Printing and Copying

Printing and Copying

Before you decide on your printing and copying company, you should think about whether or not you need a printing and copying company in the first place. 

• Do you have (or are willing to purchase) a good quality printer?
• Do you have (or are you willing to purchase) desktop publishing software that will help you design your business cards, letterhead, brochures, etc. (there are a number of options in this area, some are easy to use like Microsoft Publisher, others are more robust and complex like Adobe PageMaker). 
• Finally, do you have the time and desire to devote to designing and printing your own documents?  If you answered yes to all of the above, the only reason you'll need the companies we review below is for large scale printing and copying jobs (more than 100 copies is the baseline for our business). 

You can get printing and copying services at any number of stores and outlets.  There are a raft of local printing companies and a number of franchises and seemingly "non-related" product and service outlets are also offering printing and copying services (i.e. many of the postage and shipping companies and stores we review on our  Postage and Shipping Services Review also offer printing and copying services).   At Home Office Reports, we decided that the most important decision for the home based business owner was which of the printing and copying chains did the best job meeting the needs of the home based business.  Printing and copying services (outside of the chains) are still dominated by local companies.  We suggest that you "shop around" and spend some time getting the right price for the right job if you aren't going to use a chain.  Our reviews are therefore limited to:  Kinkos, OfficeMax, Sir Speedy and Staples.

Web Home Office Reports

We think that choosing a printing and copying service should be based on four major criteria:

• Shop Location - We believe that building a relationship with your printing and/or copying services company is very important.  And, if the store isn't local to you, you probably won't/can't spend the time you'll need to in order to build the relationship.  Your printing and copying service needs to understand you, your business and your specific printing and copying needs that center on that business.

• Range of Services Available - Your printing and copying service provider must be able to meet all of your business requirement.  You should have lots of options regarding the design and format of your documents (business cards, letterhead and envelopes, brochures, banners, signs, business forms), the stock upon which they are printed (economy, linen, heavy), color utilization, promotional items available for imprint (with your logo or message) and copying capabilities (electronic submission of your documents over the Internet or via disk/CD, color, size). 

• Speed - If you are like the folks at Home Office Reports, you never go to the copying/printing store until and unless you're in the midst of a major time crunch.  Therefore, it's very important that your printing and copying service have the capacity and wherewithal to deliver your job quickly and efficiently.
• Price - Printing and copying services, like anything, can be laden with 'extra' fees that can make your job rise exponentially in price.  Make sure you understand ALL of the components in the price - and that you're getting a total price that includes the 'extras' before you contract for the job.

Ready to go?  Let's look at the "big 4" in printing and copying!

NOTE:  Our cost-effectiveness evaluation was based on an analysis of some basic printing services we believe a home based business owner might require - business cards (economy, one color), letterhead (economy, one color), envelopes (economy, one color) and a rubber stamp.

Printing and Copying Company Review

Printing and Copying*

(Rankings - best, 5 symbols, worst, 1 symbol)

* A = Amateur, R = Rookie, P = Pro

Kinkos/Fed Ex

Simple Start-Up - ¹¹¹¹

Kinkos is really a copying, computer services and video conferencing company.  They offer free software - the Kinkos File Prep Tool that you can download.  The File Prep Tool formats your documents for submission to Kinkos over the Web.  You then fill out a web order, download your document and pick up the finished print/copying job at your local Kinkos.

Cost - $$$1/2

We contacted our local Kinkos for pricing.  500 business cards, one color on economy stock, was $76.00 ($.15 per card), 500 sheets of letterhead $345 ($.69 per sheet) and 500 standard business envelopes $39.00 ($.08 per envelope).  Kinkos pricing was at the "higher end" of the companies we reviewed. 

Time Savings - ¹¹¹¹

If you are willing to design your own documents and send them to Kinkos using the File Prep Tool, you can save a ton of time - and trips to the copying/printing store.  Kinkos also business cards, letterhead, etc. based on standard templates that are available at the store (for an additional set up charge).  If you don't have the time or are unwilling to "do it yourself", this is a big help.

Ease of Use - @@@@

We use the Kinkos File Prep Tool and it is very simple.  You just "print" your document to the File Prep Tool (in Word, Publisher or other software), check the output to make sure it will print the way you'd like, and submit it to Kinkos for printing.

Works With - YYY1/2

The File Prep Tool is for Windows only - MAC users, you're out of luck!

Support - pppp

Kinkos delivers most jobs within hours or a single day.  Their store network is robust and they have the equipment you'll need to make changes on site if you need to.

Features - iiii

Kinkos offers a variety of services beyond printing and copying (and the File Prep Tool), they also offer laminating, folding, blueprint copying, binding, notary public services, sign and banner printing, videoconferencing, rubber stamps and FedEx shipping.

