tips Archives

Why CMYK Reigns Supreme in Commercial Printing

Posted on March 12, 2024March 12, 2024 by Jamie Xuereb

In the vibrant world of commercial printing, colour plays a pivotal role in capturing attention and conveying messages. Yet, the colours you see on your screen don’t always translate directly onto paper.

This discrepancy lies in the fundamental difference between the RGB (Red, Green, Blue) colour model used by electronic displays and the CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key/Black) colour model that dominates commercial printing.

Understanding why CMYK is the industry standard over RGB is crucial for anyone looking to produce printed materials that accurately reflect their vision. Whilst much of this will be taken care of thanks to software default settings / your graphic designers – it’s handy to understand why this colour model is used.

The Basis of CMYK in Printing

The CMYK model is essentially a subtractive colour model used in colour printing. Unlike RGB, which adds light to create colours (additive colour model), CMYK works by subtracting brightness from white light, reflecting specific colours back to the eye.

This process is more aligned with the way printed materials are consumed—through the reflection of light rather than the emission of light.

1. CMYK is Complementary to the Printing Process

Commercial printing equipment is designed to apply inks in the CMYK spectrum. This system is a direct descendant of the four-colour printing process, where each colour layer is applied separately to build up the final image.

The use of CMYK inks is tailored to this process, allowing for a wide range of colours to be produced by overlaying these four basic colours in varying intensities.

2. Greater Material Versatility

The CMYK model’s reliance on physical ink makes it highly adaptable to a variety of printing surfaces, whether it’s paper, cardboard, fabric, or even plastic.

This versatility is crucial for commercial printing, where the demand spans across numerous types of materials, each with its own ink absorption and colour reflection properties.

3. Cost-Effectiveness of CMYK

Printing in CMYK is economically more viable for mass production. The RGB model, with its reliance on light to create colours, is not suitable for printing on physical media.

CMYK inks, on the other hand, can be mixed in precise quantities to achieve the desired hues without the need for additional colours, keeping the production costs manageable.

Addressing the Limitations of RGB in Printing

RGB’s primary limitation in the context of printing lies in its design for digital displays, which can produce a broader spectrum of colours by combining light.

When RGB images are converted for printing, for things like (signs, stickers or labels) some colours may appear muted or different because the CMYK colour space is inherently narrower.

This can lead to discrepancies between the on-screen preview and the final printed product, emphasising the importance of designing in CMYK for materials intended for printing.

Navigating Colour Conversion Between CMYK & RGB

The transition from RGB to CMYK can be managed with careful planning and understanding of colour spaces. Designers often work within this colour space when creating materials for print to ensure what they see on their screens closely matches the final output.

So if you or a customer have got a designer creating work for you it’s highly likely this is already taken care of. But it never hurts to double check!

Advanced software and colour management tools can also aid in predicting how colours will change during this conversion, allowing for adjustments before the printing process begins.

7 Considerations of Quality Label Printing

Posted on February 29, 2024 by Jamie Xuereb

We discuss these key considerations for delivering quality label printing services to our clients (and their customers).

Labels play a crucial role in the world of packaging, branding, and product identification. As a result, customers generally demand high quality from any label printing jobs. For printers, this means paying close attention to several important factors that can influence the quality of the final product.

So let’s take a look a the top elements that guide our label and sticker printing offering.

The Foundation of Quality Label Printing: Material Selection

The choice of label material has a significant impact on the overall quality and performance of the final product. Printers must carefully consider factors such as the intended application, environmental conditions, and required durability when selecting the right material.

Common materials include paper, film, foil, and various synthetic substrates, like BOPP. Each has unique properties and advantages that cater to specific labelling needs.

Label Adhesive Choice

Choosing the appropriate adhesive is critical to a label’s performance and longevity. Printers need to consider the surface on which the label will be applied and any environmental factors that may affect the adhesive’s performance, such as temperature, humidity, and exposure to chemicals.

