News
Online print price comparison site launched
A new online price comparison site, which scans all registered printers in a local area to retrieve a quote for a particular job, has been launched.
Printcomparison.com uses printers that have registered on the site to provide a quote for enquiries logged through the service.
It is free for customers requiring a quote while printers registered on the site pay a subscription fee to be listed on the facility.
Russell Knight, joint managing director of Printcomparison.com, said: "Coming from a design background, it was often time consuming to get individual quotes from many companies."
The company claims by using the site, customers can obtain the best price and service for the job in hand.
Knight said: "We've got nearly 300 printers on board already and are obviously aiming for an even spread to ensure that the customer will always get the most comprehensive, competitive quote available."
Neil Long, managing director of Longridge Print, said that, while comparison services benefit printers wanting to fill production gaps, time is often still an issue.
He said: "While they have their good points, I would want to know who my customer is and whether they have a good credit rating, especially in this current climate."
The printcomparison.com website
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Comments
Gary Butler - 26 November 2008
This sounds too good to be true. The printer pays to become involved in a Dutch auction. The relationship and and service aspect to be developed between the order being placed and the job being delivered.
Where do I send my cheque?
Save Print - 26 November 2008
sounds like another bright idea to send printers down the rocky road to death. well done!
Reg U Larreader - 26 November 2008
Correct me if I'm wrong but hasn't Mr Simon Biltcliff of FreePrintManagement.com been offering a easier, less intrusive and much quicker version of this for some time. And before you ask no I don't work for him and have never even spoken to him before so I therfore have no motive for writing this.
Not Colin Thompson - 26 November 2008
Comparison sites haven't done much to reduce gas and electricity prices so why worry?
Inky Fingers - 26 November 2008
I agree with Gary's comments. In my opinion this website won't be around long, remember printlots.com http://www.printweek.com/news/555940/
There's too many people on the bandwagon, plus you need huge marketing budjets to get you name out there. It's all very well getting printers, who lets face it are a captive audience, but how do you reach your consumers, google adwords charges a fortune for good ad placement. I sorry but I think it will fail to get the much needed enquiries in the first place.
Greg Nicholls - 26 November 2008
oh no.
Scary.Whatever next?
Why don't you run a story on double sided tape?!
Steve Cooper - 27 November 2008
I seem to remmeber someone else having this bright idea and running up huge debts. Ring any bells Mr Nicholls?
Scott Callister - 27 November 2008
Some harsh comments for a new start up company guys. Its hard times for everyone and we should be backing new companies who only help printers receive more possible new quotes and business. I think it's a great idea and maybe everyone is scared of a bit of competition in the print world. Time to strengthen up your sales teams and make sure your company is offering the best prices and the best service I know I will sign a region. Good luck to you
Greg Nicholls - 27 November 2008
Absolutely Scott. Best of luck to all at Printcomparison and their suppliers.
Mr Cooper - On the subject of track records, I am happy to compare on any level my friend, including literacy.
Richard Head - 27 November 2008
I wish Colin would say something on this one ... his pearls of wisdom always give me a warm feeling.
So in his abscence I'll have a pop ...
Websites like these only ever work when they don't fail. Failure is due to the fact that they have not worked. I thank you
Grey Beard - 28 November 2008
Anyone heard about e-mail, it's quick, cheap has a communication channel and if a printer is not interested or too busy they don't have to show their hand.
The Mighty wind - 28 November 2008
Ah yes greybeard but you have forgotten that the customer must be provided with a 'solution' getting in touch with a printer directly is just so last decade. In a couple of years we will have moved into the virtual ordering scenario where a customer merely has to think he wants something and it instantly appears via the 'solution' control interface. This of course must be routed via numerous third parties to ensure that the solution has been thoroughly solved and that the customer is not hiding anything else that can be leveraged sorry 'solved'
Grey Beard - 28 November 2008
Sorry Mighty Wind, showing my age there, applying the KISS principle, I will now apply the SUMO principle on this thread.
martin whetton - 28 November 2008
sound good, pay upfront to get onto a tender list / virtual e-auction where you pitch for £40 jobs against 236 other suppliers, for a client you never heard of, who is most likely, getting budget costs.
better get my cheque book out and take on 3 more estimators.....
Why has Colin not passed comment on this yet? That is at least items he has missed, is he OK? Shouldn't some one go round and make sure the milk bottles are not stacking up outside his office door?
charles litton - 28 November 2008
If I had an opinion on this subject I'd give it; however, seeing as I dont then I won't. As long as you all understand that I thought long and hard before reaching the conclusion that I didn't have an opinion to give? If over the course of the weekend my state of not having an opinion changes significantly then I will let you all know.
In the meantime I suggest everybody takes a step back before this causes people to go overboard on such a contentious and devisive subject.
The Voice of Reason - 28 November 2008
I raised these issues in the Unite, Cooper Clegg thread. Knock me down with a feather someone thought I was being unreasonable, whatever next!!!
Not Colin Thompson - 28 November 2008
Colin sends his apologies but he's been a bit busy today...........
http://www.printweek.com/news/865343/Print-experts-not-convinced-chancellors-pre-Budget-report/
martin whetton - 29 November 2008
bigger fish to fry eh?
colin for Chancellor....
Richard Head - 01 December 2008
Good suggestion Martin
As chancellor Colin like Michael Jackson could heal the world ... may be they could team up.
My only concern is would Colin have the right eyebrows for the job.
Dick
Alan Partridge - 01 December 2008
Voice of Reason, I think thats where you've gone wrong; the fact that you liken an online price comparrison site to Print Management companies in general, and see a relationship between the points you made in the Cooper Cleg/unite thread and this one.
