Custom Bags vs. Stock Bags with Primera Labels

[dstrand]

Hello Forum,

Anyone know roasters who are using these Primera label printers? Are they worth the $$$



QBC

We've been using Primera Printers for 12 years or so. The printers are solid workhorses. Currently, we have an LX400 and an old LX810 that still runs well. Over the years, we've had issues with drivers, compatibility, etc... However, the company has been incredibly responsive, and will usually fix the issue for you, while you're on the phone.

All that said, we create custom labels for each of our clients, and so they are a great fit for us. However, if you're starting out with a limited selection, it may be cheaper, and more efficient to have them outsourced.

I would probably steer you away from printed bags, until you can justify the minimum order they will require.

Whichever you decide, I wish you the best!

 

[wwcove]

6 cents a label using Labels - Shop Laser, Inkjet, Thermal & Custom Labels | Online Labels and your own inkjet or laser printer

 

[CafeCafeCafe]

6 cents a label using and your own inkjet or laser printer

Agree with this 100%

I have used a $100 standard epson printer to print over 10,000 labels.

Not understanding why the need to spend so much on a printer that only prints labels

 

[expat]

I'm coming late to this thread but if you're still trying to figure this out here's what I've found after printing six-zillion labels myself, becoming a master at fixing label printers, getting bids from label printers (all over Europe and the US), looking at getting custom printed bags, and finally finding the solution that worked for me.

First custom printed bags. This is a great solution if one bag design works for you and then you put a label on the bag that tells what's in the bag. A coffee company here in Ireland, Badger & Dodo does that. They've got a, IMHO, a beautiful bag they use for everything and then put on a small label saying exactly which coffee is in the bag. That doesn't work for us because we are color coded. This is because we sell retail. So while mom may not remember the name of the coffee she loves she does remember that it is the red label or black label or purple label. Also we've got 5 coffees, ground and whole bean, so 10 coffees, and economical bag printing is about 5,000 bags. That's 50,000 bags for us. What if something changes? What if we decide to stop roasting one of the 10? And whose got the space to store all those bags? And why tie up all that dough?

If you can go the Badger & Dodo approach great, otherwise you've got to get pretty big for custom printed bags.

Hiring a printer is expensive.

Printing yourself is super time consuming. And you always have printer issues. And I don't use a high-dollar Primera printer but Epson professional printers which are about $500 a pop. They print beautifully but they break, you're always filling ink cartridges, and, oh yes, I did mention that it is SUPER TIME CONSUMING. Pay someone to do the printing and put your valuable time to work elsewhere.

My best solution to date, and this will change as we grow, but today I supply my print shop with labels (because I can source them cheaper than they can) and they print on a high speed laser printer. They'll run off 1,000 sheets of 4 labels per sheet, mixed quantities of my 10 labels PLUS the back labels, so 20 label variations, in an hour.

As to label design that's a whole 'nuther ball game. We did it ourselves and it worked but maybe we just got lucky because I wouldn't say we are design geniuses. To date though we know what we want with great certainty so it is easy to do the designs when you know that. If you're not sure maybe working with a designer is best.