Permanent, removable, and repositionable adhesives are some common options, each designed to meet different application requirements.

Printing Method: Balancing Quality, Speed, and Cost

Selecting the right printing method is crucial for achieving high-quality labels. Printers must evaluate the specific needs of a project, such as required print resolution, color accuracy, and print speed, to determine the most suitable method.

Flexographic, digital, offset, and screen printing are some of the popular methods, each with its own set of advantages and limitations that cater to various label printing scenarios.

Achieving Consistent Colour In Your Labels

Colour management plays a vital role in maintaining consistency and accuracy in label printing. Printers should calibrate and profile their printing equipment and use standardised colour systems (e.g., Pantone, CMYK) to ensure accurate colour matching.

Effective colour management is essential to maintain brand consistency and produce visually appealing labels that meet client expectations. We pride ourselves on offering consistent and true-to-design colour matching thanks to our use of quality equipment. Plus, our online portal for ordering and proofing enables you to understand the output upfront.

What Finishing Techniques Do Your Labels Require?

Finishing techniques can significantly improve a label’s appearance and functionality. Printers should explore various options such as varnishes, laminates, and specialty coatings to enhance durability, protect labels from environmental factors, or add visual effects (e.g., gloss, matte, holographic). These finishing touches can elevate a label’s aesthetic appeal and provide added value for clients.

For instance, utilising white ink under the CMYK layer can really make colours pop. Check out this example from our range:

Quality label with white ink in outdoor application — *See how the sticker on the left utilises a white ink to make the colours really stand out.*

Quality Label Printing Requires Precise Cutting

Precision matters for creating labels with clean, consistent edges and the desired shape and size. Printers must ensure precise cutting to avoid issues such as misalignment or excess waste material. The converting process, which includes steps like slitting, rewinding, and sheeting, should also be carefully managed to maintain label quality and functionality.

Mediapoint is one of only a few printers that can offer labels laser-cut from the backside. This leads to the most precise finish on labels / stickers. No excess material or white edges to ruin the work you’ve put into design.

Quality Control Processes

To maintain the highest quality in label printing, printers should implement a comprehensive quality control system. This may involve prepress checks, regular equipment maintenance, and thorough inspection of the final product. By identifying and addressing potential issues early in the process, printers can minimise waste, reduce production costs, and ensure customer satisfaction.

Of course, when you outsource printing, production QC is managed by your trade printer. Your main responsibility as a print reseller, or designer if you’re completing in-house, is to proof artwork ahead of submission. As a Lean organisation ourselves, we also recommend reviewing your design processes regularly to eliminate wasted time, effort and avoidable mistakes.

By focusing on these key considerations you can deliver quality labels to your clients. At Mediapoint we’ve taken all of these into account to determine our offerings. This means you can have peace-of-mind that labels and stickers printer with us will be durable, visually appealing, and functional.

We have a commitment to quality, and attention to detail, that will not only enhance customer satisfaction but increase your reputation too.

If you’re a print reseller and yet to register for a Trade Account with Mediapoint – you can sign up here. Access 24/7 live pricing, industry-leading turnaround and a wide range of products.

Key Considerations For Label Print Quality

Posted on May 27, 2023February 29, 2024 by Jamie Xuereb

We review the elements of label print quality using our new equipment to help you understand, compare and evaluate options.

The quality of label printing significantly influences the overall appeal and effectiveness of the product. For ourselves, and our print resellers, it also has an effect on reputation and customer satisfaction. As such, label print quality should never be an afterthought. Producing high quality stickers and labels, for whatever application a customer requires, can be a real boon for business.

What to Consider When it Comes to Label Print Quality

When considering print quality for labels and stickers, several factors come to play. We’ve addressed some key considerations in a sample print run on our new addition, the Durst Tau 330 RSC E to highlight these for you.

