tips Archives

Why Do We Need Shipping Information Upfront?

Posted on October 1, 2022February 24, 2023 by admin

Learn more about the Mediapoint ordering process and why we require all shipping information / labels for print orders upfront.

Simply put: our print process is too fast to wait around for shipping information.

We need all info and necessary labels at the start of an order because once it’s confirmed every step of production and dispatch is locked in. We’ve invested time and money into creating a streamlined print process underpinned by leading edge technology. Once a job is placed into the production schedule it cannot be changed.

If you’re ordering any of our products with next-day turnaround guarantees (and order by the 12pm cutoff) it’s highly likely that your order will be on the production floor within a few hours and ready for dispatch the next business day.

Shipping information and labelling 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.

Lack of Shipping Information Causes Delays

We run a double shift at Mediapoint and teams work until 10pm to ensure all jobs for the next day’s dispatched are finished, packaged and ready for collection by the various couriers. To have this completed on-time, everyday, we require all shipping information to be ready ahead of job completion.

For other trade printing businesses, who leave this information until last, delays in dispatch are quite common. They need to chase down the required labels, destination and delivery partner while jobs are already in QA or waiting for dispatch. We think this is a particularly wasteful practice and want to ensure the most efficient turnaround for our clients. Any time a job is sitting idle in the facility is wasted time and potentially damaging to the reputation of our resellers.

Courier / Shipping Options from Mediapoint

Mediapoint customers have the option of selecting from a few different options at the point of ordering. There are a couple nuances for each option which we highlight below:

Direct Courier

If a point-to-point courier is requested (and therefore organised by the customer) the shipping information required a diamond label with the address. Simply select this option on our portal when ordering and note the address for shipping.

Road Freight

To ensure that our jobs can be dispatched across the entire country with ease and speed we have multiple carriers doing daily runs from our facility. As of September, 2022 we have TNT, StarTrack and CouriersPlease completing daily pick ups. To be included in these runs you’ll just need to create the label and provide at time of ordering.

Ad-Hoc Carrier / Shipping Method

If you require a bespoke/ or alternative method of shipping you’ll need to provide the label at ordering and time the pickup for when the job is complete. To accurately determine the required shipping information you can ask our team for an estimate of time for a job to be complete, or review our product guides. Most items will be ready for pickup next-day when ordered by the 12pm cutoff.

Clarity for Customers

Our Lean process and minimal manual service on the front end saves time and money. It enables us to price as well as we do and pass savings onto our customers. Being able to on-sell print with better margins, and peace-of-mind around turnaround times, is an appealing tradeoff for having to prepare shipping information at the time of ordering. It just requires a small process change from some customers to access the fastest trade printing turnaround times.

By being clear about our requirements we’ve made the ordering process much simpler for everyone leading to fewer mistakes, faster turnaround, and less time spent on administration.

Using IQ: Getting Quotes & Making Orders

Posted on September 24, 2022February 24, 2023 by admin

Our self-serve trade print portal is PrintIQ. It makes ordering print jobs with Mediapoint quick and easy. Amongst the features within the self-serve print portal you’re able to access live pricing 24/7, get quotes, view your previous / current orders, and submit artwork.

Jamie (Mediapoint Founder) has put together a useful video walkthrough to showcase the PrintIQ workflow. Learn how to view products, put a quote together, confirm your orders and see helpful metrics when you need them.

We’ve developed PrintIQ to cater towards customers that require fast, efficient print at the best-price.

Our trade printing portal enables us to guarantee next-day turnaround on certain products when ordered by cut-off times. High volume resellers love the ability to easily build quotes, submit their artwork and track progress live, in one place.

Want to access the best priced trade printing? Sign up for a PrintIQ account today.

Why We Can’t Change An Order Once It Hits Production

Posted on September 17, 2022February 24, 2023 by admin

In this article we’re taking a further look at the inner-workings of our automated printing system. Jamie explains why we can’t (and don’t) change a job once it hits production.

We’ve previously touched on our automated processes. They bring benefits to efficiency as well as pricing. Today, Jamie delves into why we can’t adjust orders once they hit production. Watch and read on to learn more about our automated print system.

