Reference guide
Ordering Mailers Internationally
The product does not change between markets. Almost everything around it does: the currency you are quoted in, the documentation a shipment needs, which films and colours are available, and how a delivery reaches a business address in one country versus another.
This guide sets out what varies and what to confirm before placing an order into a market you have not ordered into before.
What changes between markets
Five variables. The first two are obvious, the last three catch people out.
Currency
Quotations are issued in the currency of the destination market, so comparing two markets means comparing two currencies rather than one converted figure.
Import documentation and charges
Requirements differ by destination and by shipping arrangement. This is confirmed per order rather than generalised.
Film and colour availability
Not every film, finish, colour or material is available for every market. This is checked before you order, not after.
Delivery arrangements
Reaching a fulfilment centre in one market and a small business address in another are different logistics problems with different requirements.
What you can print
Environmental and performance claims are governed differently in each market. The same printed bag may not be compliant everywhere it ships.
Ordering into a new market
Six steps, in order. The first two prevent most of the problems in the rest.
Confirm the exact delivery address and its type
Business premises, residential address or fulfilment centre. Fulfilment centres often have booking, labelling and palletisation requirements that must be built into the order.
Check material availability for that market
Ask before you design anything, because a colour or film that is unavailable changes the specification.
Settle documentation and who handles it
Including who is responsible for any charges on arrival. Get this in writing rather than assuming.
Review printed wording against local rules
Particularly any environmental claim. What is acceptable in one market may not be in another.
Agree the schedule in writing
Work backwards from the date stock must be on the bench, not forwards from the order date.
Order one market first if you can
A first shipment into a new market teaches you things a quotation cannot. Learn them on a smaller order.
Running one specification across several markets
Most multi-market businesses want one bag everywhere. Sometimes that works and sometimes it costs more than it saves.
| Row label | One specification | Per-market specifications |
|---|---|---|
| Artwork setups | One | One per market |
| Printed claims | Must satisfy the strictest market | Tailored to each |
| Material availability | Limited to what all markets can supply | Widest choice in each |
| Stock management | Simple | More lines to track |
| Unit cost | Better through shared setup | Higher, unless volumes are large |
A single specification usually wins for a business shipping similar volumes everywhere. Where one market dominates, it is often cheaper to optimise for that one and treat the others separately.
A note on language and spelling
If one printed design ships to several markets, spelling is a small thing that customers notice. Colour and color, personalised and personalized, and the way sizes are expressed all differ between the markets we serve. Decide deliberately which convention the printed bag uses rather than letting a designer choose by default. Sizes are the more consequential version of the same problem, and how they are quoted is covered on the measurement guide.
Questions about the international ordering guide
Which countries do you supply?
The United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. Orders are produced to order and shipped to the address you give us; we do not hold stock locally in any of them.
Can I order the same specification for several markets?
Usually, and it is often the economical choice because setup is shared. Two things to check first: that the material is available for every destination, and that any printed claim satisfies the strictest of the markets it will ship to.
Who handles import charges?
This is set out on your quotation rather than assumed, because it depends on the destination and the shipping arrangement agreed. Ask before ordering if it affects your budgeting.
Will the same colour match across markets?
Not automatically, because the available film can differ. If a colour has to match across markets, say so at quotation stage so it can be checked rather than discovered on delivery.