Commercial Printing Blog

The Real Cost of Commercial Printing (and Why 'Cheap' Isn’t Always a Bargain)
By Steve Orr, Uptown Printing

The Illusion of Cheap
Ever notice how milk and eggs are placed at the very back of a grocery store? That’s no accident. It’s a strategy. The idea is to get you through the aisles where you’ll likely toss in a few impulse buys on your way to the basics. Some of the online printing giants use a similar tactic. Rock-bottom prices on business cards might grab your attention, but before you know it, you're overpaying for brochures, banners, or booklets. The illusion of low prices ends up costing more in the long run.

What Really Affects Print Pricing

Printing prices aren't arbitrary—but they can be misunderstood. Here are just a few of the cost factors:

Quantity – Digital printing offers fairly consistent unit pricing whether you're printing 10 or 1,000 copies. Offset printing, however, becomes significantly cheaper per unit as volume increases. Once you hit certain quantities, it just makes sense to switch. Knowing when is key.

Paper Stock – Beyond quality, compatibility matters. Some jobs can be grouped into "gang runs" to reduce cost—but only if the paper and specs align.

Production Method – We decide the best press for your job. You don’t have to worry whether it should be digital or offset—we handle that seamlessly.

Finishing Details – Foil, folding, scoring, special coatings—these can add both impact and cost. Yes, you can foil-stamp your letterhead, but unless you're royalty, I might gently suggest keeping it for your business cards.

Timing – Most jobs take 5-7 working days after proof approval. Rush jobs can cost more, so if timing is critical, let us know upfront—sometimes planning ahead is the biggest money-saver of all. For example: ordering calendars in July? Smart. In December? Expensive, and often too late for options.

The Experience of Uptown Printing vs. the Online Giants

Uptown Printing was founded in Uptown Waterloo in 2001, but my roots in the industry go back well before that. We don’t just take your order—we help you avoid expensive mistakes. Imagine trying to have a conversation about your project with someone in a call centre who’s reading off a script. Now imagine talking to someone who’s seen thousands of print jobs succeed (and a few fail) and knows how to guide you through. We often advise clients to order less when it’s in their best interest—for example, if you're only saving a little but are stuck storing excess inventory for months—taking up space and adding risk from potential damage (like flood or fire). There's also the chance that a small typo is discovered later, which could make that entire batch unusable. On the flip side, we might recommend ordering a bit more if the price drop is significant.

Where Even Good Designers Go Wrong

When we do your design, we always start with the end in mind, as the saying goes. We design in CMYK colour mode - Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black, so there are never any surprises when your piece comes off the press. If you're working with your own designer, and they're more focused on digital design, they may not realize that RGB (screen colours) often fall "out of gamut"—meaning they can't be accurately reproduced in print. What looks vibrant on screen might come out dull or muted on paper. That's not a knock on your designer; many of the most popular design tools today are built primarily for web and social media use, where CMYK isn't top of mind. At Uptown Printing, we bridge that gap. We understand both the digital world and the print world—and we make sure everything is set up right from the start. Some helpful tips:- View your PDF proof images at **400% zoom** to get a sense of real-world sharpness.- That blue logo? If the magenta value is too high, it prints purple. Aim for cyan to be at least 15% higher than magenta.- North American print sizes are in **inches**, not centimetres. Designing in metric can mean stretched, cropped, or completely redone artwork. These are the kinds of details we catch early—so you don’t have to deal with surprises later.

Saving Money Without Cutting Corners

When you start comparing prices, you’ll likely find Uptown Printing is consistently well positioned compared to other print companies. Our focus is on looking out for you—the customer—as a long-term partner, not just a one-off job. You might wonder how we’re able to quote on such a wide array of print projects and still come in at a fair price. The answer is simple: we don’t own presses we need to keep busy. That gives us the freedom to select the best production method, use the latest technology, and match your job to the right supplier for cost-effectiveness and quality. That flexibility translates into real-world savings for you. We also offer services like:- Practical, production-focused graphic design — ideal for business forms, labels, and everyday marketing materials. We focus on quality, efficient design built from decades of experience, without the attitude that sometimes comes with high-end marketing firms.- Mailing and Canada Post support — No need to waste resources manually stuffing and sealing envelopes. If you're using staff for this, ask yourself: is this really an efficient use of their time? And how's their morale? It's one of those jobs that feels more like a punishment than a task. We handle the entire process from start to finish to get your mass mailing done right, done faster, and saves you all that hassle.- List cleanup using approved software that can save *thousands* in postage—sometimes covering your entire print cost. After cleaning, deliverability typically improves to over 85%, meeting Canada Post's accuracy requirements. We remove duplicates, correct formatting issues, and update addresses wherever possible to help ensure your mailing reaches more of the right people. One of our customers previously worked with a printer who didn’t use any proper mailing software and sent their mailings out as First Class mail. When Uptown Printing took over, we transitioned them to properly prepared, machineable mail—and saved them thousands of dollars in postage alone., meeting Canada Post's accuracy requirements. We remove duplicates, correct formatting issues, and update addresses wherever possible to help ensure your mailing reaches more of the right people.

One More Thing About Pricing…Could you save a few bucks using a large, impersonal online shop? Maybe. But the real cost often shows up in time, reprints, poor quality, and frustration. A typical buyer might save $15 on a quick item, then unknowingly overspend by $150 elsewhere on the same site. And who has time to constantly price-shop every item, every time? That’s where we come in. Our pricing is consistently fair, so you don’t have to guess.

Final Thought: What’s Peace of Mind Worth? Printing doesn’t have to be complicated. But it does have to be done right. If you’re looking for a partner who knows the industry inside and out—and who works in your best interest—let’s talk. Fair pricing, trusted guidance, and a few friendly laughs along the way.---*Stay tuned for future posts in this series, including:*

- Why Your Blue Logo Looks Purple!

- How Uptown Printing Saves You Money (Even If We Don’t Mention It)

- Why Your Monitor Lied to You About Colour

- RGB vs. CMYK Explained Simply

- And more...

From Windsor, London, K-W, and all across the GTA, businesses rely on Uptown Printing.
So the next time you're searching for a commercial printer near me, think local, think reliable, think Uptown.

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