A large commercial printing company
Even with the continual developments in home printing technology, the output quality from most home printers is not good enough for the competitive greeting card market. Additionally, the time you spend manufacturing your cards at home detracts from time that would be better spent developing new ideas and marketing your greeting cards. The best way to start your greeting card business is to find a printing company that meets your needs.
Print On Demand
If you have very little cash to start your business, choosing a print on demand company may be your best bet. Companies like Zazzle and Café Press print your greeting cards as they are ordered, so you don't have to come up with an initial investment.
Another big advantage to choosing a print on demand company is that they post the products for sale on their website. If you want your greeting cards constantly on the market and never want to worry about them selling out or having to place a reorder, then this is a good option for you.
Most print on demand companies set you up with a website connected to their website, which is a huge advantage that saves you time and money. The combination of printing, order fulfillment and built-in Internet marketing makes this a very attractive printing option for entrepreneurs who have limited start-up funding and time constraints. However, the downside of print on demand is that the price per card is higher and your profit margin will be smaller than if you print your greeting cards in advance.
Before choosing a print on demand company, consider that different sites market greeting cards differently. Zazzle, for example, has no minimum quantity to order and shoppers can mix and match from your selection and buy exactly the cards they want. Café Press sells greeting cards in boxed sets so that consumers have to order a certain number of the exact same card.
Spend some time assessing your designs and figuring out how they'll sell best. If you do many humorous or sentimental cards that are good for one-time occasions, then choose a printing company that sells cards individually. If you're printing cards for holidays, weddings or other occasions where someone would send the same card to multiple people, then you should choose a printer that sells your product in sets.
Commercial Printers
The biggest advantage of a large or small commercial printing company is that they price based on quantity. If you plan on marketing your cards to retail stores, your cost per card will drop dramatically based on how many you order. A lower cost per card means you can afford a retail store's markup while maintaining a decent profit margin. This is nearly impossible to do ordering from a print on demand company. Larger printers offer more competitive pricing, but expect you to order much higher quantities than a small, local printing company would.
Commercial printers also offer a wider selection of paper types and inks. If you have an idea for a greeting card that would work best with an ink that's shiny and metallic looking, you'll have to have it printed in advance from a commercial printer because many Internet printers offer a limited selection of inks and papers in order to mass produce their products.
But, before ordering from a commercial printer, you should consider the possibility that if your product doesn't sell, you've lost your initial investment and you're stuck with an inventory of greeting cards.
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