Quotation Item
1. What do I need to provide for quotation?
An accounting printing quotation requires at least four sets of information. The first is the product: books, color boxes, hard boxes, labels or other paper products; the second is the specifications: finished size, number of pages or structure, materials, printing colors, binding and surface craftsmanship; the third is quantity: the target quantity and the quantity ladder to be compared; the fourth is delivery: expected date, country of receipt, city and zip code. If you already have design files, molds or reference samples, please provide them together. You can inquire first if the information is temporarily incomplete, but the quotation will indicate which contents are tentative conditions and must be confirmed item by item before formal production.
2. I am not sure about the paper or process. Can I ask first?
Yes. First explain the product purpose, target customers, usage environment, quantity, budget direction and the visual or tactile feeling you want to achieve, and we will provide two to three comparable solutions. For example, books and periodicals will compare paper whiteness, thickness, flipping and weight; packaging will compare stiffness, load-bearing, surface craftsmanship and transportation protection. It is recommended to use paper samples, material samples or white samples to narrow down the selection before deciding whether to make a complete printing sample; this is more accurate than guessing the material based on photos only, and can also avoid discovering that the process cannot be realized after the design is completed.
3. Why does the unit price change if the quantity is different?
Customized printing includes both fixed costs and quantity costs. The costs of pre-press inspection, plate making, start-up preparation, color matching, die cutting, hot stamping plates and partial proofing will not increase equally with each product; paper, ink, binding, labor, packaging and transportation will change with the quantity. After the quantity increases, the fixed costs are shared by more finished products, and the unit price usually decreases, but the material utilization rate, the suitable production range of the machine, the packing weight and the transportation method will also form a new ladder. Therefore, the unit price of one quantity cannot be directly multiplied or divided to calculate another quantity. It should be recalculated for each quantity.
4. Can several quantities be compared at the same time?
Yes, it is usually recommended to compare two to three truly possible purchase quantities, such as 1,000, 2,000 and 5,000 pieces. When comparing, don't just look at the unit price, but also look at the total amount, one-time cost of materials or molds, storage pressure, usage cycle, version update risk and reprinting costs. Too many quantity ladders will reduce quotation efficiency, and may also be misleading due to different paper, machine and transportation plans; if the demand span is large, the first batch of quantities and expected annual usage should be determined first, and then the first order and replenishment plan should be designed.
5. Will the website disclose the base price or internal formula?
will not disclose internal costs, floor prices, profit formulas, supplier information or other customer data, but customers should understand what they are buying. A formal quotation will set out product specifications, quantities, materials, printing, binding or workmanship, samples, packaging, delivery method, validity period, and included and unincluded charges. When price adjustments need to be made, comparable versions should be formed by changing quantities, materials, structures, processes or delivery plans, rather than replacing complete specifications with an unverifiable "lowest price".
File Design
6. How much bleed is generally required for printing documents?
Generally used for flat printing is 3 mm per side; packaging, die and special shapes are subject to confirmed production requirements.
7. What resolution is required for the image?
The original size is usually recommended to be about 300dpi; small web images, chat screenshots and enlarged images may not be enough.
8. Can RGB be printed directly?
Printing generally uses CMYK or designated spot colors. Color differences may occur after RGB conversion, which should be processed at the proofing or color confirmation stage.
9. Which is more suitable, PDF, AI or InDesign?
The final version is usually submitted as a PDF containing bleeding and embedded fonts; when adjustments are required, the source file, linked image and font data should also be provided.
10. Do I still need pre-press inspection if I already have a design draft?
Required. Dimensions, bleeds, safety margins, colors, graphics, fonts, page order, spot colors, and die layers still need to be checked.
Book binding
11. What kind of booklet is suitable for saddle stitching?
Saddle stitch fixes the folded signature at the spine with metal nails. It is suitable for brochures, event journals, instructions and short-form brochures with fewer pages and thin book blocks. When making a judgment, you should not just look at the number of pages, but also the thickness of the paper, the format, the cross-page design and the crawling of the middle page; the thicker the paper, the more obvious the inner pages will push out, and the centering of the inner and outer pages may not be consistent after cutting. When there are a large number of pages, long-term reading, spine printing or higher durability, you should compare the perfect binding, PUR or thread-locking solutions. Before formal production, the actual paper should be used to check the total thickness, staple position, page turning and cutting effects.
