How Can I Find the Right Label Printing Company?

Have you ever walked down the aisles of a supermarket and found yourself lost in a sea of seemingly identical products? For many business owners, this is a frustrating reality. While your product may be top-notch, it may still get lost in the crowd.

That’s where a reliable label printing companycomes in. They’ll help you create eye-catching labels that pop off the shelves. But, with so many label printing companies out there, how do you know which one to choose? Better yet, what questions should you ask them during the vetting stage? Keep reading to find out.

Five Questions to Ask When Searching for a Label Printing Company

It’s essential to choose carefully when vetting label companies because the quality of your prodiver either makes or breaks your product packaging. Here’s a few questions you should ask any potential label printing company to help you make an informed decision.

What Capabilities Do You Have?

First and foremost, it’s important to determine the printing technologies and embellishments offered by a label printing company. Do they offer flexographic printing? Digital printing? Both?

Additionally, they should have a wide selection of inks, label stock, and adhesives, providing enough options to engineer the perfect label. You’ll also want to confirm their production capabilities to see if they’re able to process, print, and ship large-scale orders.

Do You Have Experience in My Unique Industry?

Looking for an indicator of high-quality service? Start with years in business. The best custom labels tend to come from companies with a deep history in label printing. These companies have had decades to iron out processes, improve inefficiencies, and implement new technologies. To identify their level of expertise, ask questions like:

How many years of experience do you have?
Have you completed past projects within my industry?
How do you comply with new legislation for age-restricted product packaging?

Generally speaking, it’s always a good idea to go with someone who’s well established. Not only will they be more experienced, but they will also be able to handle the hefty demands of large brands.

What’s Your Average Turnaround Time?

When searching for a provider to handle custom printed labels, evaluate their average turnaround time. Simply put, this denotes the duration taken to complete an order—from the point of submission to delivery.

Given the fast-paced nature of manufacturing and ever-changing consumer demands, this metric holds substantial weight within the product packaging industry. The last thing you want is wasting time with a company that can’t fulfill their end of the project.

Do You Offer Package and Product Design Services?

When looking for a label company, your provider should offer much more than printing services. To truly boost your shelf appeal, you need both product packaging and creative design services under one roof.

Label companies with in-house graphic design teams can add significant value to your labeling project by enhancing your overall aesthetic appeal, imagery, and messaging. It’s the first step to create eye-catching designs that capture your brand’s essence and differentiate your products from competitors.

However, it’s important to note the graphic design process involves multiple iterations before you arrive at a final project. That’s why it’s essential to understand how your label printing approaches the design process, asking questions like:

Can I offer input, and make changes to the package’s design?
We don’t love our current logo, can you design a new one?
How do you balance imagery with messaging to ensure the final product aligns with our brand values?
Before I commit to a large-scale order, can you send us a sample?

By working with a label printing company that offers package and logo design services, you’re able to streamline your project’s workflow, save time, and achieve a more cohesive look for your brand.

Creating your brand is an expensive, time-consuming process. Worse, not all label printing companiesoffer graphic design services. USTL takes pride in our ability to not onlyfulfill your product order, but also provide creative services that ensure your label stands out from the crowd.

Let’s Create Something Great

Are There Any Hidden Fees or Minimum Order Quantities?

During the vetting stage, don’t forget to ask about minimum order quantities, as it significantly impacts the overall cost of your labels and your ability to meet project timelines.

Not only does this limit your options, but it’s also a difficult hurdle for organizations with a limited budget. This sentiment is only echoed once hidden fees come into play, which can make your project even more expensive than anticipated.

To avoid any surprises, discuss all costs associated early on. Even better, ask for a comprehensive quote that includes all fees and quantities. By doing so, it’s far easier to avoid any unexpected charges that could derail your labeling project.

Design, Print, and Ship the Best Custom Labels with USTL

At U.S. Tape & Label, we take a holistic approach to label printing, offering design, printing, and supply chain solutions all under one roof. Since our establishment in 1950, we’ve expanded to become a multinational provider of eye-catching labels that increase your shelf appeal, drive sales, and reflect your brand values.

Your label is the face of your product, and we do whatever it takes to help you stand out in an ever-competitive B2C marketplace. Whether you’re looking to revamp an existing label or create a new one from scratch—we’ve got you covered. Get in touch today to learn more and discover how our wide-range of capabilities helps set your product apart!