So let’s get into it…

Resolution: The Foundation of Label Print Quality

Perhaps the biggest consideration of any print job is resolution. Stickers and labels are no exception. Getting sharp imagery and legible text means using the right equipment and technology for the application.

When it comes to labels, you generally want a high DPI (Dots Per Inch) count and small drop size. The higher the DPI the more nuance you can give designs, and the smaller drop size the less dot gain occurs – leading to crisp print details.

The Durst Tau 330 RSC E boasts a resolution of 1200dpi and a 2 picoliter drop size. That combination results in a market-leading label print quality. Just check out the quality sheet below. It’s an A4 paper showcasing ‘worst case’ scenarios, pushing a machine to its least effective print mode. Design details still pop and the varying elements don’t bleed into each other.

Legibility of Small Text

Small text has always been a tricky element to print clearly. On par with colour richness and image resolution, text issues are the most noticeable label print quality defects. Naturally, a majority of label and sticker printing jobs require small text. You don’t want packaging and branding details being missed – especially in applications that fall under strict regulations.

The smaller you can print text, the more you can play around with text on a design. Plus, the more peace-of-mind you’ll have of information being accessible to the end audience.

Taking this to the extreme, we’ve been able to print text on the Durst at 1 point size. That’s text that requires a loupe to read. This text is illegible to the naked eye, but the legibility under magnification is a testament to the printer’s precision.

Even better, italicised text also come out beautifully. Even ‘reversed out’ printing still yields good results. See the images below from our test outcomes.

When designing sticker and label printing or evaluating your printer options, these elements really open up the range of applications.

Scannability of QR Codes & Barcodes

The ability to produce legible, scannable QR codes is of great concern to printers. It’s in high demand from the customers of print resellers post-2020. That’s thanks to take up of QR code functionality and how they can be used in packaging or marketing applications.

Again, when it comes to labels, these generally need to be printed at small sizes. The clarity of the code print influences its scannability – you can’t have lines bleeding into each other.

In the above example you can see that under a loupe, the clarity of a 5mm QR code remains impeccable. This is the smallest size QR code that we have seen scan through any of our presses. Whilst not all applications will require such small sizing, it’s a testament to what’s possible using leading-edge tech. It opens up many options too for our print resellers and their customers.

Barcodes in Any Direction

This leads me to a quick note on something often overlooked – directionality of barcodes. Due to the setup of generic label printers, printing barcodes often requires a change in orientation to ensure scannability. That means compromising on design and often extra work for designers. This can lead to lower customer satisfaction and longer lead times.

With the Durst Tau 330 RSC E, we can print barcodes in any direction. That gives our customers the confidence to submit label and sticker designs knowing codes will scan perfectly.

Rich Solid Colours

Colour richness is another instantly obvious aspect of label print quality that can significantly enhance overall appeal. It’s a factor influenced by the printer’s colour reproduction capabilities, ink quality, and the interaction between the ink and the printing medium.

The Durst Tau 330 RSC E, leveraging the advanced inkjet tech we mentions before, excels in this regard. Colours are both rich and vibrant, giving printed labels a high-end, premium look and feel.

Durability and Useful Life

Many of the applications of stickers and labels require the product to maintain quality label printing over a long term. Furthermore, the products are usually regularly handled, exposed to light, and outdoor conditions.

So printing equipment that utilises ink sets specifically for these purposes, in combination with durable stock, can greatly affect useful life. Our stickers and labels are printed with UV resistant ink sets that don’t require lamination and withstand outdoor conditions for up to two years. This, of course, isn’t necessary for every use case but it provides peace-of-mind to the end user.

It also unlocks a wide range of applications in combination with custom size options (stickers of up to 1m in length), a large die library, and the aforementioned label print quality.

Our Aim for Label Print Quality

As you can see there are some clear pillars of label print quality when it comes to stickers and labels. Taking these into consideration when selecting a print partner for jobs can save you money and frustration.