Our Automated Printing System is too Good

Our automated printing systems are extremely efficient – just like the rest of our processes. An order can hit production within 10 minutes of being confirmed. Artwork pre-processing, stock selection and printer setup is all automatic. So there is little opportunity for any manual adjustments to the print run.

Our system and processes are established to deliver on the requirements of high volume resellers. We do not offer bespoke services or undertake any manual processing as this would reduce efficiency, minimise our ability to deliver on customer demands and increase costs.

Changing Orders Changes The Quote

Mediapoint’s ability to deliver quick trade printing quotes is underpinned by scaled volume and inventory calculations. When a job is submitted for quoting on our self serve print portal these calculations are completed and price locked in.

Once the the quote is accepted our automated print system sets printing in motion. If there were adjustments to an order (quantity, product type etc.) quoted prices, batching lots, and dispatch estimates would be incorrect.

Changes to Jobs Impact The Key Benefits of Trade Printing

Our focus is on delivering high volume printing with a quick turnaround as a trade printing partner. That’s why the onus is on clients to deliver finished artwork and confirm their requirements. The tradeoff for this lack bespoke customer service is quick turnaround and low prices. Any changes to orders would impact the key benefits for which Mediapoint is known.

We find that print resellers are more than happy to take the extra time to review and confirm orders. This hasn’t changed in over 16 years of business. Our customers can continue to pass on the best prices and lead-times to their own clients thanks to our automated print system and adjacent processes.

Sign up for a PrintIQ account to view our product pricing and get ordering today if you’re looking for a trade printing partner.

Mediapoint’s Print Process: One Job Is One Dispatch

Posted on September 10, 2022February 24, 2023 by admin

In this article we detail our Mediapoint’s print process and how that facilitates expedited completion of print jobs for customers.

We operate by a single rule when it comes to dispatching: One Job is One Dispatch.

Whilst other trade printers may split orders or create kits to be dispatched to multiple locations, we’ve consciously chosen not to do this. When you order using our self serve printing system we treat that order as an individual batch intended for one destination.

Over 150 orders a day are handled by Mediapoint’s print process. It involves the use of a highly-automated system and optimised, Lean processes. The moment an order is placed in our system every element required to complete the job – materials, print time, custom packaging, staff – is locked in. Everything is accounted for which leads to jobs completed exactly as intended.

Automation means leaves no room for ad-hoc changes but it means we can deliver on high volume orders with a quick turnaround. Furthermore, customers are benefitted by predictable lead times for print runs.

Splitting print orders is one such sacrifice of Mediapoint’s print process. However, we believe it is outweighed by the benefits of streamlined procedures and the ease of using our system.

Mediapoint’s Print Process Minimises Mistakes

Following our simple rule minimises any chance of mistakes throughout our trade printing process. Common mistakes from other trade printers who do split orders:

Underdelivering stock amounts to each destination
Jobs going to wrong locations
Varied delivery times due to different couriers / routes.
Delayed delivery due to the time it takes to finish and package split jobs individually.

Each of these issues can be detrimental to both our reputation and that of our clients who have their own service-level guarantees in place with their customers.

Don’t forget every added step in the print process will add costs. This leads to increased prices and reduces the amount of margin passed onto customers.

Customers Can Still Order Multiple Jobs

When working with Mediapoint’s print process you can still have printing delivered to multiple sites. However, each pack need to be ordered under separate job numbers. The time it takes to complete multiple orders on our automated printing system (PrintIQ) is negligible.

The individual number of jobs aids in visibility of job progress for customers. Since each job number is treated separately there is full transparency around dispatch timelines and destinations. This also reduces the requirement for our teams to read convoluted notes or do extra work that may slow down the trade printing process.

Playing to Our Strengths

The advantages of Mediapoint’s print process are the ability to access live 24/7 pricing on orders, access to the lowest prices, next-day turnaround on most products, and outsourcing of high volume jobs to focus on sales rather than production. By providing clarity of our process, utilising a self-serve printing portal, and implementing automation at every stage we can sustain our standards and deliver on these advantages for every customer.

