Printer Lead Times Do Matter

There's more to obtaining print bids than price. Printer lead times should be part of the mix. For example, when mail tapes and creative files are due to the printer should be considered.

The shortest (and best) schedule I've seen is 14 days prior to the initial mail date for submitting mail tapes. The longest is 23 days to 33 days prior. This difference of nine to 19 days can result in lost sales because it shortens the cutoff date for including recent or "hotline" buyers in the mailing.