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Paper Prices Climb: How to Warn Your Customers Early

Printing costs are going up, and we need to start letting customers know prices will too. Customers need advance warning—no one likes surprises. Contributor John Giles advises you to be proactive and tell your customers, particularly your top customers, about the pending increases.

Tuesday, August 17, 2021

It’s happening. Printers are being forced to increase their prices as business reopens.

In recent weeks, paper companies have notified printers that paper prices will be climbing 6–15% in the coming months. The price of mailing will jump as the USPS pushes through another price increase. Wages will be forced upwards as minimum wages climb and the competition for workers increases. We know printing costs are going up, and we need to start letting customers know prices will too.

Be proactive and tell your customers about higher prices. Contact your customers, particularly your top customers, about the pending increases. Start with a conversation about increased prices and then follow up with correspondence so they understand. Climbing prices are a reality because of the effects of the pandemic, but you must let customers know when it will happen.


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About John Giles

John Giles is a consultant for the printing industry who works with Tom Crouser and CPrint International to help printers prosper. Contact John at (954) 224-1942, [email protected], or [email protected].

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