Is Trade Printing Right for You?

September 12 2021

Is Trade Printing Right for You?

So, what is Trade Printing? Who are Trade Printers, and why should you care?
Let's take a look:

A trade printer provides wholesale printing to print resellers who sell to the ultimate client. A trade printer does not have contact with the reseller's clients without the reseller's permission. A trade printer will sell printing at wholesale prices, allowing the reseller to mark up printing prices to market comparable retail rates. The reseller's margin may vary depending upon local market prices and the services they are providing their client. Some print resellers may simply be placing orders and having them shipped to their clients while others may be designing the piece, getting print bids, attending press runs, and delivering the final product to the customer.

Who uses trade printers?

Trade printers are used by graphic designers, ad and marketing agencies, print brokers and anyone else who resells printing to their customers. Some commercial printers even use trade printers if they lack a specific printing capability such as foil stamping, spiral binding or large format printing.

What should you look for in a trade printer?

Quality and reliability
Deal with an established printer who has a track record of success. Your reputation is on the line so make sure to check how long the printer has been in business. Request samples of their work to review the quality of their printing and understand what type of commercial printing technologies they offer.
Protection of your client relationship
Reputable trade printers will not try to steal your client, even if they are also selling commercial print to the end-user. A good trade printer will supply you with unbranded samples and catalogs you can give to your customers and will never contact your customer directly without your permission. Your client will receive their printed products in plain or "blind" packaging that never identifies the printer.
Printing expertise and capabilities
A good trade printer should function as your print consultant and offer solutions to your clients' professional printing needs. They will also offer a wide range of services including multiple finishing and paper options as well as mailing services allowing you one-stop-shopping, thus avoiding the need to source multiple vendors. A good trade printer will also review your files and make suggestions or changes to improve the quality of your clients' project rather than just printing the file as submitted.
Fanatical customer service
Look for a commercial printer that has trained customer service representatives who know printing and are available by phone to answer questions. They need to be able to turnaround quotes quickly so you don't miss out on business. They should also have online systems that give you access to your own custom ordering page where you can access the status of your current and past quotes and orders.
Shipping and production options
A good trade printer will have multiple shipping and production speed options to meet your clients' timelines. As a reseller, you may get priority order processing and production.
Ratings and testimonials
Check your printer's website for current testimonials, awards, Better Business Bureau ratings, or supplier ratings from organizations such as ASI and Sage. When in doubt, ask for references.
Guarantee Policy
Check your printer's guarantee policy to understand how they deal with errors or returns.

If you are a printing reseller looking for a trade printer, visit PRINTING. printing.coop for more information. You will find sales tools that you can use with your customers to ensure you are meeting all their needs and expectations.

Printing.coop

co-op news North America

September 05 2021

Canadian co-operatives eligible for Black Entrepreneurship Loan Fund

Two credit unions are also partnering with the government to provide microloans to businesses and entrepreneurs

The Government of Canada has launched a Black Entrepreneurship Program to address systemic barriers in the business world.

The programme is backed by an investment of up to CA$350.8m over four years, bringing together the government, black-led business organisations and financial institutions.

As part of this, the Black Entrepreneurship Loan Fund will provide loans up to $250,000 to black business owners and entrepreneurs across the country, including co-operatives.

The loan fund is a $291.3m investment, comprising around $33.3m from the federal government, $130m from BDC, and $128m joint from the Royal Bank of Canada, BMO Financial Group, Scotiabank, CIBC, the National Bank of Canada, TD Bank, Vancity Credit Union and Alterna Savings.

Another pilot microloan programme will provide microloans between $10,000 and $25,000 for Black entrepreneurs and business owners in British Columbia and Ontario. The plot is delivered by the Federation of African Canadian Economics (FACE) in partnership with credit unions Vancity and Alterna Savings. The initiative aims to tackle a critical gap in the marketplace for black businesses that need smaller financial support to start up and grow. Other financial institutions are encouraged to join the pilot as partners.

To be eligible, businesses must be majority owned by a black Canadian and may include start-ups and existing for-profit small businesses in Canada, including sole proprietorships, social enterprises, partnerships or co-operatives. They must also have a business number, a business plan, and financial statements or projects for start-ups.

