Buying print can feel like navigating a minefield. The industry is packed with technical jargon, and most printing companies never bother to explain things in plain English. Know the main pitfalls in advance, though, and you can place your order with confidence, having taken care of the risks before they catch you out.
This article covers the Top 5 Problems When Buying Print and shows you how to reduce the chance of things going wrong. Armed with this knowledge, you can have an informed conversation with your printer and give your job the best possible chance of looking exactly as you intended.
Problem 1: Poor Colour Matching. Anyone who has been buying print for a while will have hit this issue. Those rich colours that looked striking on screen turn up flat and dull on paper, or the shade is so far off it bears no resemblance to what you approved.
Screens and printing presses produce colour in fundamentally different ways, so some variation is unavoidable. You can keep it to a minimum, though. Make sure your print-ready PDF uses CMYK or Pantone colour values rather than RGB. With the correct colour mode in place, your printer knows exactly what to reproduce and has no excuse for getting it wrong.
Problem 2: Incorrect Artwork Format. When you submit artwork to your printer, it must be a print-ready PDF complete with bleed, crop marks, and all fonts converted to outlines. Miss any one of those three elements and there is a real chance the finished job will not look right.
Many people send artwork as a Word, PowerPoint, or Publisher file, or even as a native Illustrator or Photoshop document. None of these are ideal. Fonts can shift, colours can change, and layouts can reflow, all of which means something important may be lost before the job even reaches the press.
Problem 3: Choosing the Wrong Paper. Paper choice has a bigger impact on the finished result than most people realise. There is no single correct answer because it depends on the job, but these guidelines will point you in the right direction.
If your artwork features highly detailed, colourful images, choose a high-gloss paper. Gloss stock makes colours appear vivid and images sharp, giving photography and bold graphics the best possible platform.
If your design carries a lot of text, such as a newsletter, silk stock is the better option. It has a smooth, pleasant feel but avoids the glare that gloss paper produces under bright lighting, making it far easier to read.
A third option is uncoated stock, which lacks the smooth finish of gloss or silk but suits certain jobs very well. Its natural, tactile feel works particularly well for orders of service, invitations, and menus.
Problem 4: Skipping the Proofing Stage. Carpenters say ‘measure twice, cut once’ for good reason. Print works the same way. Get as many fresh pairs of eyes on your artwork as possible before you send it to the printer. Better still, ask your printer for a physical proof and circulate that for review. It may feel like an extra step, but it is far quicker and cheaper than reprinting an entire job because of a spelling error or a misplaced element.
Problem 5: Unexpected Delays. Most printers can turn jobs around quickly, and some can deliver on the same day. To keep costs down and avoid last-minute stress, aim to send your artwork at least seven working days before you need delivery. That window allows your printer to use litho printing, which offers better quality and lower unit costs on larger runs. If you genuinely need print in a hurry, ask whether your printer offers a digital print service. Digital is much faster, though the cost per copy is higher on bigger quantities.
A Final Word
Print involves many moving parts, so even experienced buyers occasionally run into problems. Follow the guidelines above, however, and you will go into each job well prepared, giving yourself the best chance of receiving great print, on time, and within budget.
