing prices have dropped accordingly. 10 years ago, 1,000 color business cards cost between $ 100 and $ 200. Today, even better color business cards with free matte or UV coating cost less than $ 40 online. Today 1,000 free water-coated 8.5 X 11 steering wheels cost less than $ 200 and the quality is better.
There are more than 100,000 online printers competing for your work. It is one of the few places where price wars occur. The problem for the consumer is not the price. It is selecting the best printing service that will give you quality, price and value. Not all online printers are the same.
For example, Printer A charges $ 29 for 1,000 business cards. These cards are printed on 12 pt thin card stock. They charge you an extra $ 10 to print the back and the only coating available is varnish. If you want a glossy UV coating, there is another additional charge. A smart buyer would know that this offer might not be as good as it sounds. One gift is varnish, which is only used in old-style presses that do not have inline coating towers.
Printer B offers 1,000 business cards printed on heavy 14 or extra heavy 16 point cardstock that are printed in full color on both sides with UV or matte laminate coating for $ 36 all inclusive. There are no surprises or surcharges. They provide quality, price and service.
Both clients can be happy with your offers and your printing services. But which one got the best value? It is okay if you selected the lowest price if you know what you are really getting. Make sure you know how much it will actually cost you. Some online printing services prefer to give quality as their most important offering. They believe in offering the best price for the best product. Be sure to look up the details of exactly what you are buying. The paperweight and the finish are important. Don’t complain later. It won’t do you any good if you didn’t ask the right questions.
Some of the best online printing services also offer unique WOW Factor effects. These are specialty options such as spot UV, foil, silver, colored metallic effects, waterproof paper, plastic, or silk laminate to name a few. You may not need them today, but it shows that this printer is up to date with state-of-the-art options. If the prices are comparable, it is best to choose a printing service that offers these special services knowing that you may want to use them in the future. By establishing a relationship now, you know you have a reliable printer you can trust. When the time comes when you want to add a little creativity to your marketing to get noticed, you know who to turn to for your print. You can also be sure that an online printing service can offer the WOW Factor effect; they are also using the latest technologies for the highest quality and quick response.
Finding the right printer is important for every business. Remember that not all printers are the same. The cheap price does not mean the best value. Be aware of what you get for your printing dollar. Look for a printer that offers all the benefits: quality, price, service and value.