Mary Ng, minister of small business, export promotion and international trade, said: “The opening of the Black Entrepreneurship Loan Fund is a historic achievement to support black business owners and entrepreneurs so they can start up, scale up and grow across Canada and around the world. As a critical piece of Canada’s first-ever Black Entrepreneurship Program, the loan fund helps reduce barriers black business owners and entrepreneurs face in accessing financing. Our government is proud to work with FACE and other black community leaders to continue to address systemic racism against black Canadians.”

Christine Bergeron, president and CEO at the Vancity credit union said: “Serving Canadians as a financial institution is a privilege, and one that entails a great deal of social responsibility. Entrepreneurship can offer great mobility and prosperity, but systemic inequality has meant that this opportunity is not equally available to all Canadians.

“This programme is an important step in addressing systemic racism faced by black business owners and entrepreneurs, and Vancity is proud to work with FACE and looks forward to supporting black entrepreneurs with much-needed microloans.”

Robert Paterson, president and CEO, Alterna Savings, said: “Alterna Savings is proud to partner on the Black Entrepreneurship Loan Fund, and we are committed to joining with our peers to change the experience for the black community when it comes to accessing capital and building a business. At Alterna, we have a deep understanding of community loan funds through our 20 years leading our Community Microfinance Program, and credit unions have a long history in Canada of supporting underserved entrepreneurs, helping them become economically and socially empowered.”

Tiffany Callender, CEO of FACE, added: “It is an important day for Canadian entrepreneurs of African descent. Starting today, thanks to support from the government of Canada and different financial institutions, the true value of black entrepreneurship is finally being recognised. We are optimistic about the future of our entrepreneurs, and we are eager to accompany them as they achieve their business goals. This is a historic opportunity to become a sustainable part of the Canadian economic fabric, and we know that Black entrepreneurs are up to the task.”

source: https://www.thenews.coop/na/

Printing.coop

What is a Business Card for?

April 13 2020

You have certainly had several opportunities to receive the business card from your professional partners, this small format communication medium, where all their contact details are registered to reach them quickly. But, besides that, what is the point of a business card? To understand why the business card is important, read the rest of the article. You can then check out our Business Card Printing guide to learn more about it.

The business card, a must-have communication tool

Why does the business card have a good reputation with people in business? This is because this small format communication tool has many advantages.

The business card, to make yourself known

It is an essential communication tool if you want to become known and expand your professional network.
Indeed, the competition in the professional world is so tough that we must give ourselves every chance to increase its visibility and attract a new clientele. During a physical meeting in the field, the business card is effective in transmitting contact information as well as essential information concerning his professional activities or his company. That's why the contents of a business card must be worked carefully for the card to be attractive.

The business card, to extend its professional network

When you give your business card to a prospect, you offer him a way to contact you quickly. Indeed a business card, by its many features, size, format, and quality of support, easily fits into a cardholder or wallet. It is therefore accessible at any time. This is a good way to extend your professional network that remains effective despite the advent of digital communication.

The business card, to disclose your professional skills

A well-developed business card makes it possible to become known and especially to attract new prospects who will be interested in your skills and professional skills. It's a small window that opens to your professional world. Not only do you highlight your company but through the few lines that summarize your skills, you also show your own strengths and those of your company. That's why it's important to look after the contents of your business card.

The business card to stand out from the competition

To understand why some people invest in business card printing design, we must not forget that the business card reflects the image of your business. A neat business card means you pay attention to the small details that make the difference.

Printing.coop

The advantages of Online Printing

April 13 2020

The arrival of the Internet and the many possibilities offered by this tool have changed the way of understanding a very old but still irreplaceable sector such as the printing industry. Not so much in its essence, because the products are still those of always (with some new features, of course), but rather in their form, that is online. Indeed, in the online printing press, everything is carried out by means of a very simple procedure that allows you to configure the product, compare prices, customize the order, send the files and much more. Let's see then what are the three key points, and the main advantages, of the world of online printing.

