Printbuyers Online

Ask the Experts

How can I turn a spooky song into an iPhone ringtone for Halloween?
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

Why is there such a huge difference in price?

How do I tell a printer that its quality is poor?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

How do you figure out how many plates or cylinders will be needed for a print job?
Answered by StephenBeals, Digital Pre-Press manager and industry writer

Help! My customer is color blind but doesn't know it!
Answered By Stephen Beals, Digital Pre Press Manager and Writer

Identify Fonts with Your iPhone

Update Your Old Art Files

Better PDF Names from QuarkXPress

What is tone-on-tone printing?

How to Link an Excel Spreadsheet to a Table in InDesign or QuarkXPress

Sources for Diploma Borders
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

Where Are the Pantone GOE Libraries and Documentation for Creative Suite 4?
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

Can a PDF be converted back to QuarkXPress or InDesign?
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

Grayscale Photos Are Better in CMYK
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

Fixing Previews of Older EPS Files in InDesign
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

How to Successfully Open Files Downsaved from QuarkXPress and InDesign
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

Can You Color Manage an LCD-backlit Display?
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

Is It Safe To Upgrade to Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard?
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

Is there a better ruler out there?
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

Using Older Versions of Applications Alongside Newer Versions
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

Missing Special Characters in My Font?
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

FSC Logo Usage
This question was answered by Concord Litho’s “Green Team.”

How to Create a Profile for Your Printer
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

Which Version of QuarkXPress Created This Document?
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

Preflight Programs: How to increase the level of capabilities
Answered by Stephen Beals, Digital Pre-Press manager and industry writer

PMS 877 on Uncoated Stock

Create a Preflight Droplet for Acrobat
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

No More QuarkXPress Passport?
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

Metallic Effects Without Metallic Inks
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

Convert Images to Grayscale in Acrobat
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

The Key to Sharpening for Output
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

The Secret to Apple's Mac OS X Package
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

A Better Blend from Color to Black
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

Why on Earth Would I Have to Convert Text to Outlines to Output a PDF?
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

Copy Color Corrections to Other Photoshop Files
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

Resize with Intelligence
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

Kill White Lines in Acrobat
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

Convert FreeHand to InDesign?
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

Blu-ray for Data Storage?
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

Will There Be A QuarkXPress 8?
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

A Guide on Usage and Ownership
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

Which Photoshop Format for Page Layout?
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

Embed Distiller Settings in PDFs
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

Use Custom Distiller Settings in QuarkXPress
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

A Trick for Printing Troublesome PDFs
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

How Do I Re-Distill a PDF?
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

What Matters When Shopping for an LCD Display?
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

With PDF Now an ISO Standard, What About Microsoft's XPS?
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

Is There an Authoritative Reference on Fonts?
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

Save PDFs as Lower Versions
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

For Archiving: CDs or DVDs? And Which Brand?
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

What Should I Be Watching For Regarding Compression Format for Photos?
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

Is There a Converter to Make All Font Files OpenType Format?
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

Is There An Easy Way to Find/Replace Non-Printing Characters in InDesign and QuarkXPress?
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

What makes an OpenType font a "Pro"?
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

Who Is Responsible For Mechanical Ghosting - the Printer or the Buyer?
Answered by Written by Ali Westcott, Concord Litho Featuring Chris Allegrezza, Plant Manager, Concord Litho.

Are There Any Good Options For Faxing Without a Phone Line or a Fax Machine?
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

Is it safe to upgrade to Apple's new Mac OS X 10.5 "Leopard" right away?
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

How Do I Save An InDesign Document Down to a Lower Version?
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

How Can I Prevent My Epson Inkjet Printer From Clogging?
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

Should I Be Worried About RGB Color Printed in CMYK From Pantone's GOE Color System
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

Can I See A PDF As Others Would Without The Same Active Fonts?
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

How Do You Extract Photos From a PDF Without Losing Resolution?
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

How Well Does Pantone's Huey Pro Work With LCD Flat-Panel Displays and Laptops?
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

What Stage Is In Greatest Need of Better Process Control?
Answered by Dan Remaley, Senior Technical Consultant Process Controls, PIA/GATF

How Can I Predict How the Colors Will Print On a Printing Press?
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

What Are the Best Options to Remotely Manipulate Multiple Users on Different Workstations
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

How Can I Print With Metallic Inks?
Answered by Stephen Beals, Digital Pre-Press manager and industry writer

