Postcards...

[symes]

I have done more than a few seraches and can't seem to find anything...has anyone dabbled in making postcards?

I know I have bought some postcards - in my pre-DSLR days - That were horribly done and the quality was crud...

If you have or haven't what do you think of doing it?

What are some of the printers out there that do this - a quick google search yielded a response with minimum number of prints...I am assuming that they mean one single image...

Can anyone add something here?

[PhotosGuy]

Do you mean a postcard to sell commercially? If not, I wonder if anyone has tried addressing the back of a 4X6" print & mailing it?

[symes]

Do you mean a postcard to sell commercially? If not, I wonder if anyone has tried addressing the back of a 4X6" print & mailing it?

I did mean commercially...

Based on the paper that a regular 4X6 is printed on, I can't see withstanding the abuse of the postal service...

[pradeep1]

You can always glue it to a thin cardboard backing and mail it that way.

[Boudreaux]

Have you researched Vista Print. They do postcards.
www.vistaprint.com (http://www.vistaprint.com/)

I have purchased business cards from them and like their stuff. Have been thinking about buying some postcards to use as a marketing tool (pass out, send to prospective clients, etc.). Take a look.

[symes]

You can always glue it to a thin cardboard backing and mail it that way.

This is true...

What I am wondering is if anyone on this forum has done this commercially?

[robertwgross]

Commonly, the printing companies want to do a minimum quantity of 500 to give you any kind of decent price. Still, the price comes down if you want thousands.

A lot of normal glossy photo print paper has a back surface that is not good for laser printing or handwriting. So, the printing companies use card stock for it. That is part of the reason why the print quality looks marginal on so many.

---Bob Gross---

[elkootcho]

www.modernpostcard.com is another good place to check out. They do nice work from what I have seen.

[Claire]

I've actually taken a printed (store printed) photo and put one of those "postcard label stickers" on the back. Then I sent it to a few friends. Think it managed through the mail, but I wish it hadn't been glossy photo paper, but matte. In Sweden it's all glossy.

[symes]

Thanks for the help folks...can always depend on this board for that...

[Sabina]

I found a local art supplies store that sells packs of blank postcards. The backs have the look of a regular postcard, the front has a peel off sticker - you print up your photograph to the correct size, peel off the sticker from the postcard, press your photo to the postcard and it's done! They look great imo.

[Avalonthas]

I make my own when im at events (postcards of the previous years same event). I print them on Staples Professional Photo Paper and they work fine, and since they dont have the logo on the back, it does not obstruct the address lines and stuff. Sometimes i sell them without postage at small events, but at bigger events I use my postage paid number so i just bump the base price up by 75 cents (costs 50 cents to mail).

I wish I could use some other type of paper but other paper seems to warp after being printed, and staples business depot paper doesnt warp on me so....until that time comes, im good.

[symes]

Commonly, the printing companies want to do a minimum quantity of 500 to give you any kind of decent price. Still, the price comes down if you want thousands.

A lot of normal glossy photo print paper has a back surface that is not good for laser printing or handwriting. So, the printing companies use card stock for it. That is part of the reason why the print quality looks marginal on so many.

---Bob Gross---

Bob do you or anyone else know if this is 500 of a single image? or could you make 50 of ten different images...I know that most of the cost when it comes to printing T-shirts is in the set up and once you are set the actual number of shirts you run through means little. Is this the same with Postcards?

Cheers...

[Carzee]

A younger friend interstate says he's getting 1000 "oversize business cards" done for his wedding photography. He's booked into a booth at a wedding expo with the dress / shoes/ honeymoon / limo / businesses set. He plans a gimmick to collect prospect names & addresses of "engaged persons" and then post them a special offer on a glossy postcard / business card featuring 4 of his photos. Sounds good from here.

[robertwgross]

Bob do you or anyone else know if this is 500 of a single image?

Yes.

You can find printing companies that will print just about anything for you, in any quantity. However, for first-rate postcards, 500 is an almost absolute minimum, per image. Most of the really big postcard companies do theirs in quantities of 10,000 to 20,000. That, of course, leaves most of us out.

---Bob Gross---

[GenEOS]

psprint.com will print a minimum of 250. but for a few more dollars you will get 500. They do great work.

[GerryDavid]

I thought of this since emy town is a touristy place in the summer. But I assume the 500 will cost a fair bit and you have to get a few differnt pictures for a selection, increasing the cost that much more.

By the time the store makes thier profit and paying for the cards, the profit off of each is probably small change.

[symes]

I thought of this since emy town is a touristy place in the summer. But I assume the 500 will cost a fair bit and you have to get a few differnt pictures for a selection, increasing the cost that much more.

By the time the store makes thier profit and paying for the cards, the profit off of each is probably small change.

That is the issue. I would love to put some together but the cost seems to outweigh teh benefit. It seems that it is only worthwhile if you have a LARGE volume...

[robertwgross]

The printing companies will lead you to believe that you can sell greeting cards and photo notecards (with envelope) for $2.50 or more, each. So, you get drawn into having them do 5000 cards for you at $1.00 each, and then you discover that distribution will cost you too much.

There are too many places that sell simple photo postcards for 50 cents each. Try to find a good printer that will print you 500 of those for 25 cents each so you can sell them for 50 cents each. Even then, you may not break even.

---Bob Gross---

[GenEOS]

Robert says too many places sell cards for 50 cents, but here in Houston at the larger stores I have seen cards for local scenery selling for 25 cents each. Flip the card over and it says printed in China / Phillipines / Italy..... So, to turn a profit, you have to have 25000 of them printed and have a good outlet for distribution.

I have sold a few cards and my clients where happy to pay a little more since they where more specialized cards. But still, to turn a profit you need to get them printed in mega bulk.

Not too many of us will be doing that.