There’s a pretty sizeable difference between buying a single calendar and ordering hundreds, maybe even thousands of the things for business or retail purposes. As such, it’s largely just common sense to understand that the two very different purchase types demand two very different types of retailer – the latter requiring a wholesaler.
But even then, there are still so many printing companies across the UK today that don’t nearly measure up to the mark. So, in the spirit of ideally not ending up with box after box of overpriced scrap paper, how can you be sure you’re choosing the right wholesale printer for the job?
Go Direct
Well, first and foremost you should pay attention to whether or not you’re actually dealing directly with the wholesaler. In many instances, you’re made to believe you’re ordering from a third party when in fact they’re nothing more than a middle-man with the intention of outsourcing your order for their own gain. This isn’t in your best interest at all and can affect both quality and value for money, so for the sake of maximising both it’s a good idea to always go direct.
A Real Wholesaler
There’s a difference between a calendar printer that specialises in bulk orders and another that can take larger orders though generally works on a smaller basis. It’s not to say that the latter will inherently let you down, but you can only be assured of the result you’re looking for if you go with the former. If bulk orders are what they do or perhaps even all they do, you can pretty much assume they’re also what they do best.
A Genuine Company
These days, it’s technically possible for anyone with a computer and a printer to put up an advert and claim to be a ‘professional’ printing service. Sadly, to put any faith in such a provider is to welcome a disappointing result, that’s assuming that they’re able to fulfill the order at all as opposed to just keep you waiting for weeks or months on end. How can you tell if it’s a real business? It’s easy really, just look out for a real business address, a dedicated telephone number and a proper business email address – mobile phone numbers and Gmail addresses don’t count!
Advance Samples
Realistically, it’s pretty dangerous to go ahead with a bulk order until you’ve first been provided with a sample of exactly how the finished calendar will look. As such, this should be a standard part of the deal offered 100% free of charge. And if it isn’t, it’s probably a good sign than the printing company doesn’t have any real confidence in what it’s about to produce for you – hence a great reason to walk away.
Price Promises
Does the printing company claim to offer great prices, or do they wholly guarantee the best prices on the market with every last thing they sell? There is of course a huge difference and one that should be acknowledged – if they won’t guarantee that their prices are the best, this almost always means they’re anything but.
Satisfaction Guarantees
And the same also goes for overall satisfaction too – if they’re so sure they can produce the goods and get the job done right, why on Earth can they not put a concrete guarantee to this? If you don’t get the feeling that customer satisfaction is the most important thing in the world to the printing firm, the likelihood is they’re more preoccupied with their own gain. This can of course be difficult to assess at a glance, which is why it’s good to ask a few questions before going ahead.
Portfolio of Work
It’s one thing to talk about how great your work is, but another to show a huge archive of genuine works in order to give a full-frontal view of everyday output. In the case of a wholesale calendar printer, it is their work that should be able to speak volumes on its own behalf and should be readily available for anyone to access. If there’s no portfolio to be found or they come across as in any way apprehensive to show off their work, you have your answer.
Accreditation
And finally, it’s also worth taking a look into whether the printing company is in any way accredited, approved, verified or has generally earned the praise of those it serves. Have they won any awards like Allan & Bertram? Do they have strong feedback? Any case studies or success stories to dive into? All of these and more really do matter a great deal when trying to establish trust and a professional working relationship.