Why Do the PDFs I Export From QuarkXPress Have Such a Huge File Size?
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

How Can I Control Which OpenType Font Character Version Gets used In a Particular Situation?
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

How Can I Find a Listing of Minority/Woman-Based Businesses?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder of Print Buyers Online.com

Shouldn't CMYK color be "additive"?
Answered by Stephen Beals, Digital Pre-Press manager and industry writer

How Do I Get Acrobat 8 Toolbars Back?
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

Installation Issues with Adobe Creative Suite 3
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

Whatever happened to Hexachrome?
Answered by Stephen Beals, Digital Pre-Press manager and industry writer

Why are flesh tones harder to print?
Answered by Stephen Beals, Digital Pre Press Manager and Writer

Oh My God! They Killed FreeHand!
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

What is the best software for profiling color monitors?
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor and Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

What are the primary reasons that printers have excessive color variation?
Answered by Dan Remaley, Senior Technical Consultant Process Controls, PIA/GATF

What are “layered PDFs” and what are they used for?
Answered by Stephen Beals, Digital Pre Press Manager and Writer

Stochastic screening and image resolution: Is there a rule of thumb for conversion?
Answered by Stephen Beals, Digital Pre Press Manager and Writer

Why do some ink colors, such as Reflex Blue, take longer to dry and require aqueous coating?
Answered by Stephen Beals, Digital Pre-Press manager and industry writer

Why didn’t the spot varnish effect work when my job was printed on a dull sheet?
Answered by Tom Loudon, VP Printing Operations, EU Services

Why doesn’t my printer’s font match the one I specified?
Answered by Stephen Beals, Digital Pre Press Manager and Writer

My company wants us to start using print brokers. Should we?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder of Print Buyers Online.com

What is the average percentage to expect for overs in print projects?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder of Print Buyers Online.com

Is there a proof that can accurately show a varnish?
Answered by Stephen Beals, Digital Pre Press Manager and Writer

What do you consider the best source for proofing?
Answered by Stephen Beals, Digital Pre Press Manager and Writer

What is a giclee printer and what is it used for?
Answered by Stephen Beals, Digital Pre Press Manager and Writer

Help! My Designer Wants To Use A 15% Screen of Metallic On An Uncoated Stock
Answered by Stephen Beals, Digital Pre Press Manager and Writer

Is offset printing still the preferred printing method for large quantities?
Answered by Stephen Beals, Digital Pre Press Manager and Writer

Why is it that printers do not make a profit with new customers on the first several jobs?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

Are there advantages to printing on a gloss versus matte coated stock?
Answered by Stora Enso

Could you recommend software to help us convert our paper files to electronic?
Answered by Stephen Beals, Digital Pre Press Manager and Writer

Should I send a PDF or a native InDesign file as the final file to my printer?
Answered by Stephen Beals, Digital Pre Press Manager and Writer

What is the difference between conventional digital and post ripped color proofs?
Answered by Stephen Beals, Digital Pre Press Manager and Writer

Litho vs. Flexo printing on envelopes?
Answered by Stephen Beals, Digital Pre Press Manager and Writer

What are some ways to award my top print suppliers?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

How Can I Achieve the Best Results in Embossing?
Answered by Stora Enso

How do I find a good in-house proofing system?
Answered by Stephen Beals, Digital Pre Press Manager and Writer

Can I use images from my digital camera in my printed piece?

How do I effectively design and produce a four color brochure with black/white photography?

How can I use metallic inks on stationery projects without problems through a laser printer?

Color Variation in Short-run Printing

Can I print metallic ink on uncoated stock?

What is a reasonable discount to ask for?

How should I give negative feedback to my printer?
Answered By Suzanne Morgan

Should my printer tell me when he outsources my jobs?

