Vista Print Review

Those who own a small business are fully aware of the challenges of marketing and for many, the ability to effectively promote their company stands as one of their greatest challenges.  Fortunately, there are several online services to assist business owners and one of the best- known among them is Vistaprint.com, an online store that specializes in business cards and more.

Web Service Commentary:

Vistaprint.com offers several products and services. Most people who shop here purchase business cards, but there are other items available for sale such as magnets, car signs, yard signs, notepads, and more. Vistaprint.com even offers marketing services like e-mail lists, web site setup, etc. This service is ready to assist the small business owner with a multitude of services.

Vistaprint.com is a web service I have known and used several times over the years and, like most consumers, I got to know Vistaprint.com via an e-mail promotion offering 250 free business cards. This special e-mail promo is one of the most common e-mails in all of cyberspace and I would bet that the e-mail messages Vistaprint.com has sent out, with this or some other special offer, number in the millions. This offer is very tempting and, at the very least, it is appealing enough to convince most people to logon to the site and take a look around. This is how I first got to know Vistaprint.com and it is also what led to my first purchase from this service. This "free" offer is somewhat limited and it doesn't include many different designs, but it is still a decent offer and even if you stray a little and accept the add- ons that Vistaprint.com offers, the cost will still be low.   

Speaking of add- ons, this constant pressure to add more items to your order is one fact that has made Vistaprint.com infamous. This constant nagging can get annoying, but the fact is that the items offered are often very cool, and reasonably priced. Tote bags, t-shirts, and other items with your company logo are pushed for sale, and many of them will grab your attention, even if you don't decide to purchase.  

As for the quality of the merchandise at Vistaprint.com, most everything is good, but there are a few areas where change is in order. One is with the size of the font on the business cards. With the free offer and the standard business cards, you do not get to select the font size and some will be disappointed when they receive the cards in the mail and realize how small the font is. When your business cards are displayed on screen, for your review, there is no way to tell just how small the font will be. You don't know until you get the business cards in the mail, at which point you will likely not care anymore.

Shipping with Vistaprint.com isn't very fast, unless you choose a faster shipping option. However, doing so can add significantly to your order and easily erase any benefits from the low pricing. There is no free shipping offer at Vistaprint.com and even the slowest option will cost you a decent sum of money. I find it amusing that Vistaprint.com actually uses the term "Slow" to describe the base shipping option. Once again, it is yet another attempt by the site to make some money. Even with the shipping, they are using words designed to persuade you to select something different and spend more in the process.

Bottom Line Viewpoint:

I have a few issues with Vistaprint.com, but I still like this service and recommend it for business card purchases and much more. Yes, Vistaprint.com does get pushy and yes, this service does charge a fairly high fee for shipping, but even with the added shipping, the total cost is still low. Along with that, you get some cool suggestions for accessories to help you promote your business. It adds up to a good experience overall and a web service I recommend trying out.