Print Resellers

[creativepro]

Hi

I can only speak of the print reseller schemes i've used but RCS come out tops. Their bolt-on prices are quite high, but this can be made back easily when you take advantage of their 2 free deliveries per week (for the top bolt on). Also they have started to offer a free upgrade per month, halving their standard production times - invaluable when you get a last minute job from a client, you can mark up loads as the clients is desperate to get their stuff.

With RCS you know where you stand, they say its getting despatched on Thursday? You know 150% that it will, peace of mind helps when running a business. Guaranteed despatch times are a life saver for a business built around customer service. You get what you pay for in this world.

Another one worth looking at is www.multicolourprint.info - dont do a huge range but pretty keen on business cards and absolutely top notch quality.

Sense Creative however is worth avoiding AT ALL COSTS - absolute sharks of the print world. Run by John Thompson, the rudest man in business by far!! As has been discussed, if you get a problem - AND YOU WILL if you're doing volumes with them then forget any satisfactory resolution with them and be prepared to be spoken to like a piece of dirt by John. Shame as their prices are the best in the industry, but service and turnaround times are like a lottery!!

RCS is worth a shot if you're serious. My experience of local printers are small margins as they tend to be quite expensive as they don't do the volumes of the likes of RCS and other online print companies. Its still possible to build a relationship online, everyone is based somewhere and can be visited if you need to build a special relationship.

[Katedesign]

Hi Toby

I get your point - as a 'local printer' we have our own relationships with other local printers who can produce larger sizes etc. and we deal with them for our clients and some design companies. I was talking more about the 'share-a -sheet' printers who will only print in CMYK on gloss or silk art etc. A loca printer may be more expensive but we are in danger of dying out (Printweek said that 9 out of 10 printers could close down/go bust/disappear in the next year) and that would leave the whole industry a whole lot poorer. I'm just trying to survive!!

[Boss Hog]

Why are 9 out of 10 high street printers closing? You have to move with the times....

If you don't get a website and start to establish your online presence now I honestly don't see how you will survive long term. More and more people are looking to the internet to cut their costs and there are already many companies such as us who offer a quality product, competitive prices on batch printed items as well as bespoke quotes on different stocks with spot colours and other various options.

Don't get me wrong, you will always have your local customer who "doesn't shop online", it's only time before they realise what they are missing though.

[Katedesign]

Why are 9 out of 10 high street printers closing? You have to move with the times....

Having been at the forefront of the digital revolution in the very early 90s we have moved with the times!

Printweek didn't just refer to 'high street printers' - how franchisees survive paying 10% or so of turnover is beyond me!

We're not on the high street either!

[thinkingforward2010]

Online printing is really putting a dent in local printing establishments, that's for sure.

[Minuteman Press]

Online printing is really putting a dent in local printing establishments, that's for sure.

You have to move with the times....

It's all in Darwin's book! Survival of the fittest = Better adapted for immediate, local environment
As Boss Hog says - move with the times.