How can I communicate dissatisfaction and still foster long term supplier relationships?
Learn how to resolve disputes

How do we test a graphic design candidate’s skills?
Answered by Stephen Beals, Digital Pre Press Manager and Writer

Is there a way to proof color online electronically?
Answered by Stephen Beals, Digital Pre Press Manager and Writer

Scoring inline with the folding caused major cracking. What’s a better way?
Answered by Stephen Beals, Digital Pre Press Manager and Writer

Is the outsourcing of print production/purchasing a trend with corporations?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, Founder, Print Buyers Online.com

Is “variable line screen” something I need to request from my printer?
Answered by Stephen Beals, Digital Pre Press Manager and Writer

Do you have any words of wisdom when printing on Yupo stock?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder of Print Buyers Online.com

Where can I find price forecast information for publication grade paper?
Answered by Sabine Lenz, Founder, PaperSpecs.com

Where can I get a list of on-demand printers?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, Founder, Print Buyers Online.com

How do I convert GSM to lbs? (paper)
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, Founder, Print Buyers Online.com

How do I embed print specifications within a print ready PDF file?
Answered by Stephen Beals, Digital Pre Press Manager and Writer

What is the definition of On-Demand Printing?
This question was answered by Xerox Corporation

How should I "interview" prospective printers?
Answered By Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

Is This Printer Being Reasonable Regarding Issuing a Credit for Rejected Goods?
Answered By Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

Why does a six page brochure tend to cost more than the other formats?
Answered by Stephen Beals, Digital Pre Press Manager and Writer

How has proofing changed in the past year?
Answered by Stephen Beals, Digital Pre Press Manager and Writer

When working in Illustrator, is it ever okay to send an unflattened file?
Answered by Stephen Beals, Digital Pre Press Manager and Writer

Is PDF the industry standard file format that commercial printers are accepting from print buyers?
Answered by Stephen Beals, Digital Pre Press Manager and Writer

How can I ensure that the color on all my four-color jobs is consistent?
Answered by Stephen Beals, Digital Pre Press Manager and Writer

Is it normal to have so much variance in my printers’ prices?
Answered by Caleb Tower, President, P3Software

Do you know of any suppliers that offer template-based printing?
Answered by Stephen Beals, Digital Pre Press Manager and Writer

Where can I find a sample of a vendor qualification questionnaire?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

How do I avoid discrepancies between my printer and my mail house's quantities?
Answered By Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

How much of the cost of a printing job can be attributed to paper and other materials?
Answered by Stephen Beals, Digital Pre Press Manager and Writer

When a printer refers to a job being 2 up or 4 up, what are they referring to?
Answered By Stephen Beals, Digital Pre Press Manager and Writer

What is causing my type to move, disappear, or re-rag in InDesign?
Answered by Stephen Beals, Digital Pre Press Manager and Writer

Would you please explain gate keeping, file submission and validation services?
Answered by Stephen Beals, Digital Pre Press Manager and Writer

What is high folio vs. low folio?
Answered By Stephen Beals, Digital Pre Press Manager and Writer

What is a Sigma Six – Greenbelt rating?
Answered By Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

In a "typical" sheetfed printing job with stitching, how does the cost break out by percentage?
Answered By Stephen Beals, Digital Pre Press Manager and Writer

What does F.O.B. mean?
Answered By Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

Where can I find information about print standards such as SWOP, GRACoL, SNAP and BRIDGS?
Answered By Stephen Beals, Digital Pre Press Manager and Writer

Property rights: who retains the rights to a corrected electronic file?
Answered By Stephen Beals, Digital Pre Press Manager and Writer

Can a printer insist that a customer sign a waiver releasing them from poor quality?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

What is the maximum page size of a 16 page self cover in order to fit on a 23 x 35 sheet?
Answered By Stephen Beals, Digital Pre Press Manager and Writer

Does the printer or the publisher bear the responsibility for shingling a saddlestitch book?
Answered by Stephen Beals, Digital Pre-Press manager and industry writer

Is there a such thing as an acceptable printing rate?
Answered by Stephen Beals, Digital Pre-Press manager and industry writer

What Can You Tell Me About Printing on a Letterpress?
Answered by Stephen Beals, Digital Pre-Press manager and industry writer

What is the value of hiring an experienced print buyer vs. a novice buyer?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

Should we discount a printer’s invoice because they delivered the job a week late?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

What are the current state-of-the-art methods of electronic proofing digital print?
Answered by Stephen Beals, Digital Pre-Press manager and industry writer

Why did my PDF file become low res during the PDF distilling process?
Answered by Stephen Beals, Digital Pre-Press manager and industry writer

What is the optimal obsolescence rate for printed materials in inventory?
Answered by Stephen Beals, Digital Pre-Press manager and industry writer

What ink works best on uncoated smooth premium text paper?
Answered by Sabine Lenz, founder, PaperSpecs.com

What is the difference between a Direct Imaging press and an offset press?
Answered by Stephen Beals, Digital Pre-Press manager and industry writer

