Did you know the US printing industry is worth almost $80 billion?
With no major printers in the United States, much of that revenue is generated by online printers and small businesses. When you’re trying to choose a printer to create your goods, it’s easy to pick convenience over quality — especially if you’re in a rush.
However, there are a few benefits to choosing a local print shop over other options, and we’re here to tell you all about them.
Read on to learn five of the biggest local print shop benefits.
1. Security
No matter who you’re shopping with, leaving your card info with an online distributor or a third party can have significant impacts. Not only is there a chance of online security breaches happening, but there’s also the chance of that business disappearing completely.
It’s uncommon to experience, but it does happen. In these cases, it can be challenging to get your money back. When you shop locally, it becomes much less likely that your information will be compromised.
Many local print shops accept milestone or partial payments. That means you don’t have to spend as much upfront and you can have confidence in the product you’re receiving.
If you’re not happy, it’s as simple as asking for a change to be made and waiting to have it sent back over to you. If you decide to work with a local printing company, then you’ll know you haven’t lost any money for products that never got delivered.
You’ll also have the benefit of meeting the people you’re ordering from and receiving professional advice before you move forward, which can provide a lot of peace of mind.
2. Quality and Accuracy
When you do business with an online printer, you’re going to get a one-size-fits-all approach to your printing.
If you work with a local business, they’re going to be much more likely to tailor their approach to your personal needs. They’ll fine-tune all the small details, like which paper will work best with your projects and even how each stock might react differently to different inks.
Overall, they’re also going to be more helpful when getting a quality project created every time.
You’re likely to save money by shopping online, but when it comes to having a good quality product that matches your standards every time, a local printer is much more likely to achieve that goal.
3. Customer Service
One of the most significant differences between online printers and your local print company is the quality of customer service you will receive. If there’s a problem with your order online, it can be hard to connect with someone to get help when you’re dealing with a large distributor.
When you do business locally, it’s easy to connect with someone who can help resolve your problem and ensure you receive the things you need.
You’re also likely to deal with the same person each time you go in, rather than a new person, or worse, a machine, every time you call or place an order with an online vendor.
You might also have more printing options when you get things done in person rather than being limited to pre-selected options that you get with online printing services.
4. Supporting Local Businesses
With a local business, you can expect more personalized service. You’re more likely to have a say in any changes or tweaks a print shop hopes to make to their business.
Local owners understand that changes — no matter how small — can make an impact on their customers, but they’re also more likely to care about how that affects you.
You’re also helping to support your local economy, which can lead to benefits for the entire community.
5. Consistency
We’ve talked about quality and accuracy, but now it’s time to talk about consistency. When it comes to knowing what to expect with your orders, online printers are more likely to keep you guessing.
With a local printer, you gain access to that brand’s personal touch in every single one of your products. Local businesses care a lot more about the level of consistency they deliver to their customers, so they’re a lot more likely to pay attention to the small things that online printers simply forget.
Additionally, as you get to know a business, they get to know you. While you can usually save your repeat orders online, a local team will go further to ensure you get the same results each time you order from them.
Some teams even have profiles for each customer that detail things like color swatches, font types and sizes, and the quantity of each item you order. So, once you find the perfect shade for your business cards, a local print shop is going to make sure it’s easy to find for future reference.
That’s a lot more dependable than simply hoping the website you ordered from saved your preferences.
Support Your Local Print Shop Today
Now that we’ve gone over a few of the most significant benefits of doing business with your local print shop, you can make your decision. Remember, no matter what option you choose, you should select a company you trust to produce consistent products and services that are deserving of repeat business.
At Goin’ Postal, we strive to do just that. When you visit one of our locations, you can trust that you’ll be met with quality care and products.
And don’t forget to take advantage of our shipping services if you need to mail your print job or other items!
Contact your local print shop today to get started.