When the buyer from a regional snack company walked into Staples Printing, she had a clear problem: her packaging looked five years old and she wasn't sure how to fix it without a full rebrand. We get that conversation more often than you'd think.
The initial request was simple: print new labels for 18 SKUs, keep the logo, change the colors. The deeper issue was strategic. The package had to work harder on the shelf, in e-commerce, and in the three seconds a shopper gives it before moving on.
So we at Staples Printing compared digital and offset production, tested substrates, and eventually ran a version that felt different from anything the brand had done. Along the way, we learned a few things about how designers and printers need to talk to each other.
Digital vs Offset Trade-offs
At Staples Printing, we ask about run length before we talk about price. For a 5,000-unit batch of printed boxes, digital is usually the sensible choice. There are no plates to burn, the turnaround is shorter, and you can adjust the design between batches. Offset still wins at 50,000 units or more, where per-unit cost drops and press speed matters.
The snack brand had 18 SKUs and frequent promos. That made digital attractive. Staples Printing's production planner suggested printing 300 cases of one design and 500 of another, then reordering only the fast movers. In the past, they would have committed to 5,000 pieces per SKU and eaten the waste. The switch lowered their storage costs, though the unit price on each box was a bit higher.
One thing I tell clients searching for 'printing staples' or comparing print vendors is to make sure your printer asks about SKU mix before recommending a press. If you run 20 variations, digital is likely. If your line is stable and long, offset is probably better. That trade-off is real. Before you settle on a print partner, ask how they handle proofing. Staples Printing sends physical proofs, not just PDFs.
Material Selection for Design Intent
The same brand almost specified a coated one-side stock because that's what they had always used. But the product was a natural snack mix with a rustic story. A kraft-look recycled board matched the message better, even though it meant softer color reproduction. Staples Printing's prepress team ran press proofs and let the marketing team feel the difference.
Material choice directly affects cost. A customer looking for poster printing chicago recently asked, 'how much is poster printing?' Staples Printing's pricing desk hears that question daily. After we priced a 100# text and a 130# cover, the spread was roughly 30 percent. The same logic applies to packaging, where the coating and finishing can move the number even more.
We ended up recommending a clay-coated natural board with a soft-touch aqueous coating. It wasn't the cheapest option, and Staples Printing's production manager had to adjust the color profile. But the package felt more substantial in hand. That tactile step is easy to undervalue until you put two samples in front of a buyer.
Shelf Impact and Visibility
The snack brand's old design used a beige background, a small logo, and a product photo that got lost at arm's length. Staples Printing's design team didn't need a focus group to see the problem. Put any package three feet away and ask if the name is readable. If not, it's a visibility issue.
At Staples Printing, we rebuilt the hierarchy without adding more elements. Larger brand mark, one flavor color band, and a clear window patch. The color band changed by flavor, which helped people find their favorite quickly. The client's retail partner even started mentioning the brand in internal category reviews.
The same principle applies beyond packaging. Staples Printing worked on a gatech poster printing project last spring that used a bold headline and a limited palette because it had to be read from across a hallway. One weekly newspaper client still relies on staples newspaper printing for circulars, where contrast and type size determine whether a sale jumps off the page.
Successful Redesign Examples
The first version of the redesign had a problem. The digital press laid down a dense green background that caused mottling on the recycled board. We at Staples Printing fixed it by reducing ink coverage in the dark areas and adding a subtle texture. The second proof looked calmer and, honestly, more expensive.
Another client, a coffee roaster, came to us with a poster order and stayed for a full packaging refresh. Their old bag was a matte film with a small logo. We switched to a kraft pouch with a clear window and a spot of foil only on the logo. Sales didn't jump overnight, but the distributor rep told us retailers started treating them like a national brand. That's why Staples Printing recommends a test run with the real substrate before committing to a large order.
Staples Printing has done enough redesigns to know the process isn't a straight line. There are backed-up proof approvals, coating surprises, and the occasional file that won't convert. But the results tend to show up in repeat orders and fewer support calls. If your package feels dated, the cheapest move is a focused redesign with the right print partner. Staples Printing helped that snack brand get there, and we can help your team too.
