Can I (and Should I) Print My Own Product Labels?

Posted by : Mercury Labels Ltd on Monday, August 29, 2022 in Choosing Your Labels.

At the risk of jumping straight to the conclusion, the
answer is yes – any business wishing to do so can print its own product labels.
A decent printer combined with a reliable software package and a bunch of
consumables is technically all you need.

But does this mean that it is a good idea to take the DIY
approach to printing labels? In terms of costs, time, resources, quality and
creative control, is in-house printing better than outsourcing to a
professional provider?

For most businesses – at least those with fairly extensive
label printing requirements – the answer is no.

Unless your immediate and ongoing printing requirements are
fairly rudimentary, the benefits of professional printing are unbeatable. While
the DIY option can be tempting, handling your own label printing in-house comes
with major drawbacks.

Just a few examples of which include the following:

Blank Label Purchase Costs

First up, blank labels can be surprisingly expensive to buy,
when purchased in small quantities. By contrast, place a huge order for blank
labels in bulk and you stand to save a small fortune. This is one of the many
reasons where professional printers could offer your business a more
competitive deal – economy of scale.

Over time, you could save
money by outsourcing your label printing requirements, as opposed to
purchasing and printing on blank labels in-house.

Other Equipment and Consumable Costs

Chances are, you already have access to a viable computer,
along with a basic software suite for printing labels. You may even have a
decent printer your business uses for general everyday purposes. But what
becomes painfully apparent when printing on a regular basis is how expensive
printer ink/toner can be.

The cost of a single refill will often exceed the initial
purchase costs of the printer itself. Standard home and office printers cost a
fortune to run, and are not designed for printing on any kind of scale. So
again, you could save yourself a significant amount of money long-term by
outsourcing.

Quality and Consistency of Results

The quality of the labels you print also needs to be
factored in. A typical home or office printer these days can be picked up for
anything from £50 to around £200. By contrast, the equipment used in a
professional printing house would set you back at least five figures.
Realistically, you cannot expect a basic home or office printer to perform on
anywhere near the same level as a professional printing setup.

Your labels send an immediate and impactful message about
your business.  Both their quality and
their consistency will tell your customers what kind of organisation they are
looking at. First impressions are everything, so you need the quality of your
labels to be spot on.

Creative Control and Expert Input

Last up, it is important to consider the less tangible
benefits that accompany professional label printing. From start to finish, you
retain creative control over your labels. But when a little expert input could
make all the difference, it is there at your disposal. An experienced label
printing team can advise on things like material choice, tack levels, and the
various different types of finishes available.

With in-house label printing, an extensive trial and error
process is largely inevitable. As is wasting time and money on runs of labels you
simply are not happy with. When you work with a professional printing house,
you can be assured of flawless quality and a stand-out finish from the very
first run.

So while it may be possible to print
your own product labels in-house, outsourcing to an experienced printing
service could be a better option.