At Mediapoint we’re not just addressing these concerns but pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in digital label and sticker printing. Whether it’s resolution, colour richness, readability of small text, scannability of QR codes and barcodes, or length of useful life. Our label and sticker solutions provide peace-of-mind and quality customers will love (at prices you’ll love).

We’re not just improving the quality of our customer’s labels; we’re enabling them to elevate their brand and offer an enhanced experience and wider range to customers.

If you’re a business in need, or a print reseller / broker, looking for quality label and sticker printing – put us to the test. Register for a trade account today to access exclusive pricing and online ordering.

6 More Benefits of Trade Printing

Posted on May 2, 2023May 2, 2023 by Jamie Xuereb

The benefits of trade printing extend even further than just cost and labour reduction. In this blog, we look further into how resellers and brokers can partner with us to unlock growth.

Trade Printing is Cost-Effective

One of the primary benefits of trade printing is its cost-effectiveness. By partnering with a trade printer, businesses can take advantage of wholesale prices, which are often significantly lower than retail prices. This means that businesses can produce high-quality printed materials without breaking the bank, allowing them to allocate more resources to other aspects of their operations.

Access to Specialised Equipment + Expertise

Through long-term supplier relationships, we have state-of-the-art equipment that few trade printers have access to. Even better, over 16 years in business means we are well-versed in the equipment best practices. Plus, we understand the various nuances of print reseller / broker requirements.

When evaluating a trade printer, a key consideration is that they not only have the equipment to manufacture to your requirements – ideally they will also be able to support you in making informed decisions on the best methods for specific project. Solid expertise combined with access to quality equipment leads to better outcomes for you as the reseller and your clients at no extra cost.

Turnaround Times Are Another Benefit of Trade Printing

The potential for improved turnaround times is another significant advantage of trade printing. Trade printers focus solely on printing services, so we complete jobs quicker than businesses than in-house print production.

Mediapoint relies on a highly automated ordering system that requires our customers to provide (and proof) artwork online. This enables us to cut down turnaround as well as pass on the savings that come from not having design services. It also provides resellers more lead-time for projects and increases the possibility of delivering on last-minute orders received from their clients.

Wider Range of Print & Product Options

Trade printers offer partners access to a wider range of product options than doing things in-house. Unless the reseller has a significant amount of space or capital to outlay it is highly unlikely that most print shops can compete on our scale.

By partnering with a trade printer, a print shop can offer more options on stock, finishes, cuts, and products to its customer base. This adds a competitive advantage in a crowded market without the requirement of purchasing / holding more inventory.

Increased Scalability

By outsourcing their printing needs to a trade printer, businesses can scale their operations more effectively. We have the capacity to handle large-volume orders, allowing businesses to ramp up their marketing efforts and focus on strengthening existing customer relationships.

Once again this is without having to invest in additional equipment or staff. This scalability can be particularly beneficial for growing businesses or those experiencing seasonal fluctuations in demand.

Trade Printing Simplifies Logistics

Rather than having to manage the entire printing process in-house, businesses can rely on a trade printer to handle everything from production to shipping. This can free up valuable time and resources, allowing businesses to focus on their core operations and strategic growth initiatives.

A Final Note on the Benefits of Trade Printing

Trade printing offers a wide array of benefits for businesses looking to optimise and scale their operations without forsaking quality or revenue. By partnering with a reliable and experienced trade printer, you can unlock expansion and drive your business forward.

If you’re a print reseller and yet to register for a Trade Account with Mediapoint – you can sign up here. Access 24/7 live pricing, industry-leading turnaround and a wide range of products.

3 Major Trends in Print Reselling

Posted on March 7, 2023February 29, 2024 by admin

Jamie recently visited our major equipment supplier (Durst) in Europe and got the lowdown on the latest trends in print reselling. Watch the above video keep an eye out for more content to learn more ahead of 2023.

As a trade printer, we are committed to keeping our clients informed of market movements. During our visit with Durst (and nearby customer factories) we learnt of several noteworthy trends for our print partners.