12. What is the difference between glue binding and thread-locking glue binding?
In ordinary perfect binding, the arranged signatures or loose pages are glued on the back of the spine, and then the cover is wrapped; in thread-locking perfect binding, each signature is first sewn into a book block with threads, and then the backing and wrapping are completed. The locking thread forms an additional mechanical connection and is usually more suitable for books with a large number of pages, frequent flipping, better spreadability or a longer shelf life; ordinary perfect binding requires fewer processes and is suitable for regular reading materials and cost-sensitive projects. You also need to compare the paper coating, weight, book block thickness, format and usage environment. You cannot choose based on price alone. The sample book should be checked for dropped pages, cracked pages, empty spine, resistance to reading, and stability after repeated opening and closing.
13. What structure should be confirmed for hardcover books?
A hardcover book does not just replace the cover with a hard board. The thickness of the book block determines the spine, the thickness of the gray board affects the book case, the groove position controls the opening and closing, and the flutter determines the distance of the book case beyond the book block; the ring lining, gauze, backing paper, plug cloth, spine shape and jacket must also cooperate with each other. When the number of pages, paper, or binding is changed, spine and case dimensions must be recalculated. The formal sample should check the book block positioning, book edge squareness, groove opening and closing, ring lining bonding, book case warping, cover process registration and the consistency of the spine arrangement of multiple books.
14. Why do children’s board books have rounded corners?
The Banzai book uses thicker cardboard. If the right angles are too sharp, it will easily form uncomfortable hard corners when flipping, falling or carrying. Rounded corners can improve the touch feel and collision resistance, but rounded corners alone cannot represent product safety. Also evaluate target age, board thickness, mounting bonding, lamination or varnishing, ink and material requirements, and whether there are burrs, delaminations and sharp spots after die cutting. The fillet radius must match the format, safety edge of graphics and text, and page turning feel. Before formal production, white samples and finished samples should be used to actually flip, scratch, and check the edges.
15. What are the uses for YO circle books?
YO loop/double loop binding is suitable for desk calendars, teaching materials, exercise books, recipes and activity books that need to be completely flattened, folded or frequently written. Before designing, it is necessary to confirm the direction of the finished product, the punched edge, the hole spacing, the safe distance between the hole edges, the thickness of the book block and the circle diameter; if the circle diameter is too small, page turning will be blocked, and if the circle diameter is too small, it will become loose and increase the packaging space. Cross-page content and important text should be kept away from the holes, and the durability of the cover material after repeated folding should also be considered. The acceptance of finished products should check the hole position, closed loops, missing loops, page sequence, page turning smoothness and whether the coil is deformed after packaging.
Packaging label
16. Why do we need to make a white sample of the packaging box first?
The white sample is a structural sample that is not printed or simply marked. The purpose is to verify the structure at a lower cost before going into printing, foiling and batch die-cutting. It is necessary to put the actual product into the white sample and check the inner dimensions, tolerances, opening and closing, insert tongue, lock bottom, magnetic suction, pick and place direction, inner support fixation, load-bearing, stacking and outer box loading. It is impossible to find problems with cardboard thickness, fold line rebound, life collision or difficulty in removing the product by just looking at the flat die. If the product size, material thickness or inner support changes after the white sample is approved, re-verification is still required.
17. How to choose between color box and hard box?
Color boxes are usually printed, die-cut, folded and glued from cardboard or micro-corrugated paper. They are lightweight and can be flattened for transportation. They are suitable for retail goods and projects that need to control logistics volume. Hard boxes are made of hard cardboard such as gray board as the skeleton, and then pasted with printing paper or special materials. They have higher stiffness, display feel and long-term storage, but the labor, material and transportation volume are usually higher. When choosing, you need to compare product weight, retail price, unboxing experience, load-bearing, drop, display, warehousing, annual quantity and budget, rather than simply using "high-end / ordinary" dichotomy. For both structures, white samples should be taken first to verify product tolerances and packaging.