If you’re a high volume reseller looking for trade printing partner that offers the lowest prices, than look no further than Mediapoint. Simply sign up for a PrintIQ account to get started.

Definition of a Trade Print Client

Posted on September 3, 2022February 24, 2023 by admin

We delve into our definition of a trade print client and how it ensures a transparent relationship that benefits everyone.

At Mediapoint we define a trade client as any entity reselling print; not the end consumer. So when we say, “we are a trade only printer” that means we don’t deal with retail customers. This has a few benefits for our customers but it’s important to know what such a trade printing relationship means.

Our Definition of a Trade Print Client Sets Accountabilities

We have found that there are fewer crossed wires, faster turnaround and better results when dealing directly with print resellers. One line of communication makes each party accountable for certain tasks. For Mediapoint that’s print, cut, finishing and packaging. For our trade clients that means they handle preparation of artwork and communicating with the retail customer.

We find that this task split is appealing to trade printing clients. It provides peace-of-mind that their customer won’t be poached. This is all too common when there is no separation between the end customer and the trade printer. Either organically or by intent resellers can be cut out of deals as customers seek to lower prices or reduce administration.

Our Definition of a Trade Print Client Enables Us to Support More Businesses

As a print reselling partner with a focus solely on trade clients we are able to support more than just traditional print shops. Our definition of a trade print client extends beyond print resellers or print brokers. Marketing/design agencies, individual consultants are also in need of a high volume printing partner. Our ability to blind ship orders and deal direct is particularly appealing to these organisations.

Considerations for Working with Trade Printers

A trade printer’s number one priority should be to give its resellers the most margin. That’s how we operate at Mediapoint. We’ve heavily invested in our manufacturing and our process. That means all other areas of the business including the frontend, prepress, and dispatch need to be fairly automated.

So if you require personal service on every order, a trade printer like us may not be optimal. You will be directed to an automated system for the aforementioned benefits of speed, efficiency and cost.

However, you’ll have access to the best printing prices and reclaim time back to grow your business. Not to mention peace of mind. These are the tradeoffs to consider when comparing trade printing VS In-House Production.

A quality trade printer (also known as a Wholesale Printer) will deal only with you – not your customer – allowing you to focus on growing relationships and your customer base. After all, trade printing is a service where you outsource to a supplier who producing work on your behalf. You are then left with greater equipment availability for priority, short-run jobs and/or more time to focus on growing your business.

If you think you fit into our definition of trade and are looking to outsource your printing, sign up for a PrintIQ account today.

Why Are We Strict About Print Job Cut Off Times?

Posted on August 27, 2022February 24, 2023 by admin

Read on (and watch) to learn why we have strict, print job cut off times for certain products. We break down how that enables service levels above and beyond the competition.

Mediapoint averages 150+ orders a day. To deliver on these with next-day turnaround, we have established Lean processes that other trade printers can’t compete with.

A strict printing cut-off time of 12pm underpins these procedures. At this time, every day, our system automatically locks out any new next-day orders. From there, automations begin to run; preparing all inventory, equipment, artwork files and staff required for a batched print run.

Print Job Cut Off Times Create Predictability

Keeping strict printing cut off times (and making it clear to customers) means a predictable service level for customers. With no variance in lead times they have peace-of-mind that jobs will be completed and dispatched as expected.

It means that our printing teams have a clear set of tasks to complete. That means we can adequately prepare our lines for maximum efficiency. Set print job cut off times are key to batching jobs, minimising change to stock and print modes during operation.

We’ve previously discussed locking into one print mode only which helps maintain quality and speed.

Printing Once A Day Reduces Costs

We pride ourselves on offering the best prices. To do so we need to find savings wherever possible – all of which are passed onto our clients. Inventory represents a significant portion of any print cost. A batching process helps us keep an optimal amount of inventory on hand. Plus, we end up using less resources per print run. Trade printers need definitive print job cut off times to effectively schedule completion of these job batches.

