Price fluctuation happens in almost every industry, and printers are no different.  

Whether you buy directly from a printer manufacturer or through a vendor, the price of machines can change at any given time.    

This is especially true under today’s current circumstances, where supply chains remain disrupted and inflation continues to rise across most sectors of society.   

As a local print vendor (and Xerox partner), we see these fluctuations up close. Customers often ask, “Why did this printer cost X last month and Y today?” That’s exactly what we’re here to answer.

To help you understand why printer prices fluctuate, we’ve identified four main reasons for these changes and how frequently they happen. We’ll also explain how buying from a retailer, a manufacturer, or a vendor makes a difference and provides practical steps to make smarter buying decisions.

Margins in the print industry are razor thin. According to IBISWorld, commercial printing revenue has declined at a CAGR of 2.8% to about $76.7 billion over the past five years. That doesn’t mean print is going away, but print shops need to get smarter about the equipment they invest in if they want to stay profitable.

For pay-for-print shops, choosing a production printer can make or break the business model. The right machine can handle a wide range of jobs quickly, keep per-page costs low, and open the door to higher-value services. The wrong one, on the other hand, can eat into margins, slow down turnaround times, or even limit what you can offer your customers.

Here’s a stat that might surprise you: up to 3% of a company’s annual revenue is spent on printing. For large organizations, that can mean hundreds of thousands of dollars each year tied up in toner, paper, maintenance, and inefficient processes.

Unfortunately, most businesses don’t even know where that money is going. Some invest in Managed Print Services (MPS) while others choose print management software like Y Soft SAFEQ or PaperCut. While these might sound similar, they’re actually not. Knowing the difference between each solution can help you avoid wasted time, money, and frustration.

It’s safe to say most businesses have adopted some form of marketing to help increase leads and brand awareness. 

For example, a common strategy to increase brand awareness is hanging or handing out flyers. Others may take booklets or pamphlets that discuss their products and services to social events. In addition, company employees today still use business cards as a form of advertising.

Regardless of how your business utilizes these materials, the amount of money and time spent on outsourcing these production materials is likely to be higher than if you used a production printer to keep all prints in-house. 

If you work in a nonprofit, you know that every dollar matters. You’re tasked with raising awareness, building community, and inspiring donations. However, you often run on tight budgets and small teams. That means when it comes to printing fundraising mailers, event programs, or donor newsletters, you might feel caught in a tough spot: how do you produce materials that look professional and compelling, without spending more than you can afford?

Many people feel the same. According to Giving USA, total charitable giving in the U.S. reached over $400 billion in 2022. And yet, many nonprofits reported fundraising costs rising at the same time. Printing is a part of that equation, and it can either eat into your budget or help you stretch resources further.