Printing Business Cards Quote

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Amy McCray

SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
Joined
Dec 3, 2002
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Loc
North Prairie, WI
:eek: I just got a quote from a local printer to print my newly redesigned business cards. There are a lot of colors in the card. (It's already designed in PS, so they just need to print up.)

They want $165 for 500 - glossy, heavy white stock! Yikes. Does that sound right? Or is my sticker shock way out of line?
 
Amy....My printer in town here does 1000 for me for $100 and they are super awesome! ;)
I think that is WAY high..........are yours all color or what?? :shrug:
 
Amy...convert your file format to jpg...upload it to Vista Print..and get that many full color cards with shipping for about $25. Glossy stock may be a little more.
 
Businesscards...

The real "time" that should be put into a card is the design, if you already have that, Vistaprint is the way to go. It's fast and cheap (compared to a local printer).
The fact that they didn't cost me a ton was the only reason I didn't tear my brother's head off when he got them printed (for me) with the wrong zip code! At least it was only another $25 to get a box of them replaced!
 
Well I certainly have put in the time designing! A whole lot more than I should have had to but learned a lot about Photoshop in the process, so a good investment.

I did call another local printer who sends to a wholesaler in Milw. 4 color press, glossy, etc. for $48 (w/UV!) Can get them back in no more than 48 hrs. No shipping involved so I'll get them faster than online. Pays to call around.

Thanks everyone.
 
John Golden said:
Vista print is the way to go.
Click to expand...

My sister just began working for Taradel.com here in Richmond which is a competitor to vistaprint. I used to use vistaprint all the time, but now I found out on 5,000 postcards vistaprint costs between $115 to $205 more than Taradel. My sister just made a promo code just for Grumblers: GRUMBLE5OFF but their prices seem lower than vistaprint even before the promo code.

I just posted this topic in "Business Issues" but one of the mods must have a mean sense of humor because they just moved it from "Business Issues" to "Framing Shop Stuff and Art For Sale"

Here's the thread:
http://thegrumble.com/showthread.php?t=39886
 
Just saw this thread and had to chuckle.....

Here we are people in an industry where our customers think we are too expensive and that a better deal can be found online.

And we complain...

Mr Pot, meet Mr Kettle, Mr Kettle, meet Mr Pot.

:)
 
I use vistaprint.com. I just ordered 5000 business cards the other day. I have full color front with b/w back. It was $82.50.
 
Why not just go buy the sheets of card stock and run them thru your desktop printer as you need them rather then buying 500 or 5000 at one time?
You already did the design so why not do the cards, too. Been a long time since i printed my own cards so not sure how much the packs cost.

Now that I think a bout it, I don't have a desktop printer, so I probably can't print mine thru my Epson 9900.
I'll have to give it a try.
 
janetj1968 said:
Amy...convert your file format to jpg...upload it to Vista Print..and get that many full color cards with shipping for about $25. Glossy stock may be a little more.
Click to expand...
ditto....


That is where I got mine and they look great.


Bob
 
DTWDSM said:
Just saw this thread and had to chuckle.....

Here we are people in an industry where our customers think we are too expensive and that a better deal can be found online.

And we complain...

Mr Pot, meet Mr Kettle, Mr Kettle, meet Mr Pot.

:)
Click to expand...

I was thinking exactly the same thing... whatever happened to "keeping it local"?
 
Vista Print - order was sent back
Office Depot - looked horrible

Local place - AWESOME well worth $70 for 500.
They are an important part of my business though and I dont care to pay for it!
 
Local is great Jim, until they quote you a 3X their cost to get it done from Vistaprint....

All kidding aside, sound a whole lot high..... I would want to know why.... which may be that they DON'T want to do cards.... many don't.

There is a place on line that the 500 cards are free..... but there's an ad on the back.

500? You're going to place an order every 4-6 months??? 3' rule, every one that comes with in 3' of you gets your card....
 
I wonder how many independant printers talk about Vista Print like we do of the likes of the Art.coms and the up and coming online framers??
 
One of the better known printers here have become a storefront for an online business. They advertise printing on mugs, shirts, hats, pen, and don't do any of that inhouse. They barely do any of the printing/bindings that helped establish them. What is it about them, except their location, that should give them any more persuasion than vistaprint? The rules of competition and value isn't voided because of a location unless that location offers convenience. I think most “buy local” campaigns promote mediocrity and will decrease the services and value offered by local business.

I believe the same can be said for this industry. Many don't stock anything or chop and join their own frames. If a customer is willing to fit their own piece, what competitive advantage do those shops have over the internet?

Like us local print shops are forced to find a durable competitive advantage in order to stay viable. Asking for business because of location while disregarding value will never work.
 
Go Locally

We go local with a print shop that supports us and they charge just $20 per thousand. Win - Win for me and them!!!

Tom
 
Thedra said:
We go local with a print shop that supports us and they charge just $20 per thousand. Win - Win for me and them!!!

Tom
Click to expand...


$20 for a thousand is indeed a good deal, especially considering it's local. Is that color too, or b/w?
 
Don't think he'll do this for anyone else, sorry. I did all his print layout work before they got smart and taught their own person how to do it. Now I give him great deals on framing and photography and he gives me deals on printing. Like I said Win-Win.

Tom
 
Thedra said:
Don't think he'll do this for anyone else, sorry. I did all his print layout work before they got smart and taught their own person how to do it. Now I give him great deals on framing and photography and he gives me deals on printing. Like I said Win-Win.

Tom
Click to expand...

Ah... you're doing a TRADE! That makes more sense.
 
DTWDSM said:
Just saw this thread and had to chuckle.....

Here we are people in an industry where our customers think we are too expensive and that a better deal can be found online.

And we complain...

Mr Pot, meet Mr Kettle, Mr Kettle, meet Mr Pot.

:)
Click to expand...

For the record I print locally all the time.

I don't think any of my recent clients would have wanted to send a 150 year old civil war document, irreplaceable family photos, one of a kind kids art ( for someone who grew up to be an artist) or any of the other things to someone they had never met online.

Just saying.
 
Jerry Hadam said:
For the record I print locally all the time.

I don't think any of my recent clients would have wanted to send a 150 year old civil war document, irreplaceable family photos, one of a kind kids art ( for someone who grew up to be an artist) or any of the other things to someone they had never met online.

Just saying.
Click to expand...

Jerry you are correct, but I think we may not be comparng apples to apples. Let's face it, printing business cards is like us framing something in a simple black metal frame, it's a commodity.
 
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