As an ecommerce entrepreneur and savvy print shopper who has tested over 50 online and local printing services in the past decade, I‘ve seen firsthand what makes VistaPrint stand out as the premier custom printing and marketing shop for small business owners like you.
In this detailed VistaPrint review, I‘ll overview everything you need to know about this well-respected brand and showcase how their wide selection of affordable, quality products sets them apart from the competition. You‘ll also discover how VistaPrint‘s customization process and ordering experience outshines comparably priced alternatives.
A Look at VistaPrint‘s Heritage & Credibility
Founded in 1995 under the name Bonne Impression, VistaPrint has grown over 25+ years into one of the largest and most recognized online print shops worldwide – fulfilling over 60 million orders a year across North America, Europe and beyond.
Unlike trendy upstarts lacking production maturity and established marketing clout, VistaPrint brings together deep industry expertise with cutting-edge manufacturing technology and robust ecommerce infrastructure.
Some credentials affirming their capabilities:
- Over 10 million business cards produced daily from facilities in Windsor, Canada and Venlo, Netherlands
- 94% of papers sourced from sustainable, FSC Certified forests
- ISO 9001:2015 certification verifying consistent quality management
- A+ Better Business Bureau rating after 25+ years in business
- 4.5/5 TrustPilot score across 20,000+ independent reviews
Simply put – VistaPrint has more than earned buyer trust and brand recognition the old fashioned way, through delivering exceptional service and ROI to small business customers year after year after year.
Now, let‘s explore some of VistaPrint‘s best-selling products and how they stack up to alternatives from Staples, FedEx Office, Overnight Prints and local printers.
VistaPrint‘s Top Products for Small Business Owners
Custom Business Cards
As VistaPrint‘s original flagship product, their business cards continue being a top seller – likely because nobody beats VistaPrint‘s base pricing and customization range.
| Specs | VistaPrint | Staples | FedEx | Local Printer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price (250 Cards) | $20 | $40 | $31 | $28+ |
| Cardstock | 14 pt Gloss/Matte | 16 pt Gloss | 14 pt Gloss | 14 pt Gloss |
| Edges | Standard or Rounded | Standard | Standard | Standard |
| Turnaround | 2 days | Same day | Same day | 1-2 days |
I recently ordered 250 of VistaPrint‘s new soft-touch matte finish cards with rounded edges and was seriously impressed by the print vibrancy and color accuracy. The ~$9 upgrade felt worthwhile for a lush, distinctive feel that fellow business owners always compliment.
For colour sensitive needs like branding collateral where colour consistency matters, VistaPrint also offers free press proofs to confirm accuracy pre-production. This type of assurance goes a long way for picky customers like myself.
Brochures, Flyers & Postcards
Over the past decade as an independent ecommerce consultant, I‘ve used my share of printed sales sheets, postcards and flyers from various online brokers.
None match VistaPrint‘s combination of turnaround speed, low base pricing across quantities, and customizability. Their recently upgraded editor makes infographic creation and typography experimentation stupidly simple even for non-designers.
Don‘t just take my word for it – here‘s how VistaPrint‘s pricing shakes out on a 1000 unit run of full color two-sided 8.5" x 11" brochures printed on quality gloss stock, delivered in 5 business days:
| Company | Price |
|---|---|
| VistaPrint | $47 |
| Overnight Prints | $73 |
| FedEx Office | $130 |
| Local Printer | $110+ |
The same production run would cost me at least 53% more elsewhere. VistaPrint always manages to stay absurdly economical whether you‘re ordering 25 units or 2500 units, keeping small businesses happy.
And don‘t assume cheaper base pricing means lower quality products – VistaPrint maintains ISO 9001 standards worldwide to ensure exemplary quality control across printing facilities.
Large Format Banners
I‘ll wrap up my review of core small business print marketing essentials with one of VistaPrint‘s newest category expansions – custom banners up to 19 feet wide.
From tabletop pop-up displays to massive trade show signage, VistaPrint lets you design to any weird length/width in 1 foot increments, handling anything from indoor retractable banners to outdoor vinyl and even backlit displays.
Prices scale aggressively in your favor as sizing increases. While a 2‘ x 4‘ runs nearly $50, a 10‘ x 10‘ costs only ~$170 thanks to their continuous conveyor system and economies of scale. This lets you test signage affordably with small batches while scaling to convention size seamlessly.
And if you‘ve never designed banners before, VistaPrint‘s online editing and proofing tools make it simple for even non-creatives. Choose from 1000+ templates or upload your own files if preferred. Either way, you‘ll have professionally designed banners rivaling agency quality at DIY prices.
Custom Photo Gifts – Effortless & Affordable
Beyond marketing print collateral, VistaPrint offers exceptional birthday, holiday and special occasion gifting options fully customizable with your own photos and text. Instead of hoping a generic gift will resonate with recipients, you can personalize it specifically for them.
Some all-star gifts I‘ve made for clients and friends at VistaPrint with great responses:
Canvas Wall Art – Upload any special photo to be printed on pre-stretched canvas, edged in the color of your choice from $18 (8×12"). These make wonderful personalized presents that remind loved ones of shared memories every day.
Fleece Photo Blankets – Produced via a proprietary dye-sublimation process, VistaPrint‘s 50" x 60" fleece throws will cuddle anyone with customized nostalgia. I made one for my sister filled with childhood pics for this past Christmas and she absolutely loved it. Pricing starts at $60.
Acrylic Prints – For immortalizing favorite moments, people or pets in chic style, you can‘t beat VistaPrint‘s acrylic photo blocks which encase images between ultra clear sheets with protective backings. I use these in my own office to showcase some of my favorite creative campaigns. Starting at $40 for 4" x 4" sizes.
Hardcover Photo Books – Why entrust your most precious memories to digital-only services when VistaPrint produces pro-grade photo albums starting at $14 for 24 pages? I‘ve used their archival-quality books multiple times to compile visual recaps of vacations, tradeshows and family milestones my relatives now revisit nostalgically for years to come.
After personally vetting VistaPrint along with Staples, FedEx, Overnight Prints and local printers over a decade as a print marketing buyer and consumer gift shopper, I can definitively say…
VistaPrint offers unbeatable quality, customization and value serving small business owners uniquely well through scalable, affordable and reliable production across all categories.
Their breadth of offerings, capacity for personalization, continuously improving online editing tools and base level pricing remains unmatched at their scale after 25+ years.
Quite simply, I believe most small business owners find everything they need for professional branding, marketing collateral, signage, swag, gifts and more at VistaPrint without costly agency middlemen.
So if you‘re a new entrepreneur ready to make an impression on a budget or a marketing manager responsible for collateral and promotions, VistaPrint absolutely warrants your business. I‘m clearly not their only customer who feels this way – just read a few of the 20,000+ positive reviews and you‘ll gain confidence buying from this proven industry leader as well.
