White label printing is the generic name for what trade printing companies offer to the broker, agency, publisher, or commercial printer. Simply put, white labeling is the strategy in which one company brands another company’s products or services as their own. Yet a quick look at this business strategy shows that this involves much more than the purchase of wholesale services. There are many things needed to make a white label strategy succeed.
Here’s how white labeling applies to the trade printing relationship.
What It Means to Be a White Label Printing Company (Trade Printer)
A true white label print services provider must do more than simply offer a wholesale discount and then label themselves a “trade printer.”
A true white label printing company represents and protects their client’s brand and reputation at every step of the printing process. This includes packaging, labeling, shipping, proofing, samples, fulfillment, customer service, and data protection.
White Label Shipping at Western Trade Printing
Here's what goes on behind the scenes with shipping at Western Trade Printing.
Packing slip and label customization
We use neutral, unbranded labels, packing lists, and bills of lading.
If they prefer, print resellers can include their own branded packing slips, shipping labels, return labels, or custom inserts. We’ll accommodate your shipping and labeling requirements as needed.
Handling of Proofs and Samples
Proofs and samples go to you to pass along to your client. If you want us to ship physical proofs direct to your client, we ship under your name and label.
4-Point WTP! Shipping Checklist
We take uncommon measures to ensure that ALL print shipments arrive in perfect condition. The goal is to protect both the product and our client’s reputation. The best business relationship can be undermined by one careless shipment.
Our 4-Point WTP! Shipping Checklist goes to extremes to provide that protection.
1 - All ground shipments are double-boxed and "H" Taped. (below)
2 - Whenever economically feasible, your project will be skid packed with corner protectors, heavy duty strapping and stretch wrapped for integrity.
3 - The shipment is then photographed and shipped "blind" from our location in your name. As an authentic trade printer, you will NEVER see the WTP name on a shipment leaving our facility!
4 – Although no one can control what shippers do once they pick up a job, we minimize risk by only working with top rated shipping companies.
WTP’s pro-active shipping management prevents damage, delivery errors and late deliveries. We also work closely with our hand-picked carriers to identify other potential areas of concern that the shipping industry is facing today.
Active shipping invoice reconciliation
In the same way that we reconcile bank balances, we reconcile shipping bills every month. It typically saves our clients hundreds of dollars per month.
The problem is that some freight companies like to sneak in miscellaneous, unauthorized charges on any given shipment. Here's one example.
We schedule a “dock to dock” shipment. We load the truck on our dock and the consignee unloads on their dock. But...the driver shows up with a liftgate truck and offers to use the liftgate. Thinking it's a courtesy, the consignee happily agrees. Then we get charged additionally for the liftgate service even though it wasn’t ordered, requested, or needed. It’s a sneaky way for the carrier to tack on a significant charge. A phone call gets the charge reversed.
To be fair, a lot of these inflated bills are computer-generated, especially in "wait time" billing that's tied to the truck's GPS.
Whatever the cause, we keep an eye on it. This lets you confidently mark up your shipping without surprise back-charges coming at you long after you’ve invoiced your clients.
Trade-Only Client, Data, and Facility Protection Policy
Only WTP authorized people can enter production and data-handling areas of our facility. This protects your jobs from accidental or intentional prying eyes.
Client files are received through secure online portals. These protect files, customer data, and payment information with SSL encryption, login security, PCI-compliant payment integration. Data is never sold to third parties and is only used for order management.
WTP never solicits or accepts direct business from reseller clients or any end user. We will never contact your client unless explicitly told by you to do so. We do not have a retail storefront or a competing web-to-print site for retail customers. We never add your clients to any internal or external mailing list or database.
Should an end user reach out to us, whether your client or not, we do not accept their work. Trade clients must always provide evidence of being a print reseller before we do business with them.
We also have dedicated humans watching over your jobs as they progress through the shop. We understand the importance of blind shipping and white labeling and consider every account to be a sensitive account.
For large accounts or sensitive jobs, WTP will sign non-disclosure agreements (NDA) as needed.
Print Production and Operational Controls at WTP
Western Trade Printing is a G7® certified facility. This means you get the same print appearance and color across all devices, processes, substrates and inks. Our G7® methodology also minimizes waste throughout the printing process from proof to delivery.
Lean and Clean Print Production
WTP is also certified by the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) Chain of Custody Standards.
Eco-Friendly Papers, Substrates, and Inks at WTP
All WTP papers and synthetics are recyclable. You can print the recyclable logo on your clients’ projects if desired. Because we only buy paper that exceeds USA regulations, our house stocks are very high quality. We also have a range of premium and recycled sheets for high-end printing. Our eco-friendly papers and substrates let you satisfy demanding clients.
WTP also uses soy and vegetable-based inks where possible.
Aside from the lean processes inherent in our G7® methodology, our digital color-managed workflow eliminates the need for costly proofing systems. We use lean practices in other areas too:
• Computerized presses deliver fast, accurate color and minimize waste
• Our Ricoh 7500 digital press with inline booklet maker lets us print very affordable short-run jobs, books, and booklets.
• Our computerize bindery equipment reduces waste and setup time
The bottom line is that WTP’s G7® methodology and lean practices protect your reputation with every single client.
It also means we can offer aggressive trade-only pricing that protects your profit margins.
Error Resolution
In the rare even that reprints or corrections are needed, we work with you, the reseller, to handle all communication and reshipping to maintain the blind relationship.
White Label Mailing and Fulfillment
Our mailing and fulfillment services follow all the guidelines listed above. Your client’s products and data are fully protected and properly branded. Our relationship with you is never disclosed to any of your clients.
Areas Served by Western Trade Printing
From our trade printing production facility based in Fresno, California, Western Trade Printing offers white label printing services, bindery services, fulfillment, and bulk mailing for clients throughout the United States. Mailings can be shipped to Sectional Center Facilities or drop-shipped to clients anywhere in the US.
WTP’s local service area includes all the major metropolitan areas in California including Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, Sacramento, Long Beach, Oakland, Bakersfield, Anaheim, as well as the surrounding regions.
The map below shows typical FedEx ground shipment times across the US from our facility. LTL and truckload shipments are available to any destination. Overnight and express shipments for parcels are also available.
Get a Quote or Place an Order
If you’re new to Western Trade Printing, you can create an account here. Once approved, you get access to instant online quotes and the ability to place a wide range of online orders.
Or call us at 559-251-8595 ext. 1 for a fast estimate or to ask questions.
At Western Trade Printing, we have 250+ years of collective printing industry experience, from layout and design through printing, bindery, and mailing. We know what works and what doesn’t in our industry. Our staff experience is an asset that is yours to use to help you grow your business or to get one started.