What's changed with remote proofing in past few years?
Answered by Stephen Beals, Digital Pre-Press manager and industry writer

What is the difference between cover, text and label stock in terms of thickness and weight?
Answered by Sabine Lenz, founder, PaperSpecs.com

Why are there so many "flavors" of PDFs? How are they different?
Answered by Stephen Beals, Digital Pre-Press manager and industry writer

How do I determine what type of press is best for my print project?
Answered by Stephen Beals, Digital Pre-Press manager and industry writer

If I'm printing simple jobs, do I really need a printer with "state of the art" equipment?
Answered by Stephen Beals, Digital Pre-Press manager and industry writer

How should I discuss color management with my printer?
Answered by Stephen Beals, Digital Pre-Press manager and industry writer

Can I ask for 0% underruns?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

Are job descriptions really necessary?
Answered by Debra Thompson, TG & Associates

Isn't it reasonable to expect a proof in less than two days?
Answered by Stephen Beals, Digital Pre-Press manager and industry writer

How should I spec a tinted varnish?
Answered by the experts at EU Services

Help! My printer is nickel and diming me to death with delivery and inventory charges!
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

How can I tell if a printer supplier has efficient workflow? I should be looking for that, right?
Answered by Stephen Beals, Digital Pre-Press manager and industry writer

What do I need to know about the copyright of fonts when sending files to my printers?
Answered by Stephen Beals, Digital Pre-Press manager and industry writer

What advances in digital proofing quality and capabilities can we expect to see in the future?
Answered by Gorden Pritchard, Print Solutions Expert, Creo

Where can I find educational material about direct mail and information about USPS regulations?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

Are there any situations where film-based proofs are more accurate/appropriate than digital proofs?
Answered by Gorden Pritchard, Print Solutions Expert, Creo

What does “TCF” vs. “ECF” refer to in paper specifications?
Answered by Amy Kearns, Supplies Business Group, Xerox Corporation

What is lenticular printing?
Answered by Stephen Beals, Digital Pre-Press Manager and industry writer

What exactly am I asking for when I request an ink draw down?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

Where can I find resources to learn the terminology of printing and print buying?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

Do I really save money with digital proofs vs. film proofs?
Answered by Gorden Pritchard, Print Solutions Expert, Creo

What are the differences in the various types of On Demand printing?
Answered by Larry Zusman, Workflow Marketing Manager, Production Systems Group, Xerox Corporation

What is the industry standard for spoilage with printed materials?
Answered by Alan Bernstein, Sales Manager, Pace Navigator

What does the term "offset" mean?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

How can I add some "zip" to my envelopes without breaking the bank?
Answered by the experts at EU Services

How can I determine which parent sheet sizes will yield the least amount of waste?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

How can I make my direct mail stand out?
Answered by the experts at EU Services

How can I motivate the people that work for me?
Answered by Debra Thompson, TG & Associates

Are there resources to help me with implementing new procedures for our production department?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

Is there a rule of thumb about image resolution for printed pieces?
Answered by the experts at EU Services

What is a hickey?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

What is the benefit of using acid-free paper?
Answered by Amy Kearns, Supplies Business Group, Xerox Corporation

Can you recommend a substrate that resembles the look and feel of distressed leather?
Answered by Sabine Lenz, founder, PaperSpecs.com

How can I save money on my direct mail fulfillment process?
Answered by the experts at EU Services

Can you recommend the best software for setting up multiple versions of the same ad?
Answered by Jay Nelson, Editor & Publisher, Design Tools Monthly

Why is black referred to as “K” in printing?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

What is an "indicia" and who provides this information?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

Can too much transparent white in a PMS color cause the color to print poorly?
Answered by Tom Loudon, VP Printing Operations, EU Services

Do I have to pay my printer for more than 10% overs?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

What is the difference between a text stock and a cover stock of the same weight?
Answered byAmy Kearns, Supplies Business Group, Xerox Corporation

Can you explain the difference between low resolution and high resolution art?
Answered by Forest Wathen, Prepress Manager, EU Services

What does “point” refer to (as in 10-point or 12-point paper stock)?
Answered by Sabine Lenz, founder, PaperSpecs.com

Are there any special recommendations when it comes to printing with metallic inks?
Answered by the experts at EU Services

How can I prove my value to upper management?
Answered by Debra Thompson, President, TG & Associates

What criteria should we use to evaluate print procurement solutions?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

