The Staples store has become a one-stop shop for business owners and anyone running an office. They stock office supplies as they always have, but also carry computers, printers, and other tech products, cleaning supplies, and breakroom necessities. The Staples printing and copy center is one of the big office supply sectors within their stores, offering regular copy and print services, custom printing, and promotional materials at your direction. So how does Staples printing stack up to similar services you can get at other stores and at online specialty stores?

The Staples copy and print center is a fully functional print center. They have professional quality printers and copiers. If you have a well-formatted resumé, newsletter, or flyer to print, they can handle your job with no trouble. They can manage printing large sized prints, they have different kinds of paper in stock, and can do T-shirts and other apparel, too. The machinery and supplies are all in place to make high-quality, good-looking print goods.

There’s a caveat, however. Staples printing centers are staffed by Staples employees. The ones who work in the copy shop have special training in how to use the machines and software, but they aren’t professional printing specialists. They are more like technicians. They are more than capable of taking your well-formatted document and printing it. If it needs minor changes like brightness, contrast, or crop adjustments, they can make these. But if you need some formatting help, or want to make your posters and brochures really pop, you’ll be much better off with a dedicated print store. There is so much that goes into making a great looking flyer or banner that it pays to find someone who will get it right.

The Staples printing store offers custom business cards, stamps, flyers, and presentation folders. Again, the store is capable of printing all these, but likely uses a few templates for every customer who needs them. A custom print company with graphics specialists on staff can do a better job of making your custom print materials look good and make a good impression.

The Staples printing center is another example of the company’s ‘jack-of-all-trades’ business approach. They want customers to be able to buy coffee filters, mops, laptops, printer paper, and get newsletters printed in one place, cheaply and easily. Keep in mind what you might be sacrificing for price and convenience when you go this route, however.