Local Print Shops Using Online Printing Companies

We all understand the need to want to support local businesses. However, many of these local businesses are not exactly doing what the customer expects them to do. This has never been more so the case than in the printing business. Before stepping into your local print shop instead of using an online printing business, realize that many of these “local storefront” printing shops are actually using online companies to meet their printing needs.

The printing industry has changed dramatically over the last decade. These changes have made it very tough for a small business printing company that is doing onsite printing to stay competitive. The major factor in all of these changes is the type of equipment that is used. Running off sheets of a single one-color card is simply not the way things are done these days. Today, printing companies are able to “gang” various orders together in one printing run.

In order for a local printing company to be able to afford both the costs of equipment and manpower to run the machines, it would have to have a very significant and steady volume. Since local companies usually only serve a specific market, meaning the very city they are located in, this style of printing is simply unaffordable. It also means that the prices of a single order to the local customer is close to ten times what it would cost for that same consumer to place their order online. That being said, the local business is more likely to contract out the business to a larger online printer.

Doing this enables a small commercial business printing company the ability to stay in business and keep their prices low. Nevertheless, you, as the consumer, are still paying more than you should for the printing order that you are personally putting in with the company. They are literally doing nothing more than taking your order at the counter and then heading over to their computer to place an order the moment you walk out their front doors.

In essence, they have become a printing broker instead of an actual printer. As a consumer, you are now paying more for your printing needs than is necessary. Why use the middleman when you can now go direct to the source and get a significant discount by doing so? Any business that is doing a lot of hard printing can save thousands of dollars a year in costs that will now go directly into your pocket as profit.

Whether anyone wants to admit it or not, the business world has changed dramatically over the last few years. Very few local print shops can meet the pricing that an online printing company can offer. This offers an incredible savings opportunity for the consumer and the ability to increase their profits without reducing the overall amount of their hard printing needs. Buying online, it just makes sense!