Packaging (including Stickers and Labels) is a Fast-Growing Product Segment

One of the most significant trends was the growing demand for packaging, stickers, and labels. This is a product line that has seen significant growth in recent years. It is showing no signs of slowing down!

This is likely due to the fact that packaging, stickers, and labels are becoming increasingly crucial to businesses in order to stand out in the crowded, global marketplace. Branding is a key aspect of customer experience and perception for both eCommerce and traditional shopping experiences – packaging influences both these areas heavily.

Print resellers specialising in this product line can expect demand for new, innovative packaging products. There is a significant opportunity to expand offerings and increase revenue in 2023. It’s a good thing that we’re on the front foot at Mediapoint.

We have new, specialised equipment on the way. This will enable our wholesale print partners to capitalise on this growth and deliver high-volume, high-quality, packaging solutions.

Some Trends in Print Reselling Will Continue

Another trend we observed was the continued demand for outsourced, large format printing. Business overheads continue to skyrocket, capital for assets is hard to come by, and supply chains still remain somewhat fragile. So, we will continue to see businesses outsourcing large format printing rather than keeping things in-house.

Large format printing requires specialised equipment, expertise, and experience that many companies do not possess. A quick cost-benefit analysis leads many retail-customers (and traditional print shops themselves) to see that outsourcing is generally the most effective option.

Turnaround for Print Equipment Manufacture is Accelerating

In good news for us (and our clients) the manufacture of specialised print equipment is returning to pre-covid volume. Plus, turnaround time continues to decrease on new equipment. That enables our network to take advantage of growing product lines by having the right equipment in place ahead of peak demand. As mentioned above we have some new machines on order. These should be in place to extend our offerings by Q2 of 2023.

It’s also an encouraging sign for the industry as a whole. We can infer that the market for wide format, flatbed, and specialised printing solutions is getting back on track.

Positive Outlook for Print Reselling

Overall, our visit highlighted a return to normality for trade printers and print resellers globally. We forecast that trends in the print reselling that were interrupted by COVID-19 will continue unabated through the next couple of years. Print brokers who can move fast, establish good connections with trade printers, and identify new customers looking for growing product lines are in for solid growth through to 2025 and beyond.

If you’d like to learn more about our current packaging production capabilities, or be first in line for new stickers and label products, make sure you sign up for a PrintIQ account.

The Future Of Trade Printing

Posted on February 21, 2023February 24, 2023 by admin

We discuss the future of trade printing and how Australian print resellers can stay ahead of the curve

The world of trade printing is constantly evolving, and it is important for print resellers and brokers to stay informed about the latest trends and developments in the industry. So here’s what we’ve uncovered through our recent research trip to European hubs.

The Future of Trade Printing Is About Volume

One of the key trends in the future of trade printing is the increasing demand for volume and capacity. As businesses and consumers continue to rely more heavily on print materials, print resellers and brokers will need to find ways to produce more materials in less time. This will require investment in new equipment and technology that can handle larger volumes and faster turnaround times.

Thankfully, Mediapoint has continually sought new equipment, optimised production processes and strong supplier relationships. We’ve also designed out trade printing facility with expansion in mind. This allows us to meet the growing demands of trade print clients well into the future.

Optimising each element of our value stream means we have the capacity to do more for our clients with less waste. Less waste means more savings in time, money and resources. This creates a closed loop that leads to purchasing better equipment, optimising production and increasing output.

Print brokers should be evaluating a trade printer based on their capacity, equipment and capabilities. Doing so now enables resellers to capitalise on emerging trends and demands of retail customers.

Older Equipment Won’t Service High Volume Resellers

This increasing demand for volume and capacity means traditional print shops will need to find ways to produce more materials in less time. In order to meet this demand, they’ll need to identify trade printers who have the knowhow and equipment. This ability to meet expectations also requires innovative technology such as automation tools (like our PrintIQ portal), Lean processes and effective operations teams. Each of these elements helps to streamline production and improve efficiency. This leads to better outcomes for both reseller and customer alike.

