Catalogs can be an extremely effective marketing tool. But before you jump into printing a glossy, full-color catalog, you need to plan out your budget. After all, catalog printing and mailing costs can really add up if you’re not careful.
So how much does it actually cost to print a catalog in 2024? What specific factors determine the final price you’ll pay? And what can you do to reduce catalog printing costs?
In this complete guide, as a professional China catalog printing manufacturer, I will share the answers to all of those questions and more.
Let’s dive in.
How Catalog Printing Costs Add Up in 2024
When you start pricing out a catalog printing project, you need to look at two major cost buckets:
Printing costs – This includes expenses like paper, ink, finishing, and the actual printing itself.
Distribution costs – Getting your shiny new catalogs in front of your target audience. This includes postage, mail house fees, purchasing/renting mailing lists, etc.
Both of these costs can vary widely depending on the specifics of your catalog campaign.
To give you an idea, small catalogs (6 x 9 inches, 16 pages saddle stitched) can be printed for as little as $0.50 per piece.
On the other hand, large format catalogs (11 x 17 inches, perfect bound) with custom Pantone colors and aqueous coating can cost over $10 per catalog.
And when you factor in mailing costs, the total budget for your campaign can quickly climb into the tens of thousands of dollars.
So what makes catalog printing costs vary so much from project to project?
Key Factors That Influence Catalog Pricing
If you want to hone in on a realistic budget for your next catalog, you need to think through some key details:
Catalog Quantity
It probably won’t surprise you to hear that print quantity is one of the biggest factors in determining cost per piece.
Catalog printers leverage something called “economies of scale”. This just means that the more you print, the lower your per unit costs will be.
For example, a 4-page 6×9 inch saddle stitched catalog might cost:
- $2 per piece for 250 copies
- $1 per piece for 500 copies
- $0.50 per piece for 1,000+ copies
Many printers even offer tiered pricing for super large quantities:
- $0.25 per piece for 5,000+ copies
- $0.20 per piece for 10,000+ copies
So before setting your catalog budget, think carefully about quantity.
A good rule of thumb is to start by printing enough catalogs to last you for one year. That allows you to take advantage of the lowest per piece pricing.
Catalog Size and Page Count
The overall dimensions and page count will also significantly impact pricing.
For starters, a larger catalog simply requires more paper and ink.
An 11” x 17” catalog uses over 2X the materials of a more standard 8.5” x 11” booklet. Which translates to higher print costs.
Page count works much the same way. Going from 16 pages to 32 pages doubles the amount of paper needed.
And different binding styles have optimal page count “sweet spots” that keep costs reasonable.
Saddle stitch binding (stapling in the crease/spine) usually tops out around 60-80 pages. Perfect binding can easily handle 300+ pages.
So carefully consider catalog size and length to avoid spending more than you need to.
Paper Stock for Catalog Covers and Interior Pages
You have lots of options when it comes to paper. And your choice directly impacts pricing.
For interior pages, some printers may steer you towards “house stock” paper that they keep in inventory. Using house stocks keeps your costs lower since the printer doesn’t have to make special paper orders.
If you prefer, you can also provide your printer with pre-purchased paper (likely at a premium cost). This gives you more say in the exact paper used in your catalog.
The same logic applies to your catalog cover stock. You can save money by sticking with standard options from your printer’s warehouse. Or splurge on thick, glossy, or even textured cover stock.
Just know that upgraded paper grades often add $1+ per catalog in printing costs.
Full Color vs Black and White Printing
Interior catalog pages are most often printed in full color. But you can also go with simple black ink only.
Black and white printing slashes ink costs. But you lose the vibrant color photography that grabs attention.
Black and white inside pages with a spot color (like PMS Reflex Blue) cover is a nice compromise that keeps costs reasonable.
Turnaround Time For Catalog Printing and Delivery
Your printer can likely deliver your completed order in as little as 3-5 business days. But rush turnarounds come with fees that quickly inflate costs.
Giving your printer 2-3 weeks to complete your order avoids rush charges. And it ensures you still receive your catalogs in plenty of time for mailing and promotions.
Plan ahead and give your printer some breathing room in their schedule. You’ll save money as a result.
Mailing and Distribution Factors That Add Cost
You invested a lot into having beautiful catalogs printed up. So you’ll want to make sure they actually reach your target customers.
Mailing and distribution typically make up 30-50% of a catalog program’s total budget.
The USPS offers very favorable rates for bulk mailings through their Marketing Mail program. But minimum volumes and mail piece dimensions apply.
Your printer can likely handle addressing, sorting, bagging, tagging and Entry Unit Verification to get your catalogs USPS shipping-ready. Expect to budget around $0.25-$0.45 per piece for these mail house services. Plus postage.
Purchasing/renting mailing lists from brokers like InfoUSA taps you into highly targeted demographic and geographic customer segments. A rented list of 25,000 names typically costs a few hundred to a few thousand dollars.
Factor in list costs, mail prep fees, and postage to arrive at a realistic distribution budget.
Save on Catalog Costs By Keeping Things Simple
Some clients ask us to get creative with special inks, die cuts, embossing, gate folds, and other Bindery Department magic tricks.
And we love bringing these types of catalogs to life!
But the fact is that unique print finishes, fancy folios, and custom artwork can sometimes double or triple baseline pricing.
So if available budget is a concern, don’t be afraid to keep things simple. You can always add more bells and whistles once initial tests prove successful and you have funding for round two!
Choose standard size dimensions, economical paper stocks, saddle stitch or perfect bind, and focus more on killer photography, layouts and messaging over oddball print tricks.
The goal is to grab attention and drive the desired action, not wow people with print specs.
Catalog Printing Costs: Final Thoughts
Printing a catalog isn’t cheap.
But used strategically as part of an integrated marketing campaign, a catalog’s ROI can be astronomical.
The key is setting realistic budgets by thinking through quantity, booklet specs, distribution, timelines, and simplicity vs complexity tradeoffs.
Armed with the pricing insights above, you now have the knowledge needed to turn your ideas into budget-friendly catalogs that deliver awesome results.
Now get out there, nail down the details, and bring your catalog dreams to reality!