You have to be a smart customer when approaching printing services. Don’t allow empty advertisements and claims fool you into paying more for the same products and services. Be aware of how printing prices work and how to make it work for you and your advantage. Some printing companies may talk about high quality printing and better services, but how do you really know? Moreover, do they really justify how it goes? Here are some myths you might have been fed when canvassing for cheap printing prices. 1. Cheap printing services use substandard printing materials. As a customer, you dictate the specifications of your printing project. You choose the paper material, whether it is the default bright white paper stock or a special paper stock ordered from a third party paper provider. Nevertheless, you know that you have gotten your hands on a premium material if it has the ideal characteristics of what a paper material should. However, this of course varies from print product to another. Here are some default materials you should ask for: a) Paper stock The paper is described with the properties it holds ideal for printing your project. These need to be opaque, bright white, and significantly thick. All of these contributes on how your paper will project the color of your prints, how it will hold up from shipping and more. While you may be offered a 12 pt. stock, you can always get a heavier set 14 pt paper stock that are great for postcards and club card flyers. Posters can be printed on either 100lb gloss cover or gloss text. The gloss cover is similar to a magazine cover and is thicker than the gloss text, but is also more expensive. b) Paper finish This refers to the preferred film of protection on your print. It comes in gloss, high-gloss, and matte finishes. You should expect to pay more for matte and high-gloss finishes as this is an additional service that requires different processes and base materials as well. c) Paper size There are different size specifications for different products. Bigger products in general cost more money. Nevertheless, printing companies offers a versatile range of sizes for you to choose from so they can accommodate your needs for a larger, higher impact print. Postcards alone are not limited to the 4.25x6 stock. These can be printed as large as 6x9 and 6x11. * When comparing prices, compare the specifications as well as the matching free services to see which company really offers the best price. 2. The printing quality is poorer than the more expensive printing. • Ask for a sample and compare the prints. While the expertise rendered on print by different printing companies may vary, gang-run projects are at par with expensive single-run projects with today’s technology. • You need not worry about quality in your prints since offset printing companies can offer full color printing that can achieve premium grade color, artwork and photo reproduction without difficulty. There are still plenty of avenues to investigate on the quality of printing, cheap printing, services and all the virtues of printing companies. While the road to printing isn’t smooth, you can still be rest assured that today’s printing prices are some of the best the online market can offer.