Trade printers who do not invest in key areas will struggle and may not be able to offer the level of quality and service that clients are expecting. Additionally, as the market evolves, these laggards will be unable to access the technologies and techniques that emerge falling further behind.

Bespoke and Custom Printing Solutions Will Move In-House

Despite the future of trade printing moving prioritising volume there will still be a need for bespoke and custom print solutions. Some trade printers may choose to focus on filling production gaps in these areas. However, these jobs will be more likely to be produced in-house due to the decreasing costs of necessary equipment.

At Mediapoint we are very focused on how and who we support when it comes to trade printing. We have a specific definition of a trade client and don’t intend on changing. What we do intend on, however, is continually evolving to meet their needs and helping them grow.

If you’re a high volume print reseller or a print shop looking to grow your capacity, set up a PrintIQ account or contact us to discuss your needs.

Maintaining Relationships With Suppliers

Posted on January 21, 2023February 24, 2023 by admin

Jamie discusses the benefits gained from maintaining relationships with suppliers in the print industry. Read on to learn more.

As a trade printer that specialises in working closely with print resellers and print brokers, we understand the importance a solid customer-supplier relationship. This is why we make it a priority to maintain strong partnerships with several leading equipment manufacturers. One of our longest, and most beneficial, relationships is with Durst. We recently visited their HQ in Europe to learn more about new equipment, print industry trends. It was also another opportunity to experience firsthand the benefits that a solid relationship provides ourselves and our customers alike.

Maintaining Relationships with Suppliers Leads to Savings for All

One of the biggest benefits of having a close relationship with equipment suppliers is the ability to pass on savings. The biggest of these are reduced turnaround time on new equipment, minimised equipment costs, and priority access to efficient equipment.

Thanks to having a good working relationship with our suppliers, we can often negotiate better prices and priority ordering. This allows us to offer our trade printing clients in Australia more competitive pricing per square metre. It also enables them to offer new product SKUs, higher volumes, and better pricing to their own customers ahead of the competition. This is of significant advantage in the fast-paced, competitive print industry.

Print Equipment Suppliers Prefer to Work With Us

It’s not just Australian print resellers and print brokers who prefer to work with us. Another advantage of maintaining relationships with equipment suppliers is that we can leverage our reputation, experience, and size. By partnering with us they benefit from having their equipment showcased in a best practice facility. Plus, they can see how the equipment works in a high-volume environment and get solid feedback. Just as we want be utilising the best equipment, large format equipment suppliers want to work with the best trade printers.

As a reputable trade printer, operating for over 18 years, we’ve become known for our reliability and professionalism. This reputation helps us to secure better deals from suppliers that others can’t match, leading to more savings for our clients.

Our size also allows us to make larger purchases and access equipment that isn’t viable for in-house production. Smaller print shops can then access the products they need through us without the capital outlay for new equipment.

Another key benefit is the sharing of trade printing best practices and trends. We can work closely with our suppliers to stay informed about the latest trends in the industry. This knowledge allows us to provide our clients with the most current and effective solutions. Plus, since we’re maintaining relationships with suppliers in other markets we often see trends well in advance of Australia.

Our suppliers also benefit from our knowledge and experience in the industry,. This enables collaboration on new product development, and sharing of best practices for improved efficiency and quality.

Both parties are able to stay ahead of the curve and offer innovative products / solutions. This is particularly important in a still evolving industry like printing. New technologies and techniques are constantly being developed – early adopters have a distinct advantage.

Maintaining relationships with suppliers is crucial for our business, and it also offers many benefits to our clients. Through the combination of our experience and their knowledge we can secure better equipment and better deals. This all leads to customer value for you and the retail client.

To see just how competitive these relationships make our prices – sign up for a PrintIQ account today.

