Collection or Delivery: Which Is Best for Your Printing?
When you need printing urgently, one of the first questions we get is:
“Should I collect it or have it delivered?”
The simple answer is that collection is normally the fastest option.
However, that doesn’t mean delivery isn’t suitable for urgent orders. We can arrange very fast delivery when required, including urgent bike courier services.
Because every same day and urgent printing order is different, we’ll look at your deadline, order size, location and circumstances and help you choose the most practical option.
Is Collection Faster Than Delivery?
Yes. In most cases, collection is the fastest way to receive your printing.
As soon as your order is finished, you can come to our shop and collect it.
If you don’t want to wait around, we’ll normally give you an estimated collection time so you know when to arrive.
For very urgent orders, you may be able to arrive shortly after production is completed, collect your parcel and continue with your plans.
This can be particularly useful if you’re travelling to an airport, exhibition, trade show or business meeting.
Why Choose Collection for Urgent Printing?
Collection can save valuable time because there is no additional delivery journey.
For example, imagine you’re travelling abroad for a trade show and need to collect 500 business cards or some promotional materials before heading to the airport.
Instead of waiting for a driver to travel to you, you can come directly to us, collect the order and continue your journey.
This is why we normally recommend collection when every minute matters.
Can I Collect a Large Printing Order?
Yes.
If you’ve ordered a large quantity or large-format printing, we can help you collect it.
If you’re arriving by car or van, our team can help load you’re printing into your vehicle where practical.
This can be particularly useful for products such as:
- Large banners
- Exhibition graphics
- Fabric backdrops
- Foam boards
- Roller banners
- Signage
- Large poster orders
- Bulk printing
- Exhibition materials
If you have a large order, let us know in advance so we can make the collection as straightforward as possible.
What If I Don’t Have a Car?
That’s not a problem.
You don’t need to collect your printing yourself if delivery is more convenient.
We can arrange delivery using our in house delivery team or suitable courier services.
For smaller urgent orders, a bike courier can often be a very quick option.
For example, orders such as:
can often be suitable for urgent courier delivery.
Can You Deliver an Urgent Printing Order?
Yes.
Although collection is usually the fastest option, we can also arrange very urgent delivery.
For urgent London deliveries, we can use bike couriers, which can be particularly useful because they can move through London traffic more efficiently than larger vehicles.
We can also use our in-house delivery team and suitable courier services depending on the order and location.
So if you cannot collect your order, don’t assume that you have to wait until the next day.
Tell us your deadline and we’ll work out the quickest practical delivery option.
When Is Delivery Better Than Collection?
Delivery can be the better choice when:
- You’re unable to leave your office
- You’re already at an exhibition
- Visiting from abroad
- You’re travelling and don’t have time to collect
- You’re ordering a large quantity
- You don’t have suitable transport
- The printing is going directly to a venue
- You need the printing delivered to another person
For example, if you’re already inside an exhibition centre and need printed materials delivered directly to your stand, it may make more sense for us to arrange an in-person delivery rather than asking you to leave the venue and collect the order.
Can You Deliver Directly to an Exhibition Centre?
Yes.
We can arrange in-person delivery to exhibition centres and event venues where practical.
This can be particularly useful when you need urgent printing during an event and don’t want to leave your stand.
The driver can take the parcel directly to the agreed location and hand it over to you.
This can also be useful at venues where parking is difficult or where a large vehicle could cause unnecessary delays.
For urgent event printing, sometimes the quickest solution isn’t necessarily the cheapest or most obvious one. We’ll look at the circumstances and recommend what makes the most sense.
What About Parking and Difficult Access?
Parking and access can make a surprising difference to urgent deliveries.
If a location has restricted parking, a busy exhibition centre or difficult vehicle access, using a bike courier or an in-person delivery service can sometimes be quicker than sending a larger vehicle.
Our objective is not simply to send a parcel.
Our objective is to get your printing into your hands as quickly as possible.
That’s why we consider the actual delivery location when choosing the most practical option.
Is Every Same day Collection or Delivery the Same?
No.
Every urgent printing order is different.
