{"id":3686,"date":"2023-05-17T06:00:56","date_gmt":"2023-05-17T14:00:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vipcolor.com\/?p=3686"},"modified":"2023-04-18T13:08:38","modified_gmt":"2023-04-18T21:08:38","slug":"what-are-the-costs-of-operating-a-color-label-printer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vipcolor.com\/blog\/what-are-the-costs-of-operating-a-color-label-printer\/","title":{"rendered":"What are the costs of operating a color-label printer?"},"content":{"rendered":"

When it comes to operating a color label printer, there are a few key cost drivers that you should be aware of,<\/p>\n

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  1. Printer acquisition cost<\/li>\n
  2. Label stock cost<\/li>\n
  3. Ink consumables cost<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Printer acquisition cost.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    Your upfront investment. Generally, an inkjet color label printer will cost less than a laser printer.\u00a0<\/p>\n

    What should you consider when buying an inkjet color-label printer?<\/p>\n

    Well, that depends on a few things,<\/p>\n

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    1. How many labels do you need on a daily or monthly basis?<\/li>\n
    2. Do you expect seasonal or unscheduled product demand?<\/li>\n
    3. What is the widest label that you need?<\/li>\n
    4. What do you print predominantly \u2013 Prime or informational labels?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      If you are printing occasionally or less than 500 labels\/day, then a decent entry label printer is all you need. These printers typically cost between $1,000 – $2,000.<\/p>\n

      This category of printer has fewer features and less capable than medium\/high end printers. They usually have a small-capacity ink tank or use a tri-color ink cartridge. And they are slow \u2013 typically prints at less than 1 inch\/second (ips) for the best quality or up to 4ips for a draft or a subjective “acceptable” print quality.\u00a0<\/p>\n

      Before committing to a purchase, we recommend evaluating the printer that will give you the print quality and speed that best fits your application and operation.<\/p>\n

      Furthermore, beware of the higher ink consumable costs and shorter lifespan compared to industrial-grade printers.<\/p>\n

      In summary, an entry-class printer is more expensive to operate long-term.<\/p>\n

      If your products are cyclical, seasonal, or customized, you may run into a capacity issue, and you may land up compensating with<\/p>\n