Australian Print Industry Vs Europe: 4 Things We Learned

Posted on January 7, 2023February 24, 2023 by admin

The Australian print industry and Europe are, naturally, quite different. From the way they approach the business of print through to the elements of production they prioritise.

In this blog, we discuss the main differences we identified on a recent trip to visit trade printing facilities in Europe.

European Printers Prioritise Quality

The European print market seems to value print quality over speed and volume. This is due to the expectations and diversity of customers in this market. Therefore the throughput is generally lower and print modes set finer to achieve those small percentage gains in resolution. This is evident in the way that European printers invest in equipment that offers more control over quality optimisations than throughput. Additionally, the European market is home to many high-end print shops that specialise in luxury and bespoke prints at volume – albeit with much slower turnaround.

That’s not to say that resolution in large-format printing in Australia is significantly worse. We’re talking minimal differences in quality – it’s just that Australian resellers prioritise volume.

Sustainability Efforts Are More Mature than Australian Print Industry

Another major difference between the European and Australian print markets is the emphasis on sustainability. There is a greater emphasis on using environmentally friendly materials and reducing energy consumption in print. Not only is less concern about costs associated with sustainability.

Greater (and more regular) Investments in New Equipment in Europe: In Europe, printers tend to make greater and more regular investments in new equipment. This is because the European market is more competitive and printers must stay ahead of the curve to remain competitive. Additionally, European printers also tend to invest in new equipment to ensure that they can produce prints of the highest quality.

Staff turnover is much lower in Europe and staff stay with companies – buying into the vision and mission of businesses: Finally, the European print industry is known for having a lower staff turnover rate compared to the Australian print industry. Staff in Europe tend to stay with companies for longer periods of time, and they tend to buy into the vision and mission of the business. This is because the European market is more mature and stable, and staff are more likely to find job security and stability in the European print industry.

Trade Printers Can’t Guarantee Shipping Times

Posted on October 15, 2022February 24, 2023 by admin

Jamie Xuereb explains why we can guarantee printing turnaround but not shipping times

Our trade printing process is fast – we can guarantee that. What we can’t guarantee, however, are shipping times. This comes down to a few factors but it boils down to the fact that we don’t control the courier process.

Everything up to the point of dispatch has been designed by us for efficiency. Automation, print modes, human inputs (where necessary), printing equipment placement – it’s all honed and continually reviewed. We’ve previously discussed how printing cut off times underpin our efficiencies – unfortunately couriers don’t operate the same way.

So whilst we can estimate when a pickup run may occur (particularly for couriers who do daily runs) it’s not an exact science.

When ordering with Mediapoint, and any trade printer really, be aware that there may be variance in delivery time. We can guarantee the printing will be done within our allotted timeframe – but not anything past the point of dispatch.

So let’s outline a few things print resellers can do to mitigate delays:

1) Provide all Label Information for Dependable Shipping Times

Shipping information is an often overlooked point of criticality in the production process. How fast an order can be completed and dispatched hinges on having correctly labelled items.

By providing all shipping information and labels when placing an order means no downtime when a print job hits production. Once a job is placed into our printing production line it cannot be changed – neither can dispatch information. For the sake of efficiency and accuracy printers will require this info upfront. It’s up to the customer to confirm all the courier details / requirements – but it’s really not that much of a burden.

Whilst we cannot guarantee shipping times at Mediapoint, we can promise that your print job will be on the production floor within a short time when ordering by the cutoff. It’ll be ready for dispatch the next business day at the latest.

2) Leverage Your Courier Options for Print Jobs

Mediapoint customers have the choice of multiple couriers for delivery of print jobs. We maintain strong relationships with many couriers to limit the impact that delays or unavailability of one courier can have on delivery times.

We have TNT, StarTrack and CouriersPlease completing daily pick ups to maximise distribution and mitigate delays for delivery across the country.