Another overlooked cost of printing is labour. This rises significantly when print runs are not batched. The time it takes to set up equipment for each differing print run, to cut print jobs, to complete finishing work and to package items are all areas where great savings can be made. In combination with our automated PrintIQ system – which reduces the need for manual servicing of quotes and design – we significantly reduce costs.

These savings then provide margin for our print reseller customers to play with when on-selling work.

Mediapoint’s Print Process Benefits Our People

The batching process and printing cut off times mentioned above mean our staff just need to complete each task once before moving onto the next stage of the print run. They become more efficient and we can do more, with less people. Unlike other trade printers, our teams are not burdened by wastes of rework or overproduction. In fact, our staff gain valuable time back and are involved in every stage of the work, allowing them to build and maintain their skillset.

Mediapoint Cut Off Times — Our Durst 512R LED in action. We used the points in these posts when making decision to buy this printer as it fit our business

Our Process Keeps Us Honest

Our established, automated system for overnight printing means there is minimal variance in our output and a predictable low-touch level of service. This reduces friction in the ordering process, and allows us to be transparent about how jobs are handled.

This visibility is useful for resellers looking for the right trade print partner for high volume output. It removes the guesswork involved in the print process for them and ensures they can deliver on service levels to their own customers.

We’ve established our print job cut off times based on experience and optimisation over the last 16 years of servicing high volume resellers. In that time we’ve identified that the 12pm cutoff provided an ideal lead-time for a majority of our clients and our internal processes. Furthermore when rush print jobs are required (which we don’t cater to) our customers’ in-house capabilities can handle them.

As we say, “the proof is in the print” so if you’re looking for a trade print partner that can deliver on high volume jobs day-in, day-out, give our 24-hour turnaround process a try on your next high volume print run. Simply sign up to PrintIQ here and order by 12pm for dispatch by next business day.

The Costs of Wide Format Printing Explained

Posted on August 13, 2022February 24, 2023 by Jamie Xuereb

In this article we break down wide format printing costs to give you a peak behind the scenes. You’ll be able to better understand exactly where gains can be made. Plus, you’ll have a better idea of the difference between trade printing and in-house production.

Wide Format Printing Equipment Cost & Capacity

First and foremost is the actual cost of the large format equipment to be used. The capital expenditure of these assets is factored into the cost of each sheet. When calculating this, organisations need to also consider the capacity of the selected printer. At Mediapoint, we have invested in large format printers that can handle more volume, to bring down the cost per sheet and produce more jobs per hour. In tandem with our streamlined batching processes we can feed more volume through the line in less operational time. That means we can pass on greater savings to our trade clients and give them greater margin for reselling.

For the clients we cater to best (high volume resellers) this is the optimal process, however there will inevitably be some tradeoffs. We’ve covered those in another article that outlines how to evaluate a trade printer and make sure they match your needs.

Ink Plays a Key Part in Large Format Printing

Fundamentally you need ink to print – there is no way around this commodity. An ink cost per square meter is factored into the cost of any printing run. When dealing with large format prints this can be a significant cost – particularly if the equipment being used is not efficient in its ink usage. You’ll find that entry level or cheaper equipment will be less effective in its use of inks. So you may still end up with a quality print, but the ink costs per square meter are much higher.

We run premium Durst printers on a single printing mode. These are optimised for a set quality of print in all batches. This allows us to sustain efficient ink usage even at the high volume our clients expect, whilst sustaining the level of print quality their own customers expect.

Floor Space Required for Wide Format Printers

Large printers need a lot of floor space. From handling stock, to a working and dispatch area; each piece of equipment needs a significant amount of real estate. At Mediapoint we have over 2000sqm of internal warehouse space. This enables our teams work safely and efficiently when handling print jobs. Plus, it future-proofs our expansion plans.

This is an oft-overlooked aspect of wide format printing, and a major reason why scaling production / capacity is hard for your average print shop. Once the capacity of existing equipment is reached, not only do you need to outlay capital for equipment but also rental of extra floor space or sometimes even an entirely new premises. That expenditure usually leads to increase in print pricing which can affect relationships with customers and significantly impact your bottom line.