Could you please explain the advantages/disadvantages of traditional, stochastic & hybrid screening
Part 3 - Answered by the experts at Kodak Polychrome Graphics

Can metallic inks be used on a Jet Press?
Answered by Tom Loudon, VP Print Production, EU Services

Could you please explain the advantages/disadvantages of traditional, stochastic & hybrid screening
Part 2 - Answered by the experts at Enovation Graphic Systems

Should I go to my printer or directly to a die shop to have custom dies made?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

Misfired signatures in three print jobs: What should I do?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

Could you please explain the advantages/disadvantages of traditional, stochastic & hybrid screening
Part 1 - Answered by the experts at Agfa

How do I create a supplier expectation document?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

Can I use the same die for two different die-cutting applications?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

How do I determine the right press size for my job?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

Do you have any advice for someone who is new to managing employees?
Answered by Debra Thompson, President, TG & Associates

Could you suggest some ways that my company can recognize our top suppliers?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

Why am I having trouble finding qualified candidates to hire when the unemployment rate is so high?
Answered by Debra Thompson, President, TG & Associates

Is the printer responsible for covering the cost to make up the shortage?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

What are the differences between halftone dot digital proofs and continuous tone digital proofs
Answered by Eric Neumann, Enovation Graphic Systems, Inc.

Is the quality of my print job in jeopardy if I send PDF, instead of Quark files, to my printer?
Answered by the experts at EU Services

How should I calculate a quantity for my direct mail campaign?
Answered by the experts at EU Services

How can I go about finding printers in Mexico?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

Is there an industry standard that covers all types of printing?
Answered by Gordon Pritchard, Print Solutions Senior, Creo Inc.

Are there any resources to help me find or become a print broker?
Answered by Vince Mallardi, Former Chairman, Printing Brokerage/Buyers Association International

Will embossing on a dull aqueous coating cause an unwanted shiny effect?
Answered by the experts at Earth Color

How can I analyze the amount of printing my company purchases?
Answered by the experts at Mimeo

Are low quantity and variable data the only reasons I should use digital printing instead of offset?
Answered by Marcella Murphy, Manager, Creative Services Business Segment/Graphic Arts Industry, Production Systems Group, Xerox Corporation

What can I do to prevent my print jobs from cracking on the fold?
Answered by the experts at EU Services

Am I responsible for cost increases in an estimate if I don't supply a loose comp with the specs?
Answered by the experts at EU Services

Why should I print a 2 PMS color “blurred” effect as 4 color process instead?
Answered by the experts at Pace Navigator

Are all inks opaque?
Answered by the experts at EU Services

What are some “must do’s” to ensure the right candidate is chosen to fill a position?
Answered by Debra Thompson, President, TG & Associates

I am a graphic designer looking to expand my client base, do you have any suggestions?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

Is there a silver paper strong enough to be used as a cover stock?
Answered by Sabine Lenz of PaperSpecs.com

What are LAB values?
Answered by Dan Caldwell, Vice President of Operations, Integrated Color Solutions (ICS)

What really qualifies as a postcard according to USPS standards?
Answered by the Experts at EU Services

Should I specify the type of digital proof that I want my printer to use?
Answered by the experts at EU Services and PBM Graphics

How can I avoid banding of Quark gradients?
Answered by Forest Wathen, Prepress Manager, EU Services

What is the difference between a "leaf" and a "page?"
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

Should I ask to see loose color proofs of the scanned images I supply to my print supplier?
Answered by Eric Newmann, Assistant Product Manager, Enovation Graphic Systems, Inc.

Could you suggest some boilerplate language for my contracts with printers?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

How do I properly set up my files for a spot varnish?
Answered by the experts at EU Services

Should my company bring our design work in house and hire a graphic designer?
Answered by Debra Thompson, President of TG & Associates

Is there a formula for creating a common newspaper ad size that will work for most papers?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

What resources are available to help me find companies that purchase printing in my area?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

Should this print job be rejected?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

Are reverse auctions good for print buyers?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

Who owns the die for this print job?
Print buyer and printer contest ownership rights

Tips for Writing a CV or Resume Cover Letter When Seeking a Print Buying Position
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

What are the top five areas to be aware of when dealing with print suppliers?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

What is the difference between high, medium and low density paper stocks?
Answered by the experts at PaperSpecs.com

What is gas ghosting?
Answered by Jim Brisendine, Technical Expert, PBM Graphics, Inc.

