And What You Can Do About It

At Flyleaf, we’ve scoped hundreds of projects down to the millimeter. We know what press each facility runs. We’ve learned to avoid specs that trigger upcharges or slow down a line. And yet, we still get pricing back that makes us stop and say: “Wait… what?”The point is: if we can get burned on pricing despite doing this every day, imagine what it’s like for someone managing print on top of everything else.

Here’s what we’ve learned, and what you should know before requesting quotes — especially if you’re trying to manage cost, hit deadlines, and avoid headaches. The classic advice is to scope clearly. First of all, ambiguous specs are a fast track to inconsistent pricing. If you just ask for “labels,” one vendor might quote paper, another poly, one gloss, one matte. And that’s before we even get to adhesive, liner, unwind direction…

But even with perfect specs, we’ve had situations where Vendor A is $0.07 per unit and Vendor B is $0.27 for the same thing. Why? Because the fit is off. Maybe the job is too short for their setup. Maybe the die-cutting isn’t inline. Maybe they have to shut down another job to run yours. And sometimes, they just don’t want it. Instead of saying that, they quote it anyway — knowing the price will take them out of contention.

We’d much rather hear, “This isn’t a great fit for us,” than chase an unusable quote. But it happens. Even with good partners.

You’re Not Just Pricing Materials: You’re Pricing Systems

Let’s say you’re quoting folding cartons. One manufacturer has equipment set up specifically for that kind of work — the right press, the right die-cutter, efficient packout systems. Another vendor can technically run the job, but it takes more labor, more changeover time, or more effort to fit it into their schedule. The total cost can vary for the same dieline or board. This isn’t just about what the job is, it’s about how well it fits into someone’s workflow. Their capacity, their tooling, their lead times. You may never see those variables, but they show up in the quote. Even with clear specifications, you’re often pricing someone’s operational efficiency — not just ink and paper. A small spec change can upend everything. Twice this month, we ran into situations that reminded us of financial printing, where rush jobs force fast decisions, and even minor spec changes can throw everything off.

In both cases, the jobs were for long-time clients involving brand-new items. We sourced new vendors, the specs lined up, and everything looked like a fit. Because physical printed proofs were required and timelines were tight, we moved fast, made deposits, and locked in production. Then came the changes: one client decided they preferred Tyvek labels sheeted and packed in stacks rather than finished on rolls. Another asked that an insert previously held in die-cut slits be secured with a glue dot. These seem like small requests — at least on paper. But in both cases, they significantly disrupted the production plan. Costs shifted. Timelines stretched. That one line item — roll vs. sheet, glue dot vs. no glue dot — made a measurable impact.

The client never had to deal with the fallout. We handled the switch and kept the job moving. But if they had been managing it directly? They would’ve felt all of it. That’s the point here: print can be unforgiving. Especially when you’re moving fast.

Plan for the real production timeline — not the optimistic one.

Printers will often tell you a job takes 10–12 business days. That sounds reasonable — until you realize that timer doesn’t start the moment you send the artwork. It starts after proof approval. And sometimes the proof isn’t touched for 2–3 days, which means you’re already behind before the clock even starts. We once mapped out a project down to the day — built the schedule around a specific paper stock, placed the order, and expected the promised 17 – 22 days. That number came directly from the printer.

Then we got the update: “Actually, the paper you chose is a “making” paper. The mill won’t produce it for another three weeks.” Suddenly that 17 – 22 day estimate turned into 35 days. The printer hadn’t been misleading — they just hadn’t flagged the paper availability upfront. But we’ve done this long enough to know: unless you ask specifically, “Is this paper on the floor or being made?”, you won’t get that detail.

These are the realities of production. You can build the perfect schedule, but if you’re not asking the right questions, that schedule won’t hold. And when the job is tied to a launch date, campaign drop, or retail push, 13 unexpected days can mean real consequences.

If You’re Not in the Market All the Time, You Can’t See the Gaps

This is the heart of it. We’re in-market constantly. We run jobs daily. We maintain pricing histories. We spot quotes that are high, low, or just plain weird, because we’ve seen the pattern. But if you’re quoting print once a quarter, or once a year, or even once per product launch… you don’t have that visibility. You might not know that the price you got is 40% too high — or that a minor spec shift could drop it by 30%. This isn’t your fault. It’s just a side effect of how opaque the system can be.

So… How Do You Get It Right?

Here’s what we’d recommend if you’re trying to quote smarter:

• Specify clearly, and version your specs. Track what changes between rounds. Don’t rely on memory.
  
• Quote apples-to-apples. Don’t compare offset to digital or 1-color to 4-color unless you want to.
  
• Plan for production realities. Know when you need the goods, not just when you submit the PO.
  
• Ask for feedback. If a vendor’s quote seems high, ask why. You might get an answer that helps next time.
  
• Use a partner who’s in the market. If that’s not your full-time job, find someone who makes it theirs.
  

We built Flyleaf because managing print shouldn’t mean guessing at specs, interpreting vendor silence, or getting blindsided by paper lead times. Our job is to see around corners so you don’t have to. By design, we don’t own equipment. That means we can focus on planning, production, and budget without bias toward any one machine, method, or vendor. Take a quick look at the key steps we help you navigate as an extension of your team.