If customers prefer (or require) a bespoke/ or alternative shipping method that’s fine too. They just need to provide the label at ordering and time the pickup for when the job is complete. We encourage print resellers and print brokers to investigate the various delivery options available to them.

3) Use a Dependable Trade Printer

When you utilise a dependable, efficient trade printer you can be sure that the actual print process delay orders. Plus, a reputable printer will general have several options for delivery to give customers the best chance of receiving print jobs ASAP. Our Lean, efficient processes and minimal manual handling or service not only enables us to pass savings onto our customers. It also means we can guarantee printing turnaround times to the point of dispatch.

Our customers love that they can on-sell print with better margins, and peace-of-mind that whilst delivery times can’t be guaranteed they are still likely to receive them within an adequate window

Mediapoint has made the print process easier for all parties by being clear about our requirements and guarantees. If you’d like a dependable, reputable trade printer – set up an account and give us a try.

The Value of Automated Trade Printing Quotes

Posted on October 8, 2022February 24, 2023 by admin

Today we’re delving into what our automated trade printing quotes mean for customers and why we’ve invested in such a system.

Automation underpins the effectiveness (and efficiency) of our printing processes. It enables Mediapoint to deliver on turnaround guarantees for over 150 orders a day. This ability for a trade printer to deliver is critical. Without a slick process in place it would be very hard for teams to achieve targets. That’s not to mention that some trade printing businesses use a manual quoting process as throttle / delay.

Whilst we dictate our own internal processes we always ensure these are centred on delivering value for our trade clients.

At Mediapoint we identified that speed of service and the benefits of automation don’t just start when an order is confirmed. A majority of our customers require a system that allows them to get their print jobs done (including quoting) seamlessly and at speed.

Not only is much of our proofing and production driven by technology – so is our best-in-class self serve print portal.

Everyone Saves Time with Automated Print Quotes

The pricing process can really drag on (and be seriously delayed) without an automated quoting system in place. Think of the emails or phone calls back and forth, the different databases to connect to, and the possibility of human error switching between different systems. These elements are present on both the printer and customer’s side.

With an automated system there is minimal friction, less requirement for human input (meaning we can have our team focus on delivering quality print jobs), and the ability to shift from quoting to printing instantly.

Time is a valuable resource; wasting it costs you and your Trade Printer money. Not to mention lost opportunities to be focusing on more important work.

At Mediapoint any savings made in time and labour are passed on to our customers – through the automated system delivering the quotes!

Automated Trade Printing Quotes Minimise Errors

Through the use of automation we can leverage computing power and integration to ensure that prices are correct in real-time. In combination with our self serve print portal and embedded print pricing model ordering is easy, accurate and fast.

It eliminates the need for our staff members to check over multiple pricing tables, inventory databases, and equipment availability before providing a quote. Plus, any ‘ghosts in the system’ will be flagged for review. This provides us with peace-of-mind that there is a system in place to highlight any issues that do arise.

As a fail-safe we do routine checks to confirm our system for automated trade printing quotes works as intended. Our priority however is for our staff to be on the production floor delivering on print jobs. That is where the real value of a trade printer is delivered and where having our skilled staff is necessary.

Resellers Love Our Self Serve Print Portal

The ability for clients to access live-pricing and get accurate quotes quickly is a significant factor itself. By expediting the ordering process our print resellers and print brokers can confidently estimate turnaround to their own clients. Plus, it eases the burden on their teams when it comes to pricing and project managing jobs.

Speed of communication is important for resellers and print shop managers wanting to establish (and sustain) good relationships with their clients.

Automated trade printing quotes support this from the very outset. After all – wouldn’t you as a customer of any business prefer to deal with those that have prompt and clear responses? Any way we can help our clients in this area is something we take very seriously.

Mediapoint has grown to be one of Australia’s biggest and most experienced trade-only printers over 16+ years. If you’re looking for a printing partner who makes it easier to quote, produce and deliver on print jobs for your clients – sign up today.