Knock me down with a feather but there's a difference between between a company adding value as a middle man and winning a clients business through service, and an online price comparrison 'dutch auction' site.
Robin Nicholas - 01 December 2008
Variety is the spice of life and the bane of printers the world over.
No one likes a smart ass, least of all one who thinks he can bracket printers with the likes of insurance and finance houses.
There will always be new ideas and there will always be those who still think Noah was a nutter wasting his time on boat building.
Whatever happens, change will come and as long as my phones keep ringing with new enquiries, I'll just sit and observe the new way and let time be the judge.
Not Colin Thompson - 01 December 2008
Alan - enlighten me. What's the difference then?
Not Colin Thompson - 01 December 2008
Is it not interesting how many Print Managers end up buying printing companies or filling factories with kit themselves?
There is only one group of people who make this possible in the first place. Printers themselves.
Simon Biltcliffe- Webmart - 01 December 2008
Why bother?
How about a service to fill presses that is
1.free to printers
2.100% live orders
3. negotiation-free
4. auction-free
5. nationwide coverage already
6. covers from digital to gravure
7. gives you feedback on every price you submit, live
8. and gives your company a "market position" report
9. and gives you a quality/service ranking from our client at the end of every job
10. So even if you don't win every job you win objective, real-time market intelligence on your print company for the first time ever.
As it's free, all this equals more profit by knowing where you are selling too cheap, too expensive, by filling your presses with no sales cost and only having to quote for jobs that are live.
Too good to be true? Nope- it's here. Welcome to the print revolution at www.FreePrintSales.com
Simon
The Voice of Reason - 02 December 2008
Well put Not Colin, Alan seems determined not to see my reasonable point of view.
Chris Painter - 02 December 2008
Hi,
Just wanted to reiterate how our site works.
Currently we are offering a 3 month free trial to all printers who wish to be listed on the site.
Any quotes requested in the region a printer is registered for, go direct to you via email.
Printers then respond to the client direct via details supplied by the client.
We do not charge per lead, we do not mark up any jobs, the price you send goes direct to the customer.
Once the trial is over we anticipate charging a monthly fee to be on the site, this will be in the region of £20-£40 per month, per region.
We will never charge per lead nor will we add commission to any of the jobs on the site.
We are not a print management company, we do not charge the customer anything, the site is funded by the monthly subscription fees, rather than other sites that add charges to all jobs going through it.
Chris Painter
printcomparison.com
Alan Partridge - 02 December 2008
I can see peoples points of view including yours Voice of Reason, but it doesn't mean I have to agree.
So you think that a Print Management Company offering a client a contractual agreement, one stop solution for everything from DM to Point of sale \(for example), agreed service levels, agreed quality levels, dedicated on site Account management, etc, is the same as a price comparrison site? Do you honestly think that?
Tell me something else while you're at it, can your manufacturing business offer all this? If so, you'll have to let me know what press you've got that can print it all this efficiently, as well as fit everyones job on at the same time and meet everyones delivery date. - I'll go and buy 3 tomorrow...
Really looking forward to your reply
- 02 December 2008
The Voice of Reason - 02 December 2008
Alan it is clear that we operate in wholly different markets and if PM works for you then keep on doing it mate.
Bad Boy - 02 December 2008
Chris whats your point with regards to Print Management Companies?
I think you will find that customers get a better deal from Print Management Companies because of the amount of suppliers they have on their books and Print Management Companies DO NOT CHARGE,
You are charging printers for leads which may never turn into anything - it could be someone who wants a cost for a project they may never want doing - well if that customer sent it to a print mangement company it would cost no one anything. And they would have their job submitted to several suppliers for quotes.
Personally I think what your offering is daylight robbery to the printers.
And with regards to the customers of quality and good payers Printer's want customers like NHS - Govenment Work etc all these go through a site called multi quote which does not cost the Printer a penny or Print Management Companies you have to be recommended by one of the companies who use the multiquote system thats the only problem getting recommended but it can be done.....
Regards
Darren
www.fepprint.com
Bad Boy - 02 December 2008
That's cool Chris, sorry about the name confusion.
Maybe we will be in touch.
Chris Painter - 02 December 2008
Hi Phil,
Not sure who Christine is, but i assume it was for me.
I am not making any point about print management companies, they are in a completely different part of the market, print management companies are for customers who do not want any of the hassle of print management.
Our site is aimed at people who manage their own print and the associated issues with it. We even have print management companies using our site to find the best deal.
Chris
printcomparison.comAlan Partridge - 02 December 2008
Not Colin Thomson, it's seems the voice of reason couldn't respond to my last comment, but it was sort of in response to your earlier question also.- which I hope it has answered for you.
Just for the record, I'm a manufacturer by the way as stated on a previous post.
Julie Cook - 02 December 2008
Which print firm do you own Alan Partridge?
Alan Partridge - 03 December 2008
I'm afraid like many people on the forum, I chose not to disclose my true name, and if I disclosed my company then it wouldn't take a genius to work it out!
Healthy and sometimes heated debates are great, but differences of opinion can be damaging when it could be your biggest client you're having such a discussion with. I suppose that's one of the great thing about forums.
My company is a Sheet fed Printer/Mailing House, which also offers an outsourced solution to our clients, who enjoy our high levels of service on the manufacturing side and want the 'hassle' removing from the more complex and diverse projects. My offering is driven by me listening to the solution my clients want, not whether or not I believe in manufacturing or PM personally. If I didn't work in this way, I firmly believe we would have ceased to exist a long time ago. We turned over a profitable £7,000,000 this year. Anyway, if I give away any more I'll be busted...
martin whetton - 03 December 2008
He works for Billy Banner Mailing ltd.... they are rubbish...
We at ProDM however, are much better...
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