How can I help a new employee be successful?
Answered by Debra Thompson, President, TG & Associates

Can one scan meet all of my needs?
Answered by Eric Neumann, Assistant Product Manager, Fujifilm ColorPath

Where can I find a Confidentiality and Non-Compete Agreement to use for my business?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

My printer closed its doors and my job is being held hostage! What should I do?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

Could you give me some advice on purchasing the best desktop scanner?
Answered by Forest Wathen, Prepress Manager, EU Services

How do I handle frequent requests from my staff about pay raises?
Answered by Debra Thompson, President, TG & Associates

Where can I find a list of the Top 100 printers in the U.S.?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

What does "open system" color management mean?
Answered by Eric Neumann, Assistant Product Manager, ColorPath

A paper merchant is urging me to buy direct. What should I do?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

Why is "color management" important?
Answered by Eric Neumann, Assistant Product Manager, Fujifilm

How can I become a better presenter and speaker?
Answered by Debra Thompson, President, TG & Associates

What does the term "RIP" mean?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

What should I wear to a press check?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

What are the different types of proofing devices?
Answered by Don Schroeder, Fujifilm Graphic Systems Division

Why don’t my proofs match off the same machine?
Answered by Don Schroeder, Fujifilm Graphic Systems Division

How do I determine the U.S. equivalent of the metric weight for paper?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

What does "plate negatives" mean?
Answered by Clarence Penge, Product Manager, Heidelberg USA

Sales rep seeks better ways to work with prospective customers
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

How does viscosity affect the quality of the print piece?
Answered by Clarence Penge, Product Manager, Heidelberg USA

Quoting: three color or four color process?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

Printer struggles with new client’s designer
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

What is dot-whacking?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

Are the advantages of FM screening and Hexachrome worth it?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

Problem: Young employees lack non-technical "employability" skills
Answered by Debra Thompson, President, TG & Associates

What is the difference between a purchasing agent and a print buyer?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

Reducing turnover by conducting exit interviews
Answered by Debra Thompson, President, TG & Associates

Do you have any suggestions for proofreading guides?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, Founder, Print Buyers Online.com

Where can I find information on industry trade practices or standards?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, Founder, Print Buyers Online.com

Preparing to negotiate a salary increase
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, Founder, Print Buyers Online.com

How can I help foster better communication within my team?
Answered by Debra Thompson, President, TG & Associates

Best paper choices to eliminate smudging of ink jetted print projects
Answered by Chris Konkel, VP of Data Processing, EU Services

How can I evaluate a prospective new hire?
Answered by Debra Thompson, President, TG & Associates

Should we buy our own paper direct?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, Founder, Print Buyers Online.com

What are folding strikes?
answered by Suzanne Morgan, Print Buyers Online.com

What are the advantages and disadvantages of sourcing most of my print jobs to one printer?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, Print Buyers Online.com

Can you make a job offer contingent on the results of a test?
Answered by Debra Thompson, President, TG & Associates

What is a delta fold?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

Why do we get "undeliverable" mail even though we NCOA our mailing list?
Answered by David Loudon, EU Services

Should I work with a printer that uses polyester plates?
Answered by Kernin Steinhauer of Agfa Corporation

What is the best reporting structure for a print buyer/production manager?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

How does the manufacturing of a paper stock affect digital printing press performance?
Answered by Steve Simpson, Xerox Corporation

What is the difference between round, square and elliptical dots patterns?
Answered by Jim Brisendine of PBM Graphics, Inc.

Defining the use of personal e-mail and/or instant messaging at work
Answered by Debra Thompson, President, TG & Associates

What is a touch plate and how might it benefit me?
Answered by Jim Brisendine of PBM Graphics, Inc.

How do I conduct a proper orientation for a new employee?
Answered by Debra Thompson, President, TG & Associates

Can offset papers be used for digital printing (and vice versa)?
Answered by Steve Simpson, Xerox Corporation

What’s the difference between a print broker and a print distributor?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

Can I use a smaller version of a hi-res image that was scanned for a larger format?
Answered by Forest Wathen, Prepress Manager, EU Services

What companies are offering web-enabled print procurement systems?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

What is "digitally optimized" paper?
Answered by Steve Simpson, Xerox Corporation

Can you provide a list of duties and responsibilities for print buyers?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

What does point, as in 10-point or 12-point stock, refer to?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

Do European printers accept Quark, Illustrator, and Photoshop files from a Mac?
Answered by Tim Plumer, Adobe Systems, Inc.

