Choosing the right business print solutions can quickly become more complicated than it needs to be. On the surface, most suppliers promise the same things: good prices, fast turnaround and reliable quality. But for marketing, procurement and operations teams, the real challenge is rarely one print job in isolation. It is the time spent chasing quotes, briefing artwork, checking proofs, managing different suppliers, controlling spend and trying to keep every printed item on brand. 

That is where the right print model makes a difference. Whether you need occasional online printing, managed print services, a web-to-print portal or a fully managed print procurement partner, the best choice should reduce pressure on your team as well as protect cost, quality, time and customer value. This guide explains how the UK print market works, what to look for in a supplier and how connected business print solutions can help you simplify the process from brief to delivery. 

A strategic print procurement partner helps you move from reactive ordering to a smarter print programme with greater control, clearer visibility and consistent value across every brief and delivery.

The main types of business print solutions  

Before comparing suppliers, it helps to understand the different types of business print solutions available. Online printers, managed print services and print procurement partners all have a place, but they are designed for different levels of complexity. The mistake many organisations make is choosing the cheapest or quickest route for every job, without considering the hidden cost of administration, rework, inconsistent branding or missed volume savings. 

Online printers: useful for quick, simple jobs 

Online printers are a practical option when you need straightforward items such as business cards, flyers, leaflets, posters or banners produced quickly. They usually offer instant pricing, standard product options and fast UK delivery, which makes them useful for one-off requirements where the artwork is ready and the specification is simple. 

The limitation is control. If different teams are ordering from different online printers, brand consistency can start to drift. You may also lose visibility of total print spend, approval history and repeat order patterns. That is manageable for occasional print, but it becomes harder when print is part of a wider marketing, operational or multi-site programme. 

Managed print services: helpful for office print

Managed print services are a different product entirely, the distinction matters: MPS is not commercial marketing print. MPS covers printer and copier fleet management, consumables, maintenance, remote monitoring, and usage reporting. The focus is your office infrastructure, not your marketing materials. MPS vendors are typically relevant to businesses looking to reduce in-office print costs, secure document workflows, and control device sprawl across multiple locations. 

For many organisations, managed print services can reduce office printing costs by improving visibility, reducing waste and creating more structured usage controls. However, MPS should not be confused with marketing print procurement. If your challenge is campaign collateral, branded materials, point of sale, mailings, customer communications, fulfilment or multi-site ordering, you will usually need a different type of partner.

Print procurement partners: better for control, consistency and scale 

A print procurement partner brings more of the process together. Instead of managing separate suppliers for design, production, storage, fulfilment and reporting, you work through one accountable team. The right partner will help source the best production route, benchmark costs, protect quality, manage approvals, support brand consistency and give you clearer visibility of spend. For organisations with regular print demand, multiple stakeholders or national rollouts, this is often where business print solutions become more strategic and less reactive.

How to choose the right print model for your business 

When online printing is enough 

Online printing is usually enough if your requirements are occasional, standard and low risk. If you need a small run of business cards, a simple flyer or a one-off event item, and you already have print-ready artwork, a reputable online printer may be the most efficient route. The key is to make sure someone still owns the brand checks, proof approval and specification before the order is placed.

When managed print procurement makes more sense 

Managed print procurement becomes more valuable when print is recurring, multi-site, brand sensitive or commercially significant. This is where the cost is not just the printed item. It is the time spent briefing suppliers, checking specifications, chasing proofs, approving artwork, managing delivery and reconciling invoices. A managed model helps consolidate demand, create clearer governance and make spend easier to see. 

This is where we add the most value. We connect creative support, print procurement, approved suppliers, online ordering, stock management, fulfilment and reporting into one joined-up model. That means customers can reduce supplier complexity, protect brand consistency, improve visibility and make better decisions using data, rather than relying on disconnected orders and reactive fixes.

What a fully managed print partner should deliver 

A fully managed print partner should do more than place orders. The value should come from simplifying the process, improving visibility and helping your team make better decisions. That includes understanding the brief, challenging specifications where there is a smarter option, sourcing through quality-approved suppliers, managing proofing, overseeing production, coordinating fulfilment and reporting on performance.

How an online print portal improves everyday control 

An online print portal or web-to-print system gives teams a controlled way to order approved materials without starting from scratch each time. Users can access agreed templates, order stocked items, manage permissions, follow approval workflows and see key information in one place. For businesses with multiple sites or departments, this helps reduce admin while keeping brand output consistent. 

Cubiquity Connect supports this kind of control by bringing ordering, stock visibility, spend reporting and management information together. Instead of relying on disconnected emails, spreadsheets and supplier conversations, teams can work from a more consistent, transparent system. That makes business print solutions easier to manage day to day and easier to improve over time. 

How to shortlist a UK print supplier 

Once you understand the type of support you need, supplier selection becomes much clearer. The right questions should reveal whether a provider is simply quoting for print or whether they can help you improve cost, time, quality and customer value across the whole process. 

Questions to ask before choosing a supplier 

Ask how the supplier manages turnaround, proof approval, delivery, quality control, issue resolution and reporting. Check whether they can support urgent requirements without creating unnecessary risk. Find out whether they use approved suppliers, whether they can consolidate invoices and whether they provide management information on spend, usage and performance. If sustainability matters to your organisation, ask how they source materials, reduce waste, consolidate deliveries and evidence progress.