Online Printer vs. Local Print Shop: Why Smartpress is Best for Your Biz

In a world where stress levels only keep rising, convenience is king. When you print online with Smartpress, you get to do it from the comfort of your own home or office, any time, day or night. There’s no need to shuffle your schedule around to fit in a trip to your local print shop (seriously, who has the time?). And don’t even get us started on waiting in line or working around their hours.

“The online ordering and proofing processes are very convenient, and the quality, value and customer service are excellent,” said customer Barbara in her product review. “I had to find a replacement for my longtime local printing service and am very glad I found this company!”

And while ordering online is convenient, our approach to communication is even more so. We give you four ways to do it: online chat, email, your Activity Log and the good ol’ telephone, if that’s what you’re into.

Whichever way you choose to get in touch, rest assured there’s an actual person ready and waiting to respond with whatever you need. “Smartpress is so easy to work with,” said Felix Homes CEO Tyler Forte. “As a client, I feel like I am getting the care and attention that a locally-owned print shop would provide.”

Custom printing with Smartpress means the options are endless. You’re not limited by sizes or stocks (including recycled paper), finishes like UV coating and Soft Touch laminate or features like digital die cutting, kitting services and promo products. As a premium online printer, we give you premium options to ensure your print marketing makes the exact statement you want.

Customer Devin’s Google review pretty much sums it up: “Smartpress was amazing with our very specific and delicate print job. They have so many options for customization of every detail. There were elements of our print that were difficult to line up across multiple files, but they nailed it. I can’t believe how fast they are, considering how customizable every element of the product is.”

And speaking of products, our wide range of options extends to them, too. From small format things like business cards, brochures and booklets to large format products like signage and banners, we’ve got it all (and do it all very well).

“Smartpress was the only printing company that I found to print cards on a textured paper that resembles watercolor paper,” said customer Erik. “The cards they printed have a premium feel and are definitely more like art than what I have received from other printing places. I’ll buy again from here.”

We even take care of mailing and addressing for your direct mail campaigns, have mastered the art of foil printing and make it simple to print just about anything with a Custom Quote. Not to mention exclusive Designer Folds that really up the cool factor of traditional tri-folds and accordions.

Take it from customer Suzanne: “These specialty folds are a fantastic option to add some design freshness to even short run quantities, without the cost-prohibitive expense of a die cut. As always, the print quality was superb and the client was very pleased.”

We know not everyone is a designer, so as part of our custom printing services, we offer design support with our Layout Services team. No matter the project, we’ll happily help with your design, whether you’re starting from scratch or have a whole concept in mind.

“The layout service was remarkable,” said customer Sheila. “The knowledge and expertise of the staff, the professionalism and work ethic of the team who displays honor in their craft is wonderful!”

We believe graphic design should be accessible to all, no matter the skill level, and our team can walk you through every step of every idea.

This approach was a big help for client Steve: “I’m not an InDesign expert, so having a layout person drop my photos into the template speeds things up and ensures it’s being done correctly. [They were] efficient, friendly and quick to respond to all of my questions.”

Along with our design team, we also provide print templates that are easy to follow. No matter which product you’re printing, our templates literally lay it all out for you.

“What made the process so smooth was the template that I could open in InDesign, then save the design as a PDF, which set up the file with the exact specs they need to print,” said customer Brenda.

We’re strategic about everything we do – and that includes pricing. Whether you’re a small business owner, marketing agency or nonprofit organization, how you spend your money matters. And since any savvy consumer comparison shops, the price of our products and services is purposely set with you in mind.

“I thought I would try Smartpress after seeing reviews of their quality and ecology. I was very surprised and pleased with their pricing structure,” said client Cynthia. “I used another printer last year for the same jobs and paid much more. Of course the quality is what really matters, and I’m happy!”

Since we operate at a large scale, we’re more cost-effective than a local print shop. But that’s not the only thing that motivates us – we want to ensure the value of our business printing services aligns with the cost. If reviews tell us anything, that ratio is in balance.