The convenience of ordering from your home or office

We start with comfort. Nowadays, to print any type of product, be it business cards, brochures, canvas, roll up or much more, it is no longer necessary to leave the house and go to a traditional typeface. It only takes a computer or a mobile device to carry out the order in a very simple and fast way: in a few minutes, you can complete the purchase and send the file you want to print. There are several forms of payment, so you can choose the one you prefer. Once the order is completed, you just have to wait for the delivery of your order at the indicated address. A good way to save time.

Competitive prices with the quality of always

Second, another important and interesting aspect of online printing has to do with prices. The products produced by the online fonts are produced together with many other similar orders, with the consequent advantages in terms of production costs, which thanks to economies of scale are reduced, also reducing the final price to customers. That explains why printing online is so convenient. But that does not mean that the quality of the printing or of the products is reduced. Quite the opposite: the characteristics of the products and printing are the same as always. And in online printers all the resources are also offered to obtain an impeccable result; In fact, templates of design instructions can be downloaded for each product, where the characteristics that a file must have for correct printing are explained: the size and bleed of the file, the CMYK color model, the fonts that must be embedded, the minimum recommended resolution, etc. And it's not all: as in any typeface, it is possible to request a proof of imposition and color to check the result before proceeding to the printing of the entire print run.

24-hour service

Third, another positive aspect of online printing and perhaps the most obvious one is that online printers are available every day, 24 hours a day, even on holidays, so it is always possible to place an order and save time.
In conclusion, as explained above, we can say that printing online is convenient and very much, for several reasons.

Printing.coop

Benefits of Online Printing

April 13 2020

Online printing has been developing in recent years. Simplicity and efficiency, in one click you receive your products in record time. Here's an overview of the benefits of using an online printing company like Printing Coop that combines quality and speed.

Create your models online

You do not have a graphic designer? This is not a problem! It is now extremely easy to create and personalize your flyers or business cards. Thanks to a legible interface, you can always view your creations, modify or improve them according to your desires: a wide choice of fonts, choice of colors, cropping of logos and photographs. At Printing Coop you can work as a professional with a simple and practical interface.

Choose flexibility and qualified customer service

The undisputed advantage of an online printing business like Printing Coop remains flexibility. With qualified customer service and printing professionals easily reachable by telephone, online chat, e-mail, ticket support or Facebook Messenger, Printing Coop is able to answer all the requests of its customers and prospects.

Choose the speed

Online printing companies have the advantage of executing an order in record time as soon as the order is validated. Deliveries are then made very quickly and online printers like Printing Coop offer very short production times because their workflow is automated. By choosing Printing Coop, you can take advantage of the delivery the same day (Montreal, QC) or in 24 / 48h everywhere in Canada!

Respect the environment

Attach importance to the paper used by your online printer: Printing Coop is certified ImprimVert and be in an approach of respect for the environment by recycling and using less harmful products. Printing Coop offers its customers the use of environmentally friendly raw materials: paper from sustainably managed forests (FSC or PEFC labels), 100% recycled paper, vegetable inks ... and also treats its industrial waste, by sorting recoverable waste, by securing the storage of its products.

Printing.coop

What are the differences Between Digital Printing and offset?

April 13 2020

What is digital printing exactly?

Digital printing allows you to print directly on paper from digital data available on a computer. This highly responsive printing technique allows for faster printing of your communication documents.

How? Remember how offset printing works:

When printing in offset, printing is not done directly on the paper. It goes through a cylinder covered with a sheet of rubber, from which the ink is transferred to the paper.
With digital printing, the production is done directly on a printer and the documents are formatted by computer processing. So we go directly from the computer to the printer.
The difference between offset printing and digital printing, therefore, lies in the intermediate steps to the final printing of the document. Digital printing, therefore, shortens production times by eliminating certain steps between document design and offset printing.

A different final rendering

In digital printing, inks are usually powdered, and baked on the surface of the paper, while in liquid form for offset, printing. In the finished document, digital printing gives a glossy visual on all types of paper used. In offset, the inks are liquid and absorbed in part by the paper. So there is some difference in color for the same project depending on the finish and paper used.
Documents printed with digital printing generally have a maximum size of 30 cm x 45 cm. The ink is more surface, it is more fragile to friction and folding. Nevertheless, many documents can be printed digitally: pads, brochures, business cards, etc.