Finishing

Another overlooked aspect of wide format printing is the added finishing equipment and processes required. Finishing has a linked impact on quality and delivery of print runs. Sometimes, the cost of good finishing equipment can cost more than the actual print equipment. Then we must consider the cost of staff, training, and the time needed to finish orders. Once again, this all contributes to the final pricing of print jobs. Any process optimisations or capital savings mean less costs overall and greater margins to play with. In printing, economies of scale are very real – which is why trying to justify completing high-volume, repetitive work in-house can be difficult.

Durst 512 Mediapoint — The Costs of Wide Format Printing Explained

Quality Assurance and Dispatch

Unlike other forms of print, like the name suggests, large format printing is large. Due to the materials and equipment involved the print process differs from smaller-scale operation. That means it is necessary to conduct QA work prior to dispatch. It also requires customised packaging and delivery option which ties up a lot of resources as well.

As you can see, there are many factors at play when it comes to the pricing of commercial printing. Due to this the quoting process can often take quite a while, delaying projects or blowing out lead times. That’s why we’ve invested in our PrintIQ system – offering 24/7 live pricing and automated print processing.

If you’re a print resellers looking to provide accurate quotes, manage customer expectations, and get on with the business of selling, create an account today.

4 Tips for Optimal Large Format Printing

Posted on August 6, 2022February 24, 2023 by Jamie Xuereb

Jamie shares several tips to minimise delays and achieve optimal output from your large format printing.

1) Always Use Vectors Where Possible

When creating / supplying artwork, utilise vectors – these are your best friend! Vectors are images created from shapes based on mathematical formulas. This keeps them sharp no matter how large the artwork needs to be. Don’t worry – you don’t need to know the tech or mathematics behind it all. Your graphic design software should look after that. The reason we (and other printers) recommend vectors is that they are sharper than Rasters. With rasters, there is always a point where the images will pixelate. Rasters are essentially a photo – hence the inability to scale infinitely. In large format printing this is invaluable as it eliminates the possibility of any issues.

Even better, vector images contain the CMYK values of a graphic which leads to more accurate colour output in the finished print.

2) Ensure Fonts Are Converted to Outlines

Fonts are perhaps the most fickle element when it comes to supplied artwork – just ahead of colours. Due to the variety of fonts in existence and the legal / technical limitations of having them stored within a database, you should always convert your text elements to outlines. Without conversion there’s a high chance your printer may not have the font available and it will be automatically substituted by their graphic design software. This is particularly true of bespoke fonts or those in languages that do not use the English alphabet.

There are other processes to workaround these issues – like flattening of an image file – however this can create other issues that need fixes of their own. By simply converting fonts to outlines you can ensure that artwork will print as it is provided, and avoid any delays to printing.

Most trade printers will not undertake proofing and require artwork to be provided in this way. This allows for automation and expedited printing with minimal service requirements. If you want to better understand what is required by your trade printer, and find the right match, we recently discussed the fundamental questions to ask.

3) Flatten Gradients Where Possible

When it comes to gradients (unlike Fonts), flattening is a useful process to ensure an accurate finished product. If you leave gradients as a raster, or simply a selected effect option in a PDF, it may be interpreted differently depending on the Raster Image Processing Software (RIPS) used by the printer. Not all RIPS are made the same, so it is best to standardise your images and eliminate the chance of gradients going awry in your wide format printing.

It’s always safer to flatten your gradients and it doesn’t take long – so what have you got to lose?

4) Utilise CMYK For Large Format Printing

Always create and supply your print artwork in CMYK colour format. Conventional large format printing is done using CMYK inks, so you’ll want to ensure your artwork matches. Whilst it may be tempting to use RGB in this digital age, that colour format is only best for screen / web design. Quite often we find people are surprised by the difference in colour between a digital RGB file and a sample CMYK print output.

By using CMYK from the very beginning you’ll be able to see the actual output throughout the entire processes. This leads to accurate printing, a better idea of the finished product to set expectations, and satisfied customers.