“The postcards we ordered are perfect. The proofing process helped catch an error we missed and made sure they were the correct finished size,” said customer Keith. “The prices are also very reasonable and the best we’ve found of any online printer.”

It’s a fact of life: You order something online, you want it fast. Luckily, Smartpress is the online print shop to handle even your toughest turnaround times. We have streamlined processes and advanced printing technology, allowing us to produce and ship prints more efficiently than that local shop around the corner.

Customer Jade’s experience is the rule, not the exception: “My classmates and I designed a custom card game with 300 cards and ordered 300 units. [Smartpress] sent proofs that we were able to adjust to our specifications. Their products are printed in-house, which makes for a quick turnaround time and easy quotes.”

We even provide expedited shipping options if you need your prints urgently (we’ve all been there – no worries!). Plus, we put that power in your hands, with turn-time options selectable right on the product page.

“I printed tarot-size cards for a mock version of a card game I’m designing,” said client Dsh. “Smartpress’ custom quantity and print sizes help immensely with quick turnarounds in my testing process.”

And if you’re a real procrastinator – or simply busy like the rest of us – and need your print job overnight, we can do that, too. Tight deadlines, shmight deadlines.

“Love the paper, printing is perfect, super fast turnaround time,” said Annette. “Both the product and the customer service couldn’t have been better!”

This one goes back to the convenience thing. As a full-service, customer-focused online printing shop, we deliver your finished project directly to your doorstep or preferred location.

​​”I tend to be a difficult and demanding client for Smartpress, but they work with me and make sure I get what I need when I need it,” said client Chris. “I sent four files, and beautiful prints arrived the following week to my hotel.” Yep, your preferred location can be a hotel.

With our shipping and delivery options, there’s no need for you to find even more time to go back to your local shop and pick up your project. Why make printing more difficult than it needs to be?

“It’s been such a convenience to have an idea and then have that idea delivered to my shop a week later,” said Mary Heffernan, owner and operator of Five Marys Farms.

“It was amazing that being in two different states in the U.S., I got the sample book for my client and me shipped individually,” said The Brandketing Nerd (a client whose name we love).

And if you’re a reseller, we can do blind shipping, which allows you to remove the Smartpress name and address from your packages and add your own. We even offer split shipping, where a single order containing multiple products is sent in separate shipments to different locations.

As an online printer, we pride ourselves on doing our job as sustainably as possible – it’s one of our three company pillars, after all. “Sustainability is more critical than ever, and we’re passionate about sourcing the best materials with the least environmental impact,” said Matt Hazel, our senior director of Supply Chain Management.

We know having green printing options is a must for many of our clients. “I’m glad I found a company that cares about the environment,” mentioned Debra in her review, while Amanda’s review said, “I appreciate the social responsibility and focus on the environment that Smartpress has.”

But being an eco-friendly printer encompasses more than just the sustainable materials (which perform just as well – if not better – than their non-sustainable counterparts, by the way). We’re carbon neutral and practice what we preach, with sustainable business practices at every level of our operation (down to properly sorting hole punches).

And when we’re not busy partnering with charity organizations in our community, we’re maintaining our EcoVadis Platinum status, a corporate social responsibility (CSR) rating that places us in the top 1% of all printing companies evaluated. Can your local shop say that?

We’re proud of the way we do digital printing, and we’re not afraid to show it. Our product ratings and reviews really do speak for themselves – not to mention our 4.9 Google rating.

“We’ve used Smartpress for our nonprofit calendars for the last six years and they never disappoint. They have experienced staff and excellent customer service,” said client Bonnie. “The only complaint I have is I can’t give them 10 stars because they definitely deserve them. Thank you for supporting nonprofit organizations and offering such superior service.”