Where can I purchase small quantities of paper?
Answered by Richard Chapel, Fraser Papers, Inc.

How do I transition from print buying into selling printing?
Answered by Larry Wolf, Anro, Inc. and Alan J. Granat, Artisan Columbia Printing & Graphic Arts Center

How long can paper sit in storage and still be useable?
Answered by Steve Simpson, Xerox Corporation

What should I know to properly spec a paper for digital printing?
Answered by Steve Simpson, Xerox Corporation

Intern to Print Buyer: How do I get a job as a print buyer without previous experience?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

What is the acceptable undeliverable rate for first-class presort mailings?
Answered by Chris Konkel, EU Services

How can I compare US paper weights to European paper weights?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

Why are there different papers for offset and digital printing presses?
Answered by Steve Simpson, Xerox Corporation

How can I encourage my print suppliers to accept InDesign files?
Answered by Tim Plumer, Jr., Adobe Systems, Inc.

What shortages should I expect when ordering paper directly from a manufacturer?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

What are some good seminars and conferences for print buyers?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

I am trying to transition into a career in print buying. Can you offer some advice?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

Does PBO have educational information on recycled paper?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder Print Buyers Online.com

How much should I mark up print projects that I purchase for my clients?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan

What are some creative ways to cut AA costs?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan

What salary range is appropriate for a newly created print buyer position?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan

How do I begin a direct mail campaign?
Answered by Sylvia Konkel, VP of Marketing, EU Services

Reviews on Adobe's InDesign
Answered by PBO members

Where can I find a buyer for my overrun of paper stock?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan

What is the allowable variance for alignment across the gutter of a perfect-bound magazine?
Answered by Gretchen Kirby

How can I find good information about e-mail marketing?
Answered by guest expert, Kim MacPherson, President of Inbox Interactive

It drives me crazy when my printers repeatedly rely on voice mail. What should I do?
Answered by Dick Gorelick, President, Graphic Arts Sales Foundation (GASF)

More advice on using rich black
Advice from guest expert, Ted deLoach of Crowson Stone Printing Co.

Billing by printers is frequently a problem. What should I do?
Answered by Dick Gorelick, President, Graphic Arts Sales Foundation (GASF)

Why do we need a PDF/X standard?
Answered by guest expert, Michael Jahn, ePublishing Analyst, Agfa Corporation

Will e-mail marketing improve my direct mail campaigns?
Answered by guest expert, Kim MacPherson, President of Inbox Interactive

Do I get better prices by asking my printers to create and commit to rate cards?
Answered by Vince Marini, Director of Operations, Graphography

What is PDF/X?
Answered by guest expert, Michael Jahn, ePublishing Analyst, Agfa Corporation

What is e-mail marketing?
Answered by guest expert, Kim MacPherson, President of Inbox Interactive

Whose job is it to handle sourcing e-mail marketing efforts?
Answered by PBO e-mail expert, Kim MacPherson, President of Inbox Interactive

How to judge e-mail marketing experts
Answered by PBO e-mail expert, Kim MacPherson, President of Inbox Interactive

What is co-mailing?
Answered by guest expert, Mark White, Vice President, Manufacturing, U.S. News & World Report

What is "rich black"?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan

More tips on how to offset upcoming postal rate increases
Gary Feldmar of Sandy Alexander, Inc. and Mark White of U.S. News & World Report offer their advice

How can plant tours be more meaningful?
Answered by Dick Gorelick, President, Graphic Arts Sales Foundation (GASF)

Offsetting problems using Chromolux
Answered by Vince Marini, Director of Operations, Graphography

What can I do to offset upcoming postal rate increases?
Answered by Dick Gorelick, President, Graphic Arts Sales Foundation (GASF)

Breaking out costs to compare bids
Answered by Dennis Gobets, Fineline Graphics

My printer recently became part of a consolidation. Should I be worried?
Answered by Gretchen Kirby

Saddle stitching vs. perfect binding on a 96-page catalog
Answered by Dick Gorelick, President, Graphic Arts Sales Foundation (GASF)

Resolving production problems with designers
Answered by Marti Burton, President, Warthog Studios

What is stochastic screening?
Answered by Stanley Rosen, Creo Americas, Inc.