BONUS: Inspect Your Artwork At 100% On Screen

Here’s a bonus tip we’ll throw in for free: make sure you view your PDF Files at 100%!

This simple trick can pay dividends down the line and help you avoid any issues with large format printing quality. By viewing at 100% you will get an idea of the actual quality of images and see any potential pixelation.

For those more technically-inclined here’s what this means from a DPI perspective:

If the file is 10% then make sure to zoom in at 1000% to see the artwork as it will end up.

120 DPI for raster photos at 100% size is what we generally recommended. Going over this is likely overkill and will see diminishing returns.

An example: For banner files at 10% size, ensure that it is set up at 1200 DPI so when blown up it gets to the 120 DPI mark.

Mediapoint Optimal Large Format Printing — Optimal Large Format Printing

Eliminating Errors From Wide Format Printing

So there you have it – our top tips for eliminating any issues when utilising a trade printing partner. We’ve worked thousands of print jobs over the years; by following these recommendations our customers have accelerated their print processes and eliminated the burden of rework / delays.

If you’re a high volume print reseller looking for a trade-only printing partner with a wide range of products speak to us today.

Large Format Printing: A Best Practice Guide

Posted on July 30, 2022February 24, 2023 by Jamie Xuereb

In this article we discuss the best practices for optimal large format printing in this video and accompanying article.

Many of our customers have prior experience with differing forms of printing – offset, small format, merchandising, and screen printing. Large format printing, however, has its own nuances. So getting across these best practices can help you expedite printing, save headaches, and achieve better printing results.

Convert Fonts In Your Large Format Printing Artwork to Outlines

Fonts, like colours, are a particularly tricky element of printing artwork. There are legal / technical limitations when it comes to fonts. You can never be sure the printer will have the font you require available. So to mitigate any issues you should always convert your text elements to outlines. Without conversion it’s likely to be automatically substituted by graphic design software. This is particularly true of custom fonts or those in languages that do not use the English alphabet.

Converting fonts into outlines ensures that artwork will print as it is provided. Quite often we see text elements being the cause of delays to wide format printing. There are other processes that can help, like flattening of an image file but this create other issues.

Most trade printers will not undertake proofing – so double check your work before sending. Conducting conversion of text elements and following the other tips below will set you up for success. If you want to better understand what is required by your trade printer, and find the right match, we recently discussed the fundamental questions to ask.

Use CMYK & Pantone For Accurate Colour Matching

Always setup your artwork files in CMYK and not RGB. Whilst RGB is the go-to for digital design, the finished, printed colours won’t match. Trust us – there is quite the difference in colour between an RGB specification and the CMYK print output.

If you’re after a very specific colour match you’ll want to go a step further. Specify a Pantone C colour to correctly match and achieve your desired output. As colours can change from inkset to inkset, Pantone C colouring specifications keep wide format printing profiles in check.

Aim For 120DPI in Any Photos

Keep to the golden number of 120DPI photos to be printed in a large format. Any lower than this and it’s highly likely pixelation will occur. If you go too high you run the risk of RIP (Raster Image Processing) issues due to massive file sizes.

There really is no need to overdo it on the DPI. Don’t forget: most large format printing is designed to be viewed from a few meters back. You’ll find that there is a larger dot size (compared to small format printing) due to the outdoor durability requirement of the ink. So when it comes to the finished product, whilst it may look odd up close, you’ll get an accurate representation of the image when viewed from the intended distance.

Another thing to keep in mind here is the file size compared to its final scale. If the file is at 10% size, then set your DPI to match so that once blown up the image appears as intended.

For example:

If you’re delivering banner files at 10% size, set them up at 1200DPI. Once blown up to 100% size you’ll be right on that ideal 120DPI mark.

Utilise Vectors For Wide Format Printing

Use vectors wherever possible for any wide format printing. Vectors are incredibly handy for this typoe of printing. Vectors utilise mathematical formulas to create the shapes that make up your image. So no matter how large the artwork needs to be, the image will remain sharp. Industry standard graphic design software will be able to look after the technical side of things for you.

