by Anna Cruz

Created on: March 12, 2009

With lots of printers to choose from, it can be difficult to know whom to trust and which companies offer a better deal. Instead of guessing, researching, and trying the trial-n-error approach, check out this review of some of the top printing firms. This review includes what most marketing directories would consider the essentials: instant quotes, shipping times, features, and the like.

All of the companies below guarantee their work, but it's worth listing this because not all online printing companies do.

Guarantees also vary. All guarantee their work, but only PrintPlace.com has on time shipping and price match guarantees, so not all guarantees are equal.

Shipping times mean how fast the product is ready, not necessarily how fast it arrives at your door. Each company has their own policy, so check to be sure you understand how to qualify for their same day shipping.

Full-featured in this review means that the company can accommodate all of the standard features you would expect: paper types, folding, binding, full-color, coatings, and the like. The list of features varied, but most of the companies could handle the basics without a problem.

Online customization means you can add or remove features without having to call the company. Marketing professionals tend to look for this feature so they can both research the availability of features and check how added features affect pricing.

Pricing was relative to the companies reviewed. Kendall Printing tended to have the highest prices but boasts state-of-the-art equipment. Vista Print had the lowest prices for most products, but lacked instant quotes and features that other firms were offering.

Summary of Comparison:

1. Kendall Printing:

No instant quote; Has guarantee; Shipping time is 3-5 business days; Full Featured; No Online Customization; High Pricing

2. VistaPrint:

Has instant quote; Has guarantee; Shipping time is 3-5 business days; Not Full Featured; Not Complete Online Customization; Low Pricing

3. Printing For Less:

Has instant quote; Has guarantee; Shipping time is 2-5 business days; Full Featured; Has Online Customization; High Pricing

4. PrintPlace:

Has instant quote; Has guarantees; Shipping time in 1-5 business days; Full Featured; Has Online Customization; Low Pricing

5. PSPrint:

Has instant quote; Has guarantee; Shipping time is 1-5 business days; Full Featured; Has Online Customization; Medium Pricing

Of all the companies we reviewed, Print Place seemed to be the biggest bang for the dollar. They matched the service offerings of all the top printers and only Vista Print beat their prices on some items. But with their price match guarantee, they at least promise to match those prices found at Vista Print.

We liked the online forms found at both PS Print and Print Place. You could select features and see exactly how these features affected pricing. This a big value for marketers looking to balance budget with options.

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