Overall Rating - %%%1/2

Kinkos does a great job making printing and copying "electronic".  If you need something done fast and don't have time to run back and forth to the printer - Kinkos printing and copying services married to their File Prep Tool is a great solution.

OfficeMax

Simple Start-Up - ¹¹¹¹1/2

OfficeMax makes it very simple to print your business cards, letterhead, envelopes and other business documents as well as promotional items like mugs.  You simply log into their web site and build your documents online (using OfficeMax's templates) and submit the documents (or promotional items) for printing.  Then, pick them up (or have them shipped for an extra charge) at your nearest OfficeMax location.

Cost - $$$$

OfficeMax's pricing was very competitive.  Standard 500 copies, uncollated, single side, on bond was priced at $22.50 or $0.045 per page.  Pre-inked custom stamp was $28.99 (1 5/8x3"), self inking $13.99, and mailing labels were $35.70 for one (500) roll, $21.95/roll for two rolls, $19.25/roll for 4 rolls and $17.45/roll for 6 rolls.  Pricing for business card printing was:

Time Savings - ¹¹¹¹

The OfficeMax online and in-store copying and printing services can save you tons of time if you need to get your business documents printed quickly and cost effectively.  Again, we especially like their online tools for building your business cards, letterhead, envelopes and other business documents.

Ease of Use - @@@@

The online services are very easy to use.  We built all our business "set", cards, letterhead, envelopes in just 10 minutes.

Works With - YYYY

OfficeMax lets you do it all on the web - so as long as you have Internet access, you can also upload your documents to OfficeMax for printing and copying (even add a set of transparencies if you wish), simply and easily using their web interface.

Support - pppp

OfficeMax has populated its stores with the equipment and personnel to ensure that your job will be performed within the guaranteed timeframes.

Features - iiii

Although OfficeMax doesn't do videoconferencing like Kinkos, they do have the widest range of standard products (including tons of promotional items for your imprint) and again, we love the web interface with no software download for your PC.

Overall Rating - %%%%

OfficeMax has a terrific combination of functionality and price.  To our way of thinking - OfficeMax has services that you should certainly consider.

Sir Speedy

Simple Start-Up - ¹¹¹¹1/2

Sir Speedy makes it very simple to print your business cards, letterhead, envelopes and other business documents as well as promotional items like mugs.  You simply log into their web site and build your documents online (using Sir Speedy's templates) and submit the documents (or promotional items) for printing.  Then, pick them up (or have them shipped free locally) at your nearest Sir Speedy location.

Cost - $$$$

Sir Speedy had the second best pricing of the companies we reviewed.  Their pricing was:

Time Savings - ¹¹¹¹

The Sir Speedy online and in-store copying and printing services can save you tons of time if you need to get your business documents printed quickly and cost effectively.  Again, we especially like their online tools for building your business cards, letterhead, envelopes and other business documents.

Ease of Use - @@@@

The online services are very easy to use.  We built all our business "set", cards, letterhead, envelopes in just 10 minutes.

Works With - YYYY

Sir Speedy lets you do it all on the web - so as long as you have Internet access, you can also upload your documents to your local Sir Speedy for printing and copying (lots of paper options as well), simply and easily using their web interface.

Support - pppp

Sir Speedy franchises have the equipment and personnel to ensure that your job will be performed within the guaranteed timeframes.

Features - iiii

Although Sir Speedy doesn't do videoconferencing like Kinkos, they do have a wide range of standard products (including tons of promotional items for your imprint) and again, we love the web interface with no software download for your PC.

Overall Rating - %%%%

Sir Speedy, like OfficeMax has a terrific combination of functionality and price.  To our way of thinking - if you don't use OfficeMax (or have one close by) Sir Speedy has great products and services at very competitive prices.

Staples

Simple Start-Up - ¹¹¹¹1/2

Staples makes it very simple to print your business cards, letterhead, envelopes and other business documents as well as promotional items like mugs.  You simply log into their web site and build your documents online (using Staple's templates) and submit the documents (or promotional items) for printing.  Then, pick them up (or have them shipped free limited time only) at your nearest Staples location.

Cost - $$$$

Staples printing and copying services are competitively priced.  Self-inking, custom stamps are priced from $9.99 (2 lines) to $19.99.  Mailing labels are priced at $24.99 per fan-fold 4x2 15/16" labels (500 labels per fan-fold), $24.99 per roll 4x2 5/16" labels (500 labels/roll), and $29.99 per box of laser sheets - 4x3 1/3" labels, 100 sheets per box.  Staples also has a wide range of promotional items - mugs, pens, lots more.  Pricing for business cards, letterhead and envelopes is listed below.