18. Should I choose paper, EVA or blister for the inner support?
The paper tray is convenient for printing and paper base recycling, and can fix products through folding, clamping and honeycomb structures; EVA has strong buffering and positioning capabilities and is suitable for fragile or high-priced products, but the color, density, odor, surface treatment and recycling path must be confirmed; blister can accurately fit complex shapes and facilitate batch assembly, but requires molds, and the materials and target market requirements must also be evaluated. Before selection, the physical product, weight, center of gravity, vulnerable parts, pick-and-place method and transportation test requirements should be provided. The inner support sample should be checked for shaking, scratching, falling, inversion, space for fingers to pick up objects, and deformation after long-term pressure.
19. How to choose label glue?
First confirm whether the object to be labeled is glass, metal, plastic, carton, rough surface or low surface energy material, and then confirm the labeling temperature, use temperature, humidity, water, oil, freezing, outdoor light and storage period. Permanent adhesive emphasizes long-term adhesion, while removable adhesive requires less adhesive residue after being removed. Freezing adhesive, tire adhesive and special surface adhesive are designed for specific environments. Small areas, curved surfaces, bottle seams and recycling requirements will also change choices. Before formal production, initial adhesion, 24-hour adhesion, peeling and aging tests should be carried out in actual containers and actual environments. You cannot place an order based on the name of the glue alone.
20. Why does it need to confirm the roll direction for machine labeling?
The automatic labeling machine unwinds from a fixed direction and sends the label to the designated position of the product. Therefore, the text orientation, label head and tail, left or right exit will directly determine whether the equipment can be used normally. In addition to the labeling direction, the inner diameter of the paper core, the maximum outer roll diameter, the number of each roll, the label spacing, the width of the bottom paper, the die-cutting depth and the number of joints must also be confirmed. Wrong roll direction may cause the entire batch of labels to fail to be put on the machine, or require manual rewinding, which increases contamination, loss and delivery time. Before production, the customer should provide the labeling machine specifications or an existing sample roll, and confirm it in writing with a clear roll direction diagram.
Sample inspection
21. Are digital samples equal to official printing colors?
Not exactly equivalent. Digital samples are suitable for checking text, page sequence, layout, picture direction and overall color trend. However, the imaging method of digital equipment is different from that of formal offset ink. Paper whiteness, coating, ink absorption, spot color, hot foil, lamination and glazing will also change the final effect. If the project has high requirements for brand color, skin tone, gray balance or artistic images, contract color samples, actual paper samples or computer control methods should be agreed upon. When approving a digital sample, it must be stated whether the content, layout or color direction is approved. This should not be understood as a final commitment to all materials and processes.
22. What are the differences between white samples, digital samples and craft samples?
The white sample mainly verifies the size, structure, opening and closing, assembly and load-bearing; the digital sample mainly verifies the text, page sequence, layout and general color; the color sample is used to establish a stricter color reference; the process sample uses actual or close to actual materials to check foiling, UV, embossing, lamination, mounting, pasting boxes and inner supports. Each sample can only answer specific questions, and you can't use a white sample to approve a color, or a digital sample to approve a hot stamping attachment. The approval record should indicate the sample number, version, material, scope of approval and matters still to be confirmed.
23. Can hot stamping, UV and embossing be done together?
can be evaluated, but the material, process sequence, pattern distance and registration tolerance must first be determined. The coating or ink surface will affect the adhesion of the hot foil and UV. The embossing will change the flatness of the paper. Overlapping processes may cause cracks on the foil surface, UV shrinkage holes, embossing damage or unstable positioning. When designing, separate spot color layers should be established for each process to avoid cutting lines, fold lines and excessively thin text; process testing or complete samples should be done first, and then the foil color, gloss, depth, position and acceptable variation should be approved. The combination of craftsmanship should serve the reading and brand focus, not the more the better.
24. When does the production delivery start?
The production delivery period usually starts after all production conditions are met, not from the date of the first inquiry or the first upload of documents. Conditions including specifications, quantity, price, materials, final documents, samples or proofreading, packaging, delivery methods and agreed payment nodes have all been confirmed; special paper, molds and outsourced processes will also be included in the material arrival time. The formal schedule should list customer confirmation, materials, printing, binding or molding, quality inspection, packaging and shipping nodes. Any changes to confirmed content will require a re-evaluation of the costs and dates affected.
