Big vs Smaller local printing companies: Which is the better choice?

Seeing this blog is coming from a small local printing company, some may think it is completely bias. Rest assured this is coming from past experiences in dealing with both larger and small printing companies. One of the main reasons we established our company was to provide the service we wished we had received as consumers. 

 Custom printing is a necessary service for creating t-shirts and other designer products for businesses, and private individuals, but deciding on what kind of company to choose for your printing needs can depend on many factors. In general, two major choices people are faced with are between small local printing companies and big printing companies. There are pros and cons to each type of service.

 Local screen printing companies have the obvious benefits of proximity to their customers. They can meet with them in person to go over their design. Being able to speak freely with a person is invaluable, and certainly makes the entire process much simpler. Clients are able to work closely with the smaller printing company and directly have a hand in the entire process. Larger companies are able to help people across the company, but they aren’t able to give that personal touch local companies can. Communicating with them can be relatively difficult, as the only means of discussing the project is via email or phone call, both of which can be fruitless due to customer service representatives that don’t really care about your project like a small printing shop owner would.

 When debating between small and bigger printing companies, it’s important to factor in shipping. Typically, people making custom orders at a custom printing shop place large orders. These bulk orders typically take up a lot of space and become extremely heavy and very costly. This makes the logistics of the project extremely important. Being close to a local printing shop can make picking up the order simple, as all it takes is a vehicle with enough space to put them. Some small businesses such as ours offer free delivery within reason. Bigger companies, however, have to ship these heavy boxes full of t-shirts across the country, or to your country from their warehouse. This can cause extremely high additional shipping charges and delays that can quickly become overbearing.

 Bigger Companies boast their ability to cover the entire country, but they all lack the personal touch that local printing shops have. Local printers are dedicated to their clients because they know how important this is. There’s no room for error which leads these smaller local companies to devote themselves to completing your project at 100%, whereas larger companies accept a few failures here and there. Larger printing companies are only invested in turning a profit, versus smaller companies that are just looking for a new project to tackle and more focused on providing great service.

 When choosing between a big printing company or a small local printing shop, make sure to go with the small local company. They may charge slightly more, but they guarantee your project will be better than expected thanks to your constant input and their dedication to serve while doing what they love to do. You’ll also save on unnecessary costs such as shipping. If you’re looking for the best printing shop based in Southern Norway, then check out Sørlands Trykk og Grafikk AS. We pride ourselves on every project we undertake, and we’re always looking forward to taking on more.

 In closing: Sørlands Trykk og Grafikk AS is a small family business. Unable to order products in bulk does drive our costs up. But we do our best to not pass these extra costs onto our customers. We also do not look to buy the lowest priced garments in hopes of a larger return as most bigger business do. We shop for the best quality blanks so to produce the highest of quality products. We offer superb customer service with open dialog from start to finish. Every job gets personally handled. There is NO automation or AI of any kind. We are strictly hands on. We charge no set up fees of any kind. We also offer free artwork assistance which no larger company will do. We go as far as turning your ideas into logos and designs free of charge with secured orders. Our motto has always been and will remain people over profits. Our goal is customer satisfaction so to build long withstanding business relationships. We hope to become your printing service for all your printing needs. Thank you for reading.