There was a time when every home or office needed a printer on site. People printed out all their assignments, all their research…everything. But today, so much of life is digitalized that printing is reserved for special circumstances. With these kinds of specialized tasks, it’s smarter–and usually more cost-effective–for residents of Raleigh, Durham, and the greater Triangle to find a reliable, expert printing service to take on the job.
Cost of ink and paper
The initial investment in the actual printer is only the beginning of the expenses when deciding to go the home printing route. You will also have to restock on ink and paper frequently. Printer ink is surprisingly expensive and seems to run out quickly (and at the least convenient moment).
Paper can be expensive as well. If you are only printing monochromatic (black and white) documents, like school papers, it may be cheaper to do home printing. The paper used for monochromatic printing is relatively inexpensive and can be bought in large quantities. Because most people are using printing for more specialized tasks now though (like digital photos and corporate graphics) much more expensive paper is required to create a high-quality end product.
Home printers are outdated soon after being bought
Another irritating problem of setting up a home printing station is your “state-of-the-art” printer of today will likely be a tech-dinosaur in short order. This is one downside of the rapid pace of the technological advancement we are experiencing; while it makes for better-performing gadgets, it also makes devices purchased a short time ago quickly irrelevant.
Digital printing services invest in the latest and most advanced printers because it’s their livelihood. They don’t just have to keep up with the Joneses; they have to keep up with a very competitive and ever-changing market. If you want beautiful pictures on real, quality photo paper, don’t just trust your wedding or graduation photos to that dusty machine in the corner.
Large format printing is impractical or impossible at home
“Large format” printing, which includes banners, sign graphics and more, is not feasible on a typical home printer. In order to give a professional appearance that attracts customers, these kinds of specialty tasks should be left to professional digital printing services.
Do you have important photographs, company graphics or any other digital printing jobs that need to be done well? Jack Rabbit Signs runs a full-service print shop in Raleigh, North Carolina, serving the greater Triangle area. Come to see us in our office off Glenwood Avenue or call us today at 919-571-1185 to learn how our printing services can help your home or office.