25. How to inspect the goods when receiving them?
When receiving the goods, first check the pallets, outer boxes, seals, moisture, impact damage and box marks. Check the number of boxes before opening the boxes for random inspection. Products must be checked against approved samples and specifications for size, content version, page sequence, color, binding, structure, surface workmanship, quantity and obvious appearance defects. When an abnormality is discovered, do not discard the packaging immediately or mix all the goods. You should take pictures of the six sides of the outer box, labels, affected locations, recent photos of the product, and random inspection quantities. Keep representative physical objects and notify the project personnel as soon as possible. This evidence is used to differentiate between production, packaging, shipping and receiving, and to determine options for quarantine, replenishment, rework or claims.
Delivery Support
26. Can it be delivered to companies, schools or exhibitions?
Yes, but the delivery conditions vary greatly from site to site. Before quoting, you must provide the complete address, postal code, contact person, telephone number, delivery date and time, floor, elevator, platform, forklift, unloading distance, vehicle restrictions and whether an appointment is required for admission. The exhibition also needs to check the exhibition hall, booth number, designated logistics provider, certificates, limited time entry and overtime fees; schools or large institutions may require department labels, purchase order numbers or fixed receipt windows. These conditions will affect the vehicle model, labor, packaging, box markings, timeliness and costs, and should be written into the formal delivery plan.
27. Can it be delivered in batches or to multiple addresses?
Yes. An address allocation table needs to be established to list the product version, quantity, number of boxes, box marks, consignee, phone number, postal code, delivery period and special requirements for each address one by one. During production and packaging, boxes must be divided according to address to avoid splitting the goods again after arriving at the warehouse, resulting in mixed versions and short quantities; each batch of goods must have an independent packing list, tracking number and delivery status. If urgent items are shipped by air first and the remainder by sea, the quantity, documentation, packaging and acceptance of the two batches should also be managed separately.
28. Can you arrange for a dedicated person to connect you?
Yes. After the project is started, a main contact person can be designated to receive specifications, versions, quotations, samples, schedules and exception information to avoid conflicts caused by multiple people issuing separate orders. The customer should also designate a person who has the authority to confirm documents, prices and delivery dates; input from design, procurement, finance and consignee can be summarized by the main contact person. Important decisions will still be recorded in written records and version numbers, and dedicated personnel docking does not mean skipping engineering, quality or authorization confirmation.
29. Can you arrange door-to-door service?
Can first be assessed based on the project location, needs and necessity. Situations suitable for on-site visits include physical measurement, packaging structure confirmation, important color samples or material discussions, batch product assembly testing and major abnormality verification; general quotations, file transfers and routine proofreading can usually be completed online first. Before making an appointment, confirm the purpose of the visit, participants, address, time, samples or products that need to be prepared, and expected output, so as to avoid lacking decision-making information after visiting the door. The specific service scope, fees and confidentiality requirements shall be confirmed in writing by both parties.
30. How to transfer labor or create a work order?
Leave questions and contact emails in the live Q&A on this site; when it comes to orders, complaints, identity information, file failures, or content that cannot be confirmed by the system, you can create a service ticket. The ticket should include the product or page, problem description, time of occurrence, project number, affected quantity and necessary screenshots, but do not submit passwords, verification codes, complete payment card information or keys. The system will generate a traceability number, and subsequent supplementary information should use the same number to avoid the same issue being split into multiple records that cannot be compared.
Projects and Services
31. Can the size or structure be customized?
Yes, but customized sizes must first confirm the use, content or physical product, transportation method and production restrictions. For books and periodicals, the format, number of pages, paper utilization, binding and spine must be checked; for packaging, product length, width, height, weight, tolerances, picking and placing directions, load-bearing, cutting molds, inner supports and cartoning must be checked. After providing accurate finished product dimensions, physical or three-dimensional dimensions of the product, reference drawings and existing molds, the engineering staff will first determine the material and processing feasibility; if necessary, make white samples to test opening and closing, assembly and load-bearing, and then lock in the printing documents and official price after confirmation.
