Card Printer Supplies

ID Card Printing on a Budget

It’s Benjamin Franklin who once said, “The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is ID Card Printersforgotten.” As you research information on ID card printers and which solution may be right for your organization, it’s completely valid to be considering price as a factor in your purchase. Oftentimes, a budget has already been set for the implementation or replacement of an ID card printing system. It is important to consider what the cost of this project means to you (and possibly your team), your organization, and your bottom line. Cost can include one or more of the following:
  1. Fixed costs for the ID card printer or printer system This is the most common concern for many customers. The price of a card printer can vary greatly. That’s because there are several factors to consider when choosing the printer that’s appropriate for your application. How many cards you’re printing per month or year, the printer’s ease of use, print quality … the list goes on and on. It’s important to analyze your intentions with the printer realistically. This helps prevent a mismatch of your expectations versus what the capabilities of the printer actually entail. Using your printer for functions it’s not equipped to provide can cause issues with printer’s functionality, quality, and ultimately result in printer downtime.
  1. Variable cost of consumables Costs for ongoing printer maintenance – along with replacement cards and ribbons – are equally as important to consider, in your budget and for your printer purchase. Price per card can be determined by dividing the cost of a ribbon by the number of prints it is capable of printing. Luckily, ID Wholesaler maintains a low-price guarantee of all products and even offers in-house proximity card solutions (ValuProx) as cost-effective alternatives to brand-name cards.
  1. ID software versions Fixed and variable costs also relate to ID Card printing software. Whereas traditional desktop software options are a one-time purchase, they are not updated automatically. Consider the cost of updating your software when you replace your computer. CloudBadging is an alternative to traditional ID card desktop software that is on a subscription model, automatically updating your software in real-time.
  1. Cost of downtime This cost concept can be the most important but is often overlooked. Purchasing a printer based solely on price can be a nightmare for almost everyone involved. Your users are unhappy because they cannot print their cards, the cardholders are unhappy because they don’t have cards, and you’re wondering how quickly you can get the printer up and running. Every printer we offer at ID Wholesaler is covered by some sort of manufacturer warranty. If your printer is under warranty, it will be fixed at no charge for both parts and labor (exclusions apply and differ based on printers). However, it can take weeks and sometimes months to get your printer fixed and back to you. Unfortunately, sometimes we are at the behest of the manufacturer’s timeline when it comes to part supply. ID Wholesaler offers loaner coverage on most printer options to mitigate this downtime and can keep everyone happy and printing.
Our ID Professionals are committed to partnering with you achieve a successful ID card printing program and saving money in the process. Call a friendly and knowledgeable ID Professional today at (800) 321-4405 to discuss your printing needs and how we can help!
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