Which is Better: Online Printing or Local Printing?
A lot of my clients want to send graphic design projects to online printers. Most of the time I cringe at the thought. Sure the price is pretty good. Sure the turnaround time is quick. But is it really worth it? Let’s take a look…
Online Printing
The up-side…
- most of the time it’s less expensive
- fast turnaround time
- they do offer a variety of services, a variety of printing options, papers, dies, etc.
The down-side…
- lacks personal one-to-one customer service–you are never working with the same rep so there’s no opportunity to build a business relationship
- your project is mass printed, in turn, you have a very short time frame to approve the online proof
- no hard copy proof is provided. So, I would get an online proof which pretty much looks like what I sent, but how do I know the color it accurate? How do I know the folding will be correct? How do I know other elements line up on a tri-fold brochure when all I’m seeing is a flat online proof?
- you have to prepay your total order along with shipping–you’re pretty much stuck with the bill if you’re not happy with the end result
Local Printing
The up-side…
- opportunity to develop business relationships
- one-to-one service–easier to communicate with reps, personal attention to details and free shipping
- easier to hand over graphic art files to local printers if you can’t upload files yourself
- high-resolution, hard copy proof provided–essential for quality, color and folding accuracy. You want to be sure your tri-fold brochure is folded correctly right!
- topping it off, you’re supporting your local business community
The down-side…
- process may take more time–sometimes printers can accommodate rush projects
- pricing may be higher then online printing–sometimes local printers will cut you a deal especially if you have several projects to get printed at once
In general, most printers are able to offer a variety of printing options and have become environmentally friendly: recycling as much as possible, readily available soy inks and recycled papers, and some printers have gone completely green!
So, which is better: online or local printing? Every project is unique and everyone has different priorities. For me, hands down, I’d rather work with local printers and it’s what I recommend to my clients. Being able to have a hard copy proof to go over with my clients, and letting them go over it on their own is so important. You’ve invested energy, time and money in your graphic design–in your branding. So it’s worth the extra time and few more dollars to work with a local printer and it supports your local community.
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