Commercial Printing: Do Not Buy Based on Price Alone

When it comes to commercial printing, business owners typically want to work with the best. After all, they have worked hard to build a company from the ground up, and it deserves to have a recognizable brand that customers remember. That means taking full advantage of everything print marketing has to offer—business cards, flyers, brochures, promotional items, and more. The challenge is bidding out those services to find the right printing partner.

Most businesses run into trouble on this because while it may look like print shops have similar services, you are comparing completely different production methods. For instance, some printers have offset presses. Some have digital presses. Others have high-end copiers. Some may even have two of these types of machines in-house, but not all three. As a result, each produces print in a slightly different way, which can lead to noticeable differences in quality, color, overall finish and timing.

This is the real issue: businesses can’t accurately compare pricing without understanding how each commercial printing company intends to produce the order. These differences are not just technical—they directly impact how a print job is handled, and ultimately what “value” means from one quote to the next.

Commercial Printing Processes: When To Use Each One?

Before we go any further, it is important to understand the different printing processes available.

Offset Printing

For starters, there is offset printing, also referred to as offset lithography. It is a popular multiple-color commercial printing method that has been in use since the early 20th century. The term “offset” refers to the fact that images are not transferred directly from a lithographic printing plate to the printing medium. Instead, images are transferred or offset from the printing surface to a rubber blanket and finally to the printing surface (paper, plastic, cardboard, or other flat materials). Technology and computers have improved and streamlined the process, but the basic method remains the same—and the results are high-quality, full-color photographic images.

Digital Printing

The next one is digital printing presses. With digital printing, there is no contact between the paper and the printer. Instead, computer-operated inkjet nozzles dispense ink onto the paper. As technology has advanced, two popular types of digital presses have emerged: inkjet and laser presses. While inkjet presses use ink to create images, laser presses use toner. Digital files, such as PDFs or desktop publishing files, are used to send these images to the press—eliminating the need for the traditional plate used by offset presses.

High-End Copying

Lastly, there are high-end copiers. Modern high-end commercial copiers are far more advanced and can produce professional-quality marketing materials in smaller quantities. These machines are designed for short-run and on-demand printing, where speed, flexibility, and lower setup costs are more important than large-volume efficiency.

Why the Printing Method Matters

We share this because offset, digital, and high-end copiers come in a variety of sizes, ranging from 12 to 40 inches. The sheet size each machine can handle also factors into which machine your project runs on. In other words, it is not just what machine is used—it is how efficiently that machine can be used for a specific project.

Let’s say you want to order 500 business cards. There is no reason to run your print job on a 40-inch press that can fit 60–120 cards on one press sheet. It would be more economical to run this job on a smaller press that can run 12 cards at once. On the other hand, if you are ordering a 60-page catalog and need 20,000 copies, you would want to use a 40-inch press because it gives you more pages per press sheet. If you need the same 60-page catalog but only 100 copies, it would be more economical to go with a high-end copier.

What this really means: The same piece of marketing material can be produced in multiple ways, but the method chosen needs to match the quantity and purpose of the order. When it doesn’t, you either overpay or sacrifice efficiency.

How To Compare Pricing Quotes on Commercial Printing the Right Way

Unfortunately, many businesses choose a commercial printing company based solely on price. However, the true cost of a print job is not simply what appears on the invoice. Delays, inconsistent colors, poor print quality, shipping damage, reprints, or missed deadlines often cost far more than choosing the right commercial printer from the beginning. Evaluating overall value—not just price—helps protect your brand while reducing long-term marketing costs.

A few simple tips, tricks, and life hacks can reveal whether you are truly comparing equivalent services.

• Resist the urge to print online — Buying printing online can be risky. For starters, you are required to pay upfront without the benefit of proofing the printer’s work before approving the entire run. Most internet printers are very cheap because they “gang run” your project with others that are like yours, or in some cases, unlike yours. This creates problems if you ever want to rerun your project. Color, quality, and price will all vary widely.
• Quiz the people you are vetting — Do not just ask for pricing. Ask how your commercial printer of choice plans to produce your job. Ask them whether the job will run on an offset press, a digital press, or a copier. If they truly care about your business and your brand, they will be happy to explain why a specific process makes the most sense for your specific print order, including quantity, turnaround time, quality expectations, and price. If they can’t explain, or it feels like they are running up the price tag on you, it is a sign you need to move on.
• Narrow your printer choices to who’s local — This is not necessarily going to help you on price but having control over who you are working with and your project is priceless. If you need a print order quickly, you can’t afford to deal with national call centers, website orders, potential shipping delays, or damaged packages. A local Fort Worth print shop offers faster service, face-to-face interactions, real-time support, and design help in a pinch. Not to mention, you can sample different paper types, colors, and finishes, and even pick up your order in person.
• Ask what they can or can’t do — A commercial printer who offers all printing methods under the same roof is worth their weight in gold. Over time, your expenses are lower than when working with different printers to meet different print marketing needs.
• Be cautious with too-good-to-be-true pricing — Extremely low pricing often comes from shared runs, standardized production, or reduced customization. That may work for simple jobs but not always for brand-sensitive materials or color matching.
• Ask about proofs and reprints — A reputable commercial printer will offer proofs or samples before running large jobs, especially for brand-sensitive materials. Also ask how they handle reprints and color consistency over time. The last thing you want is for your brochures, catalogs, or business cards to look noticeably different every time you reorder them.

Before approving any print quote, ask:

• Which printing process will you use?
• What paper stock are you quoting?
• Will I receive a hard copy or digital proof?
• How do you maintain color consistency for future reorders?
• What is included in the quoted turnaround time?
• Are finishing services like folding, binding, trimming, coating, or mailing included?
• Is shipping included, and what shipping method or turnaround time?

Two quotes with the same price can deliver very different results.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Commercial Printing

Brumley Printing Proves It is Value Every Time

Finding a good commercial print supplier that can service all your printing and marketing needs is valuable. A reputable commercial printer will provide you with the information you need to make informed decisions. They will be there to support you with ongoing customer support at every step to make sure you are completely satisfied with their work. In the end, this type of quality and support is worth it.

As a family-owned and operated business, Brumley Printing is focused on building long-term relationships with our clients by consistently providing high-quality commercial printing services at competitive prices. When you choose Brumley Printing as your print provider, you can be assured of high quality and great value.

For more than 30 years, Brumley Printing has helped thousands of Fort Worth businesses choose the right printing process based on project goals, budget, quantity, and turnaround—not simply whichever press happens to be available. We work with our customers to understand their unique ideas and needs. We ask the right questions and take pride in identifying potential obstacles in advance. This collaborative effort provides invaluable peace of mind every step of the way.

Whether you need business cards, brochures, catalogs, direct mail, booklets, presentation folders, signs, banners, or other commercial printing services, our experienced team will recommend the production method that delivers the best balance of quality, turnaround time, and value for your project. To get started, call us at (817) 336-5551.