Catalog Printing Price Quote Questions

[Sweetfeld28]

What kind of things do i need to ask when trying to get a quote for printing a Cabela's type of catalog?

I am looking to print a 436 page/signature catalog, with Cabela style paper, and 4 color.

 

[Blue Velvet]

Having never seen a Cabela catalogue (but did a quick Google check) all I can say is this...

It's just another print job. So all you have to do is spec it correctly and see what printers come up with.


• Stock (paper) Usually, the cover will be of a heavier stock than the pages. Usually expressed in terms of finish, brightness etc. (matt, silk, etc and weight/thickness i.e. gsm or microns. Wise to get samples. Specify whether the cover is 4/4 i.e. CMYK inside and out or 4/1 etc. and what the text pages are...

• Extent & format (no. of pages including cover and at what trimmed final size) If any pages or leaves have perforations, throw-outs or are of a different stock, specify this here.

• Inks (CMYK, spots etc.)

• File type delivered or required... PDF, Quark, InDesign etc. and version. Find out if a particular printer needs specific bleed, slug, colour (profile) settings.

• Clear agreement on any printer-side amends if necessary

• Proofs (what kind of proofs? Laser, chromalin, wet proofs etc.)

• Quantity + run-on (print run)

• Time scale (artwork delivery, proofing and delivery (part or whole) of finished product

• Finishing (laminates or other coats, binding, folding, trimming etc.)

• Collation (any loose inserts etc.)

• Delivery (2/3 way split (i.e. different addresses?), storage?, specific quantities in a box etc.)


Hope that's of some help.

 

[CanadaRAM]

^^ and if 90% of the above is Greek to you, then hire a graphic professional to help you spec the job and quote it out. Mistakes on jobs of this magnitude run in the $10,000s of dollars, so it pays to get it right the first time.

 

[Sweetfeld28]

Heys guys, thanks for the help. I sent out the Request for Quote out with many questions ranging from what the cost would be for various things, such as, variable data printing [address being printed on the covers], page stock [page weight], required bleeds, perfect binding, and colors used [including spots for company logos], and many other things.


I had my Art Director at work give me some more ideas as to what i might be missing, but he stated it looked like i mentioned everything that i needed to.


Thanks again, Ryan