In a lot of ways, online printing has helped to save the print industry by putting customers directly in touch with the production of print materials… Sites like VistaPrint provide easy to understand user interfaces that make it simple and Signs printing cheap to put in an order and have it delivered to your door. They even provide templates and a design function that allows you to create your own print materials before you check out.
But if you look around on the internet, you’ll find thousands of consumer reports against sites like VistaPrint. The list consists of anything from late delivery complaints to double-charged credit cards, and some people seem down-right angry at the way they’ve been treated. Like Mikeo of Tokyo Japan; who ordered 100 cards and 100 envelopes 3 weeks ago. He finally received his cards last week, but his envelopes were not included in the package, and he still hasn’t been able to get a hold of customer service to resolve the issue. I hear stories like this all the time, and it’s the price a lot of people pay for the appearance of bulk convenience.
So, I’ve put together a few things to watch out for when taking your print job to an online print company. Hopefully this can help you stay out of situations like David of Dublin Ireland; who was duped into thinking he was getting 1/2 off on his postcard order, just to find out “standard shipping” took 21 days. If he needed them any sooner, shipping rates STARTED at $20 for 7-10 day delivery, and grew exponentially. This is the fine print you need to watch for and when all is said and done, these are the complications that will have you printing local more often than not.
1. If the price is too good to be true, it’s not true.
First of all: most online print shops make their money off of shipping. They lure you in with an amazing price that blows everyone out of the water. “Wow! $14 for 1,000 business cards? Sign me up!” This is exactly the response they’re looking for, and exactly the kind of thinking you should avoid. If these companies are anything, they’re marketing geniuses, and they know just the right number to put out there to make you drop everything you’re doing to click. Once you do, they lead you through a string of flashy pages, taking little bits of information from you here and there as they go. And by the time you see the full amount with shipping included (usually not so astonishing), you’ve already given them way more personal information than they need. So even when you decide it’s NOT worth it, they have still gotten something from you, and will use you for every penny you’re worth. This means spam to your email address, and sometimes your info being sold to lead generators for cold-calling and more spam. Keep in mind, your click is very powerful, and even your interest in their company makes them money. Don’t fall for it.
2. Talk to a customer service representative.
This is something you see less and less of. People will put off contacting an online print shop at all costs unless there’s a problem, and by the time they’re on hold they realize too late that they’re being passed around a phone cue. In every reputable print shop I’ve ever dealt with, I have an assigned customer service rep that handles all my orders. This means I can call her(or him) anytime I need anything. Whether I need an estimate for a potentially complicated order, or someone watching my proofs to make sure they don’t run with a typo. A customer service rep you call on by name will always have your best interests in mind and is well worth the couple bucks Vista saves by cutting them out completely. If you are ever considering printing online, call the company’s phone number and see if you can talk to a rep personally. They will help you set up an order to fit your businesses needs, and if anything does go wrong you can call them to complain. Customer service reps at good print shops will make it a priority to resolve your issue right then without passing you off to anyone else. They have your back as well as the tools to make your job run smoothly. Most print shops do really well keeping you in the loop via email, so a call isn’t necessary after the first order. Just make sure you’re dealing with a real person and not an automated message designed to seem like one. You’ll thank me later.