Color copies or color printing, whatever term you use it can be overwhelming navigating the plethora of choices one is presented with when surfing the web.
Will the quality be good? Will the price be affordable? Will the turnaround be fast? How can I know?
With so many questions about color copies where do you start? Its a mess of parameters can can be eternally confusing to anybody but a trained expert in the field. Hopefully this article can answer at least some questions about ordering color copies and give the average buyer of online printing a bit more education on how it all works.
First things first, quality. This is the perpetual fear of anybody ordering printing either online or in a old brick-and-mortar shop. Everyone will most certainly be biting their nails waiting for that first look at their printing order hoping that it is something you can present to your customer, colleague or perhaps the worse...your boss. So what should you consider when ordering color printing?
Quality - One of the biggest problems with color copy quality start with the quality of your file.
Turnaround - How long will it take to for my order to reach me?
Whether you call it color copies or color printing stick to these guidelines and your customers, colleague or that pesky boss should be very satisfied. Good luck!
Will the quality be good? Will the price be affordable? Will the turnaround be fast? How can I know?
With so many questions about color copies where do you start? Its a mess of parameters can can be eternally confusing to anybody but a trained expert in the field. Hopefully this article can answer at least some questions about ordering color copies and give the average buyer of online printing a bit more education on how it all works.
First things first, quality. This is the perpetual fear of anybody ordering printing either online or in a old brick-and-mortar shop. Everyone will most certainly be biting their nails waiting for that first look at their printing order hoping that it is something you can present to your customer, colleague or perhaps the worse...your boss. So what should you consider when ordering color printing?
Quality - One of the biggest problems with color copy quality start with the quality of your file.
- PDF conversion - If your file is not in PDF form already make sure you use a quality conversion program. The free versions are only good for simple B&W text orders. To get quality color make sure you use a program like Adobe Acrobat or Nitro PDF (cheaper than adobe but still great) and make sure you choose the "Print Ready" option.
- Your Screen - Monitors can have very different color ranges just like the TVs on display at the local electronic stores. Printers often have a broader color spectrum. Try and look at your file on a different monitor or get a sample or small order to begin with to see if the colors are exactly what you want.
- Equipment - So now that your file is ready and you checked it on another monitor the final thing is the quality of the machine. Many companies don't disclose what machines they use. This can be scary as you dream up a garage with a 20 year old office copier run by a steam engine or not having confidence in that teenager with the after school job talking on the phone with his girlfriend at the local office supply chain. What machines do they use for color printing? Do they tell you anything about quality of those machines?
- Misleading prices - Watch out for those price tricks that waste your time where a company advertises a low price but that price only applies to very specific orders that have nothing to do with your order. Finding straight forward pricing so you know what your getting is better.
- Setup fees - A real pet peeve of mine where they charge you just for wanting to be a customer! When you order a sandwich from a local shop do they charge you a fee just for having to put your sandwich together? No and neither should your color copies printer.
Turnaround - How long will it take to for my order to reach me?
- Average print times - Does the printer disclose how long it takes for most orders to be printed? Many won't tell you easily because they can't get the orders done quickly. Also beware that if your order is complicated with lots of variations or extensive binding it may take longer than most orders.
- Rush charges - Because many printers gang-up color printing orders to lower their costs it slows down turnaround time on your order. They then try to charge you an extra fee if you want your order faster.
- Shipping time - Remember now matter how fast a printer produces your color copies order it can only reach you as fast as the shipping speed you chose. Many times ground shipping can be 1 or 2 days already. A good printer should show you this map on their site is the FAQ or help section. Another thing to consider is ground shipping times estimated and are not guaranteed like 1 or 2 day shipping.
Whether you call it color copies or color printing stick to these guidelines and your customers, colleague or that pesky boss should be very satisfied. Good luck!
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