The best option depends on:
- What you’re printing
- Quantity
- Size
- Production time
- When the order is approved
- Where you need it
- Your deadline
- Whether you can collect
- Whether the location has parking or access restrictions
For this reason, we don’t use a one-size-fits-all approach.
We’ll discuss your requirements and work out what is most suitable for you.
Can You Help Me Decide Between Collection and Delivery?
Absolutely.
If you’re unsure whether you should collect or arrange delivery, just tell us your situation.
For example:
“I need 100 T-shirts by 3pm and I’m at an exhibition.”
Or:
“I need 500 business cards and I’m driving to the airport later.”
Or:
“I need a large exhibition backdrop but I don’t have a van.”
We’ll look at the circumstances and recommend the most practical option.
Sometimes collection will clearly be faster.
Sometimes urgent delivery will be more convenient.
And sometimes we’ll recommend a combination of production and delivery options to make sure you receive everything on time.
Collection and Delivery for Large Orders
For large orders, the choice between collection and delivery can be particularly important.
If you have a van or suitable vehicle, collecting the order can be a very efficient option.
We can help load you’re printing into your vehicle where practical.
If you don’t have suitable transport, we can arrange delivery.
For large exhibition orders, banners, backdrops, signage and other bulky materials, we’ll consider the size of the parcel and the destination before choosing the delivery method.
Why We Offer Both Collection and Delivery
We understand that urgent printing isn’t always predictable.
A customer might be travelling through London.
Another customer might be preparing for an exhibition.
Someone else might be working from an office and unable to leave.
Another customer might have been let down by their original printer and need their materials delivered immediately.
That’s why we offer both fast collection and urgent delivery options.
Our aim is to make the process as flexible as possible.
One Printing Company for Everything
Another advantage of working with us is that you don’t necessarily need to coordinate several different suppliers.
We offer a wide range of printing and production services under one roof.
You may need:
- Paper printing
- T-shirt printing
- Tote bags
- Signage
- Stickers
- Large-format printing
- Engraving
- 3D printing
- Exhibition materials
- Promotional products
Instead of managing several companies, you can organise multiple requirements with one team.
This can be particularly valuable when you’re working towards a tight deadline.
Our Priority Is Your Deadline
Whether you choose collection or delivery, the most important thing is that your order reaches you when you need it.
We don’t simply tell every customer to collect or every customer to choose delivery.
We look at the individual situation and work with you to find the fastest and most practical solution.
If collection is clearly quicker, we’ll tell you.
If delivery is more suitable, we’ll arrange it.
If an urgent bike courier is the best option, we’ll explain that too.
The goal is simple: make your printing experience as easy and reliable as possible, especially when you’re working against the clock.
Collection or Delivery? Tell Us What You Need
If you need printing urgently, don’t worry about deciding the delivery method yourself.
Send us:
- Your artwork
- What you need printed
- The quantity
- Your deadline
- Your location
- Whether you can collect
We’ll help you work out the best option.
Collection is normally the fastest, but urgent delivery is also available when you need it.
Every order is different, so we’ll work with you to find the solution that gives you the best chance of receiving your printing on time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is collection faster than delivery?
Yes. Collection is normally the fastest option because you can collect the order as soon as production is finished without waiting for a delivery journey.
Can you deliver urgent printing?
Yes. We can arrange urgent delivery using our in-house delivery team, bike couriers and other suitable courier services.
Can I collect a large printing order?
Yes. If you’re collecting a large order by car or van, our team can help load the printing where practical.
Can you deliver directly to an exhibition?
Yes. We can arrange delivery to exhibition centres, trade shows and event venues where practical.
What is the fastest delivery option in London?
For very urgent smaller deliveries, a bike courier can often be one of the quickest options because of London’s traffic.
What if I don’t know whether to collect or use delivery?
Tell us your deadline, location and order requirements. We’ll help you choose the most practical option.
Can you deliver large-format printing?
Yes. We can arrange delivery for large-format products such as banners, backdrops, foam boards and signage, depending on the size and destination.
Can you help load my printing into my car?
Yes. If you’re collecting a large order, our team can help load it into your vehicle where practical.
Is collection available for urgent orders?
Yes. Collection can be particularly useful for same day and urgent printing because it is normally the fastest way to receive a completed order.