Trade printers recommend vectors due to their better sharpness when compared to rasters. With rasters, there is always a point where the images will pixelate. Rasters are essentially a photo – so they cannot scale infinitely. In wide format printing this ability to scale eliminates the possibility of any pixelation or blurring.

Plus vector images contain the CMYK values. Which takes care of the best practices above and leads to more accurate colour in the finished print.

If you’re a print reseller and outsourcing (or looking to outsource) over 30 jobs a month, we can help. Mediapoint has over 16 years of experience servicing high volume resellers exclusively. Talk to us today.

3 Ways Trade Printing Can Increase Profits

Posted on July 23, 2022February 24, 2023 by Jamie Xuereb

In the video above (and the accompanying article) we discuss how you can increase profits by engaging a trade printer.

Increase Profits by Offering More Products to Your Existing Customers

It’s highly likely the bulk of your revenue comes from existing customers, who already buying from you. You’ve built up a relationship with them and you’re likely to be their go-to supplier. But there’s a finite amount of products and stock you can hold / offer without taking up costly space. Not to mention the compatibility of these materials with your existing equipment.

That’s where an established, large trade printer comes in handy. By engaging a print partner you can offer their range of products and services as your own to existing customers without having to outlay significant cost for new stock, products or specialised printing equipment. You win by growing your product offerings (whilst minimising spend) and they win by not having to go elsewhere.

It’s a no-risk way to add services and products without the need for more floor space, staff, equipment or administration. Under this model you can just focus on the selling; strengthening relationships with clients as you also add profit, thanks to good margins and increased offerings.

Downsizing By Removing Unprofitable Lines

Eliminate the risk and the burden of unprofitable lines by shifting the responsibility to a trade printer. It’s no secret that staff are getting harder to find in Australia, so when we they are available we need them to be utilised effectively. Plus accessing the latest technology or purchasing new equipment is taking longer than ever thanks to supply chain issues. So keeping up with the right equipment or the right setup to match our competitors, and the demands of a growing customer base, is much harder.

To overcome these challenges (particularly during the peak of COVID) we’ve seen printing companies downsizing, moving to leaner models and focusing only on profitable lines. Some have even made the decision to shift entirely from print manufacturing to print reselling or brokering.

Trade printers make this a viable long-term strategy, allowing print business owners to stress less and move to more profitable models over the last couple years.

Increase Profits by Outsourcing Large Volume Orders

If you’re manufacturing predominantly in-house it’s likely that you have entry-level equipment or assets that suit a lower volume of production. This is fine for artisanal, bespoke or custom jobs, but not beneficial if you’re expecting to grow the volume of your print runs. In this scenario the cost per square metre will be much higher when factoring in ink, stock, labour, capital for equipment and the physical space you need for it all.

Of course, you can charge more (out of necessity / perceived value) but should your quantity of orders or volume grow, you’ll be tying up production capacity on low margin orders. Never forget that time is a commodity; any time your machines are running for one job, they aren’t producing for another. You want to be utilising your own equipment for the orders that make the most profit; outsourcing to a reliable partner enables you to do this without sacrificing quality or speed on key accounts.

Using a trade printer you can produce faster, at a higher volume, without the profit-eating capital outlay.

Trade Printing Mediapoint — 3 Ways Trade Printing Can Increase Profits

Which Trade Printers Will Increase Profits

Each trade / wholesale printer will have different offerings when it comes to products, service and pricing.

It’s important to undertake a robust evaluation of your options – whether you’re already in a trade printing partnership or just starting to look into the option. It doesn’t take much to get the answers you need, just a decent investment of focus and time. However, the return on this investment can reap great rewards when it comes to increasing profits. We recently discussed the fundamental questions you should answer in your evaluation when looking to outsource your printing.

Match up with a quality wholesale printer and you’ll be freeing up equipment capacity, labour, time and capital whilst building up the bottom line.

If you’re interested in evaluating Mediapoint services, and joining hundreds of other high volume resellers taking advantage of trade print, sign up to our PrintIQ system today.

Sign Up to Access Trade Only Pricing