Online print prices are easy to compare and hard to compare fairly. The advertised number is usually for one specific configuration at one quantity, excluding freight — and the gap between that and what you actually pay can be considerable.
Here is what to check, on any printer, before you commit.
1. Is the price shown at your quantity, or just the cheapest one?
A headline price is almost always the highest quantity divided out. Find the price at the quantity you actually want before comparing anything.
2. Is freight included, and is it real?
Paper is heavy and Australia is large. A flat freight rate is either subsidising metro customers or overcharging them. Check what the delivery cost actually is to your postcode before comparing totals — ours is calculated on the real weight of your order and your delivery postcode at checkout, not estimated.
3. Do you see a proof before you pay?
This is the question that separates cheap from risky. If nobody checks your file, the first time anyone discovers the images were RGB or the bleed was missing is when the job arrives. A reprint costs the whole job again, which makes the cheaper printer the expensive one.
Every order with us runs an automated preflight check and produces an on-screen proof you approve before payment is taken.
4. When does turnaround actually start?
"Next day" from what? Some printers start the clock when the file passes their checks, which can be days after you ordered if there is a problem. Ours starts at order placement — the proof is approved before you pay, so there is no hidden approval queue after the fact.
5. What is the minimum order?
A low unit price at a 1,000 minimum is not cheap if you need 100. Our minimums are 25 on flyers, 100 on business cards and booklets, and 250 on stickers.
6. What happens if it arrives wrong?
Ask before you need to know. Our position: if the job arrives damaged or printed wrong, we reprint or refund. Errors in supplied artwork are not covered — which is exactly why the file gets checked and proofed before you pay.
7. Can you reach a human?
A published phone number that reaches someone is worth real money on a job with a deadline. Ours is 1300 601 609, and there is a contact form if that suits you better.
The short version
Compare the total, at your quantity, to your postcode, including freight — and then check what happens when something goes wrong. What makes printing expensive explains why the numbers differ in the first place.