Industry Trends

The GotPrint Order Checklist: How to Avoid My $1,200 in Wasted Print Budget

The GotPrint Order Checklist: How to Avoid My $1,200 in Wasted Print Budget

I've been handling print orders for our small marketing agency for seven years now. I've personally made (and documented) 23 significant mistakes with various printers, totaling roughly $1,200 in wasted budget. A good chunk of that was learning the specific quirks of online printers like GotPrint. Now, I maintain this checklist for our team to prevent others from repeating my errors.

This checklist is for you if you're ordering standard items—business cards, flyers, posters, envelopes—from GotPrint and you want it right the first time. It's not for complex, custom die-cut projects. We're going to walk through five concrete steps, from file setup to final approval. I'll even point out the one step almost everyone skips (it's Step 3).

The Pre-Submission Checklist (Do This Before You Click "Add to Cart")

Step 1: Verify Your Product Specs & File Setup

This seems obvious, but here's where my first big mistake happened. In 2019, I ordered 500 glossy business cards. I uploaded my file, saw it looked fine in their preview, and approved it. The cards came back with crucial text way too close to the edge. They were unusable. That was a $145 lesson.

Here's exactly what to check:

• Bleed: GotPrint (and most online printers) require it. If your design goes to the edge of the paper, your file needs extra background extending 0.125" (1/8 inch) beyond the final cut line. No bleed = white edges or your design getting chopped.
• Safe Zone: Keep all important text and logos at least 0.125" (1/8 inch) inside the final cut line. That's your safe area. Anything outside it risks being cut off.
• File Format & Color: Use PDF. Set your color mode to CMYK, not RGB. RGB colors look brighter on screen but often print duller. I learned this the hard way on a poster order in 2021—the vibrant reds came out muddy.
• Resolution: 300 DPI (dots per inch) minimum. Upscaling a 72 DPI web image will look pixelated. Zoom in to 400% on your file to check for fuzziness.

Look, I'm not a graphic designer. But after that 2019 disaster, I now open every file and physically measure the bleed and margins before uploading. It takes two minutes and saves hundreds.

Step 2: Choose Your Paper & Finishes Wisely

GotPrint offers a lot of options. The cheapest paper stock isn't always a mistake, but you need to match the paper to the job's purpose.

My rule of thumb (based on ordering thousands of pieces):

• Business Cards for Handing Out: Go for at least 16pt thickness with a UV or AQ coating. It feels substantial and resists scuffing. The 14pt uncoated feels flimsy to me.
• Flyers & Posters for Short-Term Use: Standard 100# gloss is usually fine and cost-effective.
• Mailers or Durable Items: Consider a heavier weight (like 12pt or 14pt C2S for postcards) and a coating to survive the mail.

I don't have hard data on customer perception of different stocks, but based on our team's feedback over 50+ orders, my sense is that spending 20% more on a better card stock for salespeople has a positive ROI. For internal event flyers? Probably not.

Total Cost Tip: The value isn't just the base price. Consider the paper's feel and durability for its intended use. A cheap card that feels flimsy might undermine its purpose.

Step 3: The Proof Review (Don't Just Glance at It)

This is the step most people bomb. They get the digital proof email, open it, think "yep, that's my file," and hit approve. I've done it. And I've paid for it.

In September 2022, I approved a proof for 1,000 double-sided flyers. The proof looked correct. The printed flyers had a tiny, almost imperceptible font shift on the back that made a phone number slightly blurry. On 1,000 pieces, that was a $380 reprint. The proof was technically accurate to my file—the blur was in my original PDF, but I missed it because I didn't review properly.

Your proof review ritual:

1. Check Every Single Page/Side: Click through each panel of the proof viewer. Don't assume the back is right because the front is.
2. Read the Text Aloud: Seriously. Read phone numbers, URLs, addresses, dates, and prices word-for-word. Your brain will autocorrect typos when you scan silently.
3. Verify Color Blocks: Do solid colors look consistent? Are there any unexpected faint lines or artifacts?
4. Zoom to 100%: Look at the details. Is text crisp? Are logos clear?

Approving a proof is you saying, "Print exactly this." If there's an error in the proof that you approve, that's on you. GotPrint's policies (and most printers') are clear on this. That $380 mistake taught me to treat the proof like a final exam, not a casual glance.

Step 4: Apply Promo Codes & Understand Shipping

GotPrint almost always has running promotions. Before you finalize your cart, search for a current "gotprint coupon code" or "gotprint promo code.

A few things I've learned:

• Promos often apply to the product cost, not the total with shipping.
• "Free shipping" offers usually have a minimum order value (e.g., $50+). Verify the terms.
• Rush turnaround options (like 48-hour print) cost extra. Is the speed worth the premium? For an event tomorrow, yes. For a supply that lasts a quarter, probably not.

Here's the thing: always calculate the final price—product + shipping + taxes—with and without the promo code. Sometimes a "15% off" code on a small order is negated by standard shipping costs. I've seen a "10% off" code save $4 while making a slower shipping option the only choice, adding 3 business days to the delivery.

This pricing advice was accurate as of Q1 2025. The market changes fast, so verify current promotions and shipping rates on their site.

Step 5: Final Order Review & Documentation

You're about to submit. Do this last sweep:

• Quantities: Is it 500 cards or 5,000? A typo here is catastrophic.
• Shipping Address: Is it going to the right place? I once sent 2,000 brochures to an old office address. That was a costly redirect.
• Turnaround Time: Have you selected the production speed you actually need? Standard vs. Rush has a big price impact.
• Save Your Proof & Order Confirmation: Download the final approved proof PDF and save the order confirmation email with number. If there's a question later, you have your reference.

Common Pitfalls & Final Reminders

Even with a checklist, things happen. Here's what still occasionally trips us up:

Fonts Embedding: If you're supplying the PDF, ensure all fonts are embedded. Some design programs don't do this by default. Missing fonts get substituted, wrecking your layout.

Ink Coverage on Large Areas: For designs with large solid dark areas (like a full black background), consider requesting a "matte" or "dry" finish to prevent smudging, especially on items like business cards handled frequently.

Small Text on Dark Backgrounds: Reversed-out text (white text on dark) can fill in if it's too small. I'd avoid anything below 8pt for reversed text.

Personally, I've found that taking an extra 10 minutes with this checklist saves me hours of headache, costly reprints, and awkward client conversations later. An informed buyer gets better results. Now, I've caught 31 potential errors using this list in the past two years. It works. Just follow the steps.