Cheaper inputs : are these really inexpensive?

The quality of signs is normally co-related with the quality of the products advertised through it. As such, it may be a big risk to the advertiser if the quality of a sign so produced does not conform to certain standards. It is a well-known fact that quality always comes for a price. The signage industry is still very young and people still shy to invest appropriately on quality consumables. Endusers of signages often compromise on its quality, opting for cheaper consumables like substrates or inks. Even though they spend a lot on designing and planning for the signages, which are the face of their company�s products/services. But who likes to see a signage, which is worn out or faded? The message is lost once the signage fails to attract eyeballs.

Now, let�s see how cheaper consumables affect the quality of signages. Ink, for instance, is an integral component of any printed product. Cheaper qualities of ink have shorter life, which means the sign fades soon. Sometimes, even the colour of ink changes with time, resulting in miscommunication of the house colours of the advertisers. Similarly, cheaper variants of substrates like vinyl, flex, banner etc are also available. These cheaper products once again have a short life. Cheaper banner materials tear off easily while poor quality vinyl and flex are more prone to scratches, etc. Inspite of using high-quality printers, these substrates do not provide quality print, resulting in poor overall image of the sign. Some of these can�t withstand the vagaries of nature like wind and rain, and often crash down, sometimes even before the event takes place. In some of the signs, the structure behind the flex is fully visible from the front, giving it a shabby look.

The printers also face problems with their hi-tech machines as the cheaper substrates and inks have the tendency to spoil the machine. Ink nozzles get clogged and printer head needs to be replaced more often, resulting in revenue loss due to downtime of the machine, apart from investing money in hardware quite repeatedly. The cheaper consumables make the life of a sign shorter and thus the sign needs to be replaced more often. This further involves cost of bringing down the sign, producing a newer one and installing it again.

All these problems can be sorted out confidently if one insists on using quality consumables from first step. Although these maybe little expensive, but they will prove to be economical in the longer run. For end-users, the signs last longer without compromising the quality and risk of fading out and for printers, their machines run better, thus creating a win-win situation for everyone. The beautifully printed signage, with excellent colours and equally good substrate, are not only soothing to the eyes but also help in conveying their message to the target audience in a prestigious manner.