32. What is the minimum order quantity?
There is no unified minimum order quantity that applies to all printed matter. Offset printing requires plate making and start-up preparation, and spot colors, hot foils, dies, special materials, and manual molding may also have their own minimum production batches; digital printing can support smaller quantities, but the unit price, size, paper, and process selection are different. Please provide your target quantity, acceptable budget, whether replenishment is needed and estimated annual usage, and we will compare appropriate production methods and two to three quantity steps. The lowest quantity that can be done is not necessarily the quantity with the most reasonable total cost.
33. How to choose paper or cardboard?
First judge based on the purpose: books and periodicals pay attention to reading, page turning, thickness and weight; packaging pays attention to stiffness, folding lines, load-bearing and shaping; artworks also need to consider whiteness, texture, ink absorption and color gradation. Gram weight only represents the weight per square meter and is not equal to thickness or stiffness. Coated paper, uncoated paper and specialty paper with the same weight may behave completely differently. Also check paper texture, masking properties, surface coatings, certifications, print colors, foil or UV suitability, and shipping weight. Before formal production, paper samples, material samples, test folds, white samples or complete samples should be confirmed according to risk.
34. Will production start for unconfirmed specifications or samples?
No. Before entering formal production, at least the specification version, quantity, materials, printing documents, binding or structure, surface technology, packaging and delivery date must be locked; when both parties agree that white samples, digital samples, color samples or process samples are required, it is also necessary to clarify what is approved for each sample. Approval of structure does not equal approval of color, and approval of color does not equal approval of textual content. The final approval should leave a file name, version number, date and confirmation record; any changes to the approved project require a re-evaluation of price, risk and delivery time.
35. What information is needed to estimate shipping costs, duties and import taxes?
The freight requires at least the receiving country, city, postal code, address type, expected time limit, whether there is unloading equipment, as well as the number of boxes of goods, outer box size, single box gross weight, total volume and pallet information; before production, it can only be calculated based on estimated packaging, and should be reviewed with actual data after completion. Customs duties and import taxes also need to confirm the product name, material, purpose, HS code, origin, declared value, importer's identity and destination country rules. The quotation must state the terms such as EXW, FCA, FOB, CIF, DAP or DDP and the precise location, because the terms determine who is responsible for transportation, insurance, customs clearance and taxes. The final amount is subject to the official logistics quotation, customs identification and contract.
36. How are finished products usually packaged?
Packaging solutions start with product risks and actual transportation routes. Books and periodicals usually need to be protected against scratches, corners, moisture, and shifting within the box; premium boxes need to protect the mounting surface, hot foil, magnetic suction, and box corners; label rolls need to have fixed roll directions, paper cores, and end faces. Then determine the quantity of each box, the strength of the outer box, the inner pad, plastic bag or shrink film, moisture-proof material, box label and whether to put it on the pallet according to the transportable weight of the single box. Ocean shipping also needs to evaluate humidity, container condensation, stacking and multiple transfers; special container specifications, branded container marks, barcodes and sub-address identification must be confirmed before production.
37. What should I do if the quotation information or files cannot be uploaded temporarily?
Keep the filled-in quotation information and original documents first, and do not fill them in again and again. You can first check the network, file format and file size; if you still cannot submit, please email the product name, size, quantity, material, process, delivery location, contact information and original documents directly to info@goldprinting.cc. The subject of the email should be "Supplementary Submission of Quotation Information". After receiving it, Gold Printing will continue to quote based on the original project, and at the same time troubleshoot website upload issues, and will not ask you to do it all over again.
38. Can I ask customer service to modify the website, price or order directly?
You can make modification requests, but customer service will not directly change the website, official price, production documents or orders based on just one sentence of chat content. When quotations and orders are involved, the contact person and project number must be verified first, and the specific items that need to be modified, the original version, the new version, the price and the impact on delivery date are recorded, and then confirmed by authorized project personnel; when website content or functions are involved, a change application will be registered and the impact check completed. This is done to prevent erroneous changes caused by unknown identities, unclear expressions or wrong versions, and does not affect customers' normal suggestions and correction of real errors.