How do I proof my job if it is printed on a digital press?
Answered by Richard Sand, Business Development Manager, Digital Printing and Direct Imaging, Heidelberg USA

Setting up a contract to purchase paper direct
Answered by Richard Chapel, Director of Corporate Communications, Fraser Papers, Inc.

How long does it take to lay out a direct mail catalog?
Answered by Marti Burton, President, Warthog Studios

Getting prices online
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, Print Buyers Online.com

The benefits of receiving PDF proofs
Answered by Michael Jahn, PDF Evangelist, Agfa Corporation

Postage cost discrepancy. What should I do?
Answered by Dave Loudon, VP of Mailhouse, EU Services

What types of jobs are appropriate for digital printing?
Answered by Richard Sand, Business Development Manager, Digital Printing and Direct Imaging, Heidelberg USA

What quality level can I expect from digital printing?
Answered by Richard Sand, Business Development Manager, Digital Printing and Direct Imaging, Heidelberg USA

Are there different types of digital printing?
Answered by Richard Sand, Business Development Manager, Digital Printing and Direct Imaging, Heidelberg USA

Late mail delivery: USPS's or my printer's fault?
Answered by Dave Loudon, VP of Mailhouse, EU Services

Accepting gifts from suppliers
Answered by Suzanne Morgan

To what extent should I be influenced by my printers' equipment?
Answered by Dick Gorelick, President, Graphic Arts Sales Foundation (GASF)

How important is postal form 3602 to mailers?
is this week's Direct Mail question.

Helping My Package Supplier Reduce Costs
is this week's Packaging question.

Getting the best price

I don't like my sales rep. What should I do?

Lessons learned: Am I paying too much for overs?

What is the most effective day for my direct mail to arrive?

What are the advantages and disadvantages of UV coating?

Reducing anxiety

Help! My supervisor doesn't know anything about printing

Am I being too picky about product quality?

What should I tell my sales rep when he asks me about pricing?

Is it important for my print suppliers to have ISO 9002 certification?

Which list selections will boost your response the most?

Are rebates a good exchange for offering high volume?

How print buyers are affected by recent US Census results

Which print projects should I send to bid?
Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

What do I need to know about printing equipment?

Is a written contract necessary?

Should I consider mailing to Canada?

Recovering From a Negative Review

Prospective suppliers: which ones should I see?

Are CTP and DTP the same thing?

Getting the biggest bang for your marketing buck

What is the proper way to write envelope specs?

Offsetting Huge Postage Increases

How do I start testing?

Should a printer ever sign off on your proof?

Why did the dull varnish not show as dull?

Why are printers so inconsistent with pricing?

How large do my test mailings need to be?

Create More Effective Headlines

Getting the most out of merge/purge

Adding “Pizzazz” to a Package

A Soft Economy and Packaging Innovations

Petroleum-based vs. Agri-based Inks

What's a lift letter?

Avoiding Surprises on Invoices

Text re-flows incorrectly
Our Guest Expert, Forest Wathen, of EU Services answered this question.

Tried-and-true rules for direct-response design

What is the significance of densitometers?

Retention marketing

Managing sales reps' visits

Are all data cards equal?

New ideas for package printing

PDF workflow for package printing

What is the true purpose of a color proof?

Common problems in developing packaging graphics

Overs: What should I expect to pay for?

PMS expectations - how to get what you want

The demise of print? Should I find another career?

What is the difference between remote viewing and remote proofing?

Considering recency, frequency and monetary in list selection

Eliminating communication problems

How important is a guarantee to the success of your offer?

Computer to Plate & Packaging - Should my printers have CTP technology?

Cardinal rules for writing headlines

Gravure printing/More economical, shorter press runs

New uses for Flexography/Improvements in quality

Design tips that will boost response

What is Hexachrome printing?

When does it make sense to use a premium in your offer?

Planning print projects

How do you use customer testimonials to jazz up your creative and boost response?

What is meant by a No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, etc. paper?

What do you do if your paper doesn't run well on press?

What are the cardinal rules of testing?

Reducing Costs

When should you use a BRE, CRE, or no reply envelope at all?

The Difference Between Freesheet, Groundwood, and Blended papers

Topic: Streamlining Internal Processes

How can you improve chances of victory during testing?

Ask a question

Do you have a question for our experts? Please e-mail us at smorgan@pcpi.org. Title your e-mail "Ask the Experts."


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