You’ll find reviews on every product page, so you can see exactly what clients are saying (the good and the bad… we’re all about authenticity). And speaking of bad, if there is an issue, we work directly with you to make it right as soon as possible. We’re human, we make mistakes, and we’re happy to correct them in a transparent way.

You can keep your comments concise or take the opposite approach like customer Mark in his Google review:

“I use Smartpress to print all of my art and photography for my ecommerce store, and these guys really stand out from every other online printing service. They’re a lifeline to my business and I feel obligated to leave a great review. So here’s why they stand out:

• Competitive pricing, even at low quantities (great for trying out new products)
• Quick delivery and careful packaging
• Excellent back end for reordering prints and communication
• Great selection of paper stocks and customization
• My fave: They do some pretty complex print packaging/collating for me (that most other mass printing sites don’t offer or charge way too much for)
• Really clean front end with an incredible selection of printing services

Shout out to the colorist who worked after hours to get my print just right so I could get urgent deliveries out the door. Now that’s good business.”

While local print shops do provide personalized, immediate assistance with knowledgeable staff, so does Smartpress. We can personally guide you through the printing process, offer recommendations, and help you select the best options for your specific project. Check out customer Lori’s experience:

“Smartpress was great. Their customer service is the best I have encountered in any business. They answered the phones right away and were very, very helpful in walking me through the process.”

Just because we answer questions about our online printing services via channels other than (but also including) a traditional telephone call doesn’t mean our communication is any less efficient. Or satisfactory, according to client Steven:

“I can get answers quickly via their chat function, and they’re providing better advice than our previous printer. For example, in the past, when I asked how we could save money, I could never get a straight answer. [At Smartpress,] I appreciate that a person I’ve never met would give me ideas and advice that made our cost lower and publication better looking.”

Our team of experienced professionals (you can call us print nerds, we don’t mind), provides a serious level of service in the way that suits you best – including a virtual chat on camera, if you like. Not to mention our extensive Support Center, with a whole library of articles to help you print just about anything, plus essential Activity Log notifications about how your print job is coming along.

You can certainly get physical samples and proofing services at your local print shop, but guess where else you can get both of those things? Smartpress.

Our Paper Sample Book (did we mention it’s free?) lets you see and feel our paper stocks and weights and print quality, too – each sample features a printed image so you can see how ink behaves on it. It’s a customer favorite:

“Smartpress has an excellent sample book that’s easy to understand. If you’re printing nice things and don’t know anything about paper, start there so you can figure out what you like first,” said customer Bob, while Ainsley said, “The free samples made all the difference in selecting what I wanted for my project.”

We know samples help you make the best decisions for your design and your budget. So along with our paper sample book, you can also reach out to your account rep requesting samples of specific products.

“The samples arrived quickly and really helped my client see what options were available, and ultimately convinced them to upgrade to a premium stock paper. It’s one more example of how these guys just get it,” said a customer named Chris the Designer (wonder what he does for a living…)

And about those proofing services, yeah we’ve got those, too. Whether you choose a PDF soft proof to review your designs and make adjustments or go for something more physical, like our Print & Coating Sample Sheet, you’ll print with confidence knowing exactly how your project’s going to turn out. Jenny said this about our sample sheet:

When you choose a local print shop, you support your local community and small businesses. But here’s the thing: Smartpress supports our local community, too. Big time.

Did you know we’re 100% employee-owned? Being an ESOP business means we’re working for ourselves and take pride in that distinction.

“Our company is grounded in the conviction that business can be a force for good by creating value for our employee shareholders, giving back to our community and leading our industry in reducing our impact on the environment,” said our CEO Matt Hanson.

For us, giving back to our community means volunteering, donating and collaborating with local charities and national nonprofit organizations. So while we may not be in your community, you can rest assured that you’re printing with a company that cares for its employees and the world around us.

“As a Smartpress customer, please know that you’re contributing to something bigger than a corporate entity or a stock symbol,” said our Vice President Matt Chapman. “Together, we’ll make a meaningful difference in our community and the future of our employees and their families.”