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How To Become A Wholesale Printer

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wholesale printer

If you are interested in becoming a wholesale printer, you need to realize that this is a highly competitive and constantly evolving industry that requires a great deal of commitment and research in order to generate the most beneficial outcome and profit margin.

In the late 15th century, the printing press was developed in Europe and perhaps no one truly realized the evolution that would occur the minute printed materials became readily available. Today’s common use of wholesale printing companies definitely evolved from the enlightenment that occurred when mass printing first became available.

Because competition is fierce, and thanks to electronic file transfer methods, there is no longer a guarantee that local companies will choose you as their wholesale printing company.  This is not to say that everyone will look to non-local printers for bids on their printing, but large companies who are driven by cost-saving measures will most likely try to find the best possible price.

There are many types of printing methods available today, and the technology is ever-evolving.  Because wholesale printers frequently offer not only finished project printing, but also design services, a wholesale printer will generally need to provide optional design services. Utilizing outside designers may or may not prove cost-effective depending on the volume of design work requested by clients.  But, printing is the main business of a wholesale printer.

Printing options range from LaserJet printers, to large scale printing presses with expensive computer interface software. The price can range anywhere from a few hundred dollars into the millions of dollars range.  Quite honestly, the right type of equipment depends on the type and amount of printing that a printer will be producing.

A common area of specialization for wholesale printing is office stationary, including business cards.  For these types of printed material, often a LaserJet printer will suffice and provide a high-quality, low cost print of the requested materials.  However, some wholesale printers work in cooperation with direct-mail advertising companies that produce high color, large quantity orders of postcards, flyers, etc. for direct mail purposes.  When a wholesale printer begins to accept these types of projects, it is probably time to upgrade to a press printer and to save that Laser Jet for smaller projects.

Because competition is rough in wholesale printing, and because most customers shop online for wholesale printing needs, it is definitely most important to pay attention to current rates and delivery timeframes.  Estimation of these two things can win or lose you potential customers.  Most people expect to receive business cards in a few days, and when ordering them from a wholesale printer they do not expect to pay much for the product.  Wholesale printers have setup and overhead costs, and if you are going to become a wholesale printer, you will need to know what these costs are. There is a cost associated with using the services of a designer, and that cost may be substantial for some projects depending on the time required.  There is a cost to operate the printing equipment, a cost for the ink or toner and a cost for the paper.  All of these costs must be passed on to the customer in order to generate a profit; however it’s a matter of finding the right balance in fees.  It is very advisable to investigate what other wholesale printers are charging, and the types of projects they are producing. If you can determine the type of equipment they use, and where they are located, you should find out as much as you can.

Wholesale printing is one of the few businesses that can afford to be completely online.  Many wholesale printers do not offer a storefront. Rather they handle their orders and quotes electronically though a website. This can substantially decrease operational overhead costs, because you only need to operate when you have projects to be completed.

It is important to stay current on technology – and to stay aware of the business practices of other printers in order to maintain your competitiveness.

What Is Wholesale Printing

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wholesale printing

The world of wholesale printing has evolved significantly since the invention of the printing press in the late 15th century.  Technology is always improving, and if Gutenberg took a look at what wholesale printers are using today he would most likely not even begin to recognize the equipment.

The process of printing involves “pressing” text, images and designs onto paper and other materials.  Initially, the process was actually pressing. A plate-maker would assemble an actual printing plate with individual letters and etchings, which was then coated with ink and pressed onto paper.  Newspapers were commonly made with this technique well into the early 1900s.  The process of manually creating the press-plates was replaced over time with computer generated plates, or screens.  Today’s printers employ highly technical and sophisticated computer systems and design software in order to lay out the printed materials.

The other major difference that Gutenberg might notice is the availability of color printing.  Naturally, when applying ink by hand to a press-plate was the common technique there was little room for multi-colored design. This is simply not the case today. Today, wholesale printers have access to technology that allows them to blend millions of difference colors from cyan, magenta, yellow and black inks, giving them the ability to print in any color the customer requests.

What you need to know when searching for a wholesale printer is the type of equipment that they utilize, what technology they have for design work and color blending and also the size of their customer base.  The reason that this last item is so important is that when you approach a wholesale printer with a print job, they will prioritize the larges jobs with the shortest timeline first.  Therefore, if you only need a few thousand or even less items printed your job could take much longer than if you needed tens of thousands of items printed.  Wholesale printers earn a majority of their income from direct-mail companies who will order items in quantities of millions.  Therefore, it is always best to know the size and type of the company’s customer base.

Speaking of quantity, many people not involved in the printing world do not realize that per-item cost reduces significantly with higher quantity orders.  For example, if you were to order 1,000 postcards you might pay 40 cents per item for the printing. While, if you order 10,000 of the same postcard the price drops to 2 cents per item.  Why is this the case?  Well, remember that when you order a print job from a wholesale printer, they need to prepare the printing plates.  This is a timely and costly part of the project known as setup.  Setup also includes preparing the inks, cutting the postcards and starting up the presses.  These things all require people and power.  Thus, your startup cost is distributed across each item of your order.  When you order a high quantity, the start up cost is identical to when you order a low quantity.  Thus, after a certain point you are only paying for the printing and the cost savings are quite significant.

There are many wholesale printers located throughout the world and unlike the first printers in the 15th century – these companies generally all employ electronic file transfer systems and overnight shipping. For this reason, you have the option to select a printer that might be located in a different city, state or even a different country.  This ability is definitely a benefit to those looking to find a wholesale printer. At the same time, competition in the wholesale printing industry can also prove beneficial to printers, who are able to obtain equipment and supplies at a lower rate than they would if the field was restricted.

Overall, the business of wholesale printing is necessary to the spread of printed information across the globe.  It is important when you are looking for a wholesale printer, to look for the best rates and quickest turnaround time.