How to Get the Best Printing Deals with GotPrint

You’re here because you’re looking for affordable prints. Frankly put, the printing industry is competitive with pricing. GotPrint takes pride in offering competitively low prices for our high-quality print products, but we also want to help consumers get the most bang for their buck. Cost-effective marketing materials, affordable art prints, and custom business stationery can look impressive without breaking the bank. Let’s look at what factors you should consider when searching for the best print deals.

1. Paper/Material type

Not all paper is created equally, which means not all paper is priced the same. Consider the cost of the paper you plan to print on and see if you can get something similar for a better price. The paper or material type you select for your product is one of the determining factors of cost. The thickness of the paper will impact your print’s longevity, which will also influence your decision. Comparing 14 pt paper, 16 pt paper, and 100 lb paper when you order business cards will help you find the right finish and feel. Check out the tables below to see a comparison of paper types of some of our most popular custom print products.

Standard 2″ x 3.5″ Business Cards

Paper Stock	QTY	Print Side	Price*
14 pt. Gloss (popular)	50 qty	Single Sided	$9.59
14 pt. Uncoated	50 qty	Single Sided	$9.59
16 pt. Premium Matte (popular)	50 qty	Single Sided	$17.50
18 pt. Ultra Premium Smooth White	50 qty	Single Sided	$23.10
24 pt. Trifecta Green	250 qty	Single Sided	$59.50

4″ x 6″ Postcards

Paper Stock	QTY	Print Side	Price*
14 pt. Gloss (popular)	50 qty	Single Sided	$19.44
14 pt. Uncoated	50 qty	Single Sided	$19.44
16 pt. Premium Matte (popular)	50 qty	Single Sided	$22.80
18 pt. Ultra Premium Smooth White	50 qty	Single Sided	$45.60
24 pt. Trifecta Green	250 qty	Single Sided	$100.80

8.5″ x 11″ Trifold Brochures

Paper Stock	QTY	Price
80 lb. Gloss Book (popular)	100	$59.15
100 lb. Gloss Book (popular)	50	$47.74
100 lb. Gloss Cover	50	$73.85
100 lb. Matte Cover	50	$84.13
70 lb. Opaque Smooth White	100	$60.55

Let’s look at an example of materials comparisons. Say you’re looking to print a custom sign for an event or as a temporary display. You’ll want to look at your sign options by answering the following questions:

Will I display this sign indoors or outdoors?
How long will I need this sign for? Is it a long-term display or a temporary sign?
How do I plan to display this sign? Will it hang on a wall, be set on an easel, or be hung from a surface?
Will I need to use this sign more than once?

Once you have the answers, you’ll be able to determine the best sign type for your needs, from the material to the price. Outdoor signs need to be made with a weather-resistant material that will protect your design from fading. Even cheap yard signs, for example, are made with durable corrugated plastic. A poster print, on the other hand, will likely be displayed as an indoor sign and can be made with a paper material. Though GotPrint offers cheap sign printing, we use high-quality materials for all our signs.

Some signs are easy to update. A Frame Signs allow you to slip a new corrugated plastic design inside or attach a new vinyl adhesive to the surface. Retractable Banners have the option to buy a new banner and slip it over the pop up display.

18″ x 24″ Rectangle Rigid Signs

Sign Material	QTY	Price*
Acrylic Board	1	$59.44
Foam Board	1	$24.78
Corrugated Board	1	$14.40
Cardboard	1	$16.32
PVC Board	1	$27.73
Aluminum Board	1	$43.71

2. Ordering in Bulk

For some products, ordering in bulk makes more sense in the long run rather than purchasing in a lesser quantity. For example, if you know that the information and design of your prints likely won’t need updating any time soon, then bulk printing is a better investment for you. It’s better to have extra prints than to run out and have to order again, and the minimal additional cost for ordering a higher quantity will be proven to be a better investment than having to place another order. Plan your business card printing to ensure you know exactly how many you’ll need.

To put it into perspective, if you order 500 quantities of one-sided glossy business cards twice, the price will come out to $49.70*, whereas if you were to order 1000 quantities of the same business cards once, you’re only paying $32.76*. Keep in mind that this isn’t even counting the shipping cost, which you’ll have to pay twice if you order twice. This is why printing in bulk will be a better investment for you, and you’ll have a plethora of cheap, high-quality business cards at your disposal. The unit cost of each print decreases the more you order. Even custom sign printing can be done in bulk. If you’re printing political signs or affordable real estate signs, for example, ordering large quantities helps you consolidate shipping costs.

3. Website Usability

Not only do you want to order from a website that’s easy to use, but you’ll also want to find a website where you can access multiple services. This will cut your ordering time in half, and you might even come across free features that you would have to pay for elsewhere, like design templates! GotPrint.com has a built-in online design tool and hundreds of free templates in every product category that you can customize with ease. You don’t have to be a designer to effectively use our tool. We also offer mailing services and design services, which make it easy to order and distribute promotional materials.

4. Speed and Shipping Options

You’ll want to consider the production turnaround times and best-value shipping options. A lot of people forget that bulk printing can get heavy, and shipping costs are calculated by weight. On our website, either economy or standard shipping is generally your best bet. If you don’t need your prints right away, check if your order is eligible for economy shipping, which can take anywhere from 2-9 business days. Keep in mind that shipping times are separate from the production time.

Which products print the fastest?

The production time of print products depends on the paper stock. Generally, our 14 pt gloss, uncoated, 16 pt matte, and 100 lb gloss book stocks, currently have the fastest production time at 2-4 business days, and even have a 2-business day rush option depending on the quantity selected. All custom signs & banners also have a turnaround time of 2-4 business days with a 2-day rush option. To speed up the process, have your order approved and your payment process prior to 12 pt. E.S.T./9 a.m. P.S.T. for your print to go into production that same day.

The following products are some of our most popular and have the fastest production times: Business Cards, Postcards, Bookmarks, Club Flyers, Flyers, Posters, Rack Cards, Roll Labels, and All Signage.

5. Check out current offers & discounts on specific products

We don’t know about you, but a coupon for us is always an incentive to place an order. No matter what, you can always find some sort of promotion on our website. Check out our coupons page for offers on specific products, terms, and more information.

6. Create a GotPrint account to get exclusive email offers

This one is a no-brainer. If you love a good print deal, we’re always offering exclusive discounts via our promotional emails that you won’t find anywhere else – not even on our coupons page! Sign up today to get started.

7. Use Free Design Templates

One way to save money on print marketing materials, personalized invitations, and custom signage is to use free pre-made designs. This allows you to save money hiring designers or save time designing layouts. GotPrint’s online design tool makes it easy to customize text boxes, upload photos, and change design elements. Our team of expert designers have prepared business card templates, postcard templates, and other important marketing prints. Our templates cover a wide range of needs, including roll label designs to create custom packaging for small business orders and invitation templates for special events. Browse our templates and find a style that matches your brand identity and appeals to your target audience.