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This really is a matter that has surfaced numerous times within the duration of my own career. Frankly, I always have hated to listen to it because I knew that the publisher asking it'd be doubtful about my answer. I believe its pretty safe to say that most every one knows that printers make money if they provide newspaper for their clients. The amount varies by printer as a few perspective paper as a source of additional profits and many others just need to cover their associated costs of handling and acquisition. Does it matter howmuch a printer is making on the paper that they are supplying to youpersonally? No! , it willn't; but that is simply given their prices are market competitive AND you are getting what you are paying for. The big AND is because I've caused a magazine publisher where the newspaper that they were actually getting was at least 2 inches lower than that which they were paying . They had no idea before I brought it to their attention and it have been happening for quite some time. To make things worse, these certainly were overpaying by some thing similar to $10.00/cwt (supposing these were obtaining the grade that they were paying for, they certainly weren't ).

Any way, as a consequence of the fiasco, this publisher asked me my thoughts on buying their paper. Again, I have been asked this questions numerous times on the course of my career, mostly during very soft markets when paper merchants are out knowingly attempting to do away with surplus paper. Regardless of if this question was asked 20 Years Back or has been asked now, my response remains the same:

If you are a small trade and special interest magazine publisher together with 1-5 titles (and without knowing that the specific circumstances) the overall answer is no, you ought perhaps not. The next is my service for this response:

A consumer of paper has 3 potential possibilities for buying paper - a) through the printer b) from a newspaper broker or c) mill guide. In the case of the majority of trade and special attention magazine publishers, you're going to become too small to purchase mill guide therefore I will not include the pros and cons of this alternative. Therefore lets check out the other two:

Printer Supplied Paper

First, there's truly only one perceived"con" to buying your paper through your printer and that's that in most cases you're paying a markup. Again, the percent fluctuates from printer-to-printer. Now, this gets somewhat complicated because, although you may be paying a mark up, it does not automatically signify that you are paying more for the own paper. Its like other things, it just depends upon what you are comparing it too! Only do not assume when there's giroform paper -up being implemented that you're over paying. Giroform CFB -line on pricing is that you simply must compare the quoted price to some thing of similar specs to make a decision on a neutral price.

Let's look at what it is you might be receiving for your own mark-up that's employed to paper supplied by your printer because, I am telling you, in the end, it's worth every cent!

1) Administration. Trust in me, government is a hassle. Bear in mind, whenever you supply your own paper it's your responsibility to be certain that there is enough paper on the floor to complete your job. This requires coordination between you, your printer and your broker. It may seem simple enough but it is time that many do not possess those days. And it's equally critical that you manage your inventory so that you do not need too much paper sitting on your ground costing you money when it isn't used. Whenever your printer provides the paper, this becomes their problem and so they understand just how to manage it effectively!

Being a magazine writer the chances are you do not make many major last minute fluctuations in page count or quantities. But, if you do, will your broker be ready and can respond? And, if they can, at what cost? Again, printer supplied paper make this problem, none.

3) Quality. Buying paper through your printer guarantees quality. In a soft newspaper market, agents are typically able to supply high quality, A-grade paper as it's easily available. However, as soon as a market tightens, many times what brokers have open for them are"seconds" or mill/printer denied paper. I recall an episode when a publication supplied their own paper to your printing company and also we found it had been paper which we had previously received straight from the mill and had made it for quality factors. The bottom-line - it didn't run! The cost to the publication, for this one problem, was far over the projected combined yearly savings which would have been realized by supplying their paper into us. We functioned to deliver a relief to this particular customer but they instantly went back into"printer supplied" paper.

Again, when the sector is soft, availability is generally no problem. But when the market warms up fast, it may suddenly become one. I had a customer who insisted on supplying his own newspaper. There came an problem, for reasons that I don't remember, where these were suddenly unable to receive their paper to us punctually. Consequently, these were begging for us to help out them and find them the paper that they required. The situation was that individuals simply didn't need it to let them have. We were eventually able to get them with the newspaper that they needed nevertheless it came at a cost so great that it far surpassed the combined annual savings they had intended to comprehend by providing their newspaper to people.

5) Taking Costs. Whenever you get paper out of a broker, you may on average have 1 month from the time of delivery to make payment (but you will find a few brokers who will bill up on usage instead of delivery). With printer supplied paper you will have routinely have 30 days (or whatever your credits terms could be) following shipping of this magazine to pay your print bill, including newspaper. Obviously, if you are not working together with a broker who will charge up on usage instead of delivery, this ties up your money .

Regardless of which end with this range you believe, the percent that the number represents of one's overall savings per CWT for buying through a broker is very important. Printers who would like to dissuade customer supplied paper will likely soon be at the end of this spectrum while printers who don't mind customer supplied paper will probably be at the lower end.

This brings up yet another point worth mentioning:

There are some smaller printers who just don't have the amount to purchase paper cost effectively and efficiently as they must buy paper from agents rather than mill guide. I worked to get a printer in my own last which simply could not guarantee my client that their paper will be consistently of the same mill, brand and quality unless the customer used a burden and grade of newspaper they (the printer) specified. These types of printers (on average not magazine specific printers) have zero issue with their clients supplying their particular newspaper. It's quite important that you assist a printer who can, and will, get you the newspaper you want rather than what they can get. Again, in case you need to furnish your own paper because your printer can't get you what you want/need, you then are with the incorrect printer.

Broker/Merchant Supplied Paper

Regrettably there are only a few advantages for a little commerce and special interest magazine publisher, in my own opinion, to buying paper by the broker/merchant. There can become a price advantage under some circumstances but again, do not only assume this.

In all honesty, I only have been a fan of younger publishers purchasing their particular newspaper. While there could be several minor savings to be accomplished, the risks involved are far to great. I've observed too many marketers encounter disasters and the associated costs are almost lethal with their own businesses.

Do your assignments! Consult with someone who knows both sides of the equation. Retain the services of a professional who can provide you with unbiased advice.


There are a number of unique methods by which it's possible to understand the best of both worlds. Again, the assistance of a specialist consultant who knows magazines and that knows magazines as related to paper, distribution and print can supply you with a standard picture and ensure that you're getting the best bargain available and are distributing and producing your book rather efficiently and cost-effectively as you possibly can.