Volume price without the volume delivery
The standard way to get a low unit price on print is to order a lot of it at once. That works until the pallet arrives and there is nowhere to put it, or until the design changes in month four and the remaining 30,000 flyers are scrap. A blanket order solves both problems. You commit to a year's quantity, the printer prices it at the volume rate, and it is produced and delivered in batches as you call them off. The price reflects the annual commitment; the stock in your store reflects only what you need this month.
This guide explains how blanket orders and call-off arrangements work for print, which items suit them, how the contract is usually written, and the details that decide whether the arrangement saves money or creates a new administrative burden.
How a blanket print order works
The mechanics are simple. You and the printer agree:
- The items. A specific list, each with a fixed specification: the A5 flyer, 170 gsm silk, four colour both sides; the DL envelope with the logo; the A4 letterhead. Not "flyers in general".
- The annual quantity per item, which sets the price tier. 60,000 flyers a year priced at the 60,000 rate, even though no single delivery is more than 5,000.
- The call-off pattern. Minimum batch size, expected frequency, and lead time from call-off to delivery (typically 3 to 5 working days for a standing item, since the artwork is already approved and the paper is allocated).
- The period, usually 12 months, and what happens if you call off less or more than the agreed quantity.
The printer benefits because the work is predictable: they can buy paper in bulk, schedule the job into quiet periods, and sometimes print the whole year's run in one go and hold the finished stock themselves. You benefit from the price, from a lead time shorter than a new order would have, and from not holding the inventory.
Which items suit a blanket order
The arrangement works for print that is used steadily and does not change. That describes more than people expect:
- Stationery: letterheads, envelopes, compliment slips, NCR forms, invoice books.
- Standing marketing items: the company brochure, the product catalogue, the price list (if it is stable), retail bag stuffers, loyalty cards.
- Packaging and labels for products with a steady sell-through.
- Operational print: delivery dockets, job cards, inspection forms, safety notices, appointment cards.
- Franchise and multi-branch material where every outlet uses the same items in predictable quantities.
It does not work for anything with a date, a price that changes, a campaign message, or a product that might be discontinued. Those stay as ordinary orders, sized with the help of our guide to forecasting print quantities.
Two ways to run it
Print-and-hold
The printer produces the whole annual quantity in one run, at the lowest possible unit cost, and holds the finished stock in their own warehouse. Each call-off is a pick-and-deliver, so it can be as fast as next day. Risks: the entire year's stock exists from day one, so a design change means writing off whatever remains; and you depend on the printer's storage conditions, which should be air-conditioned in Singapore. Our note on storing a bulk print run covers what to ask about.
Print-on-call
The printer allocates paper and holds the approved artwork, and prints each batch as it is called off. The unit price is higher than print-and-hold (each batch has its own make-ready) but still tied to the annual tier, and a mid-year change to the artwork affects only future batches. Lead time is a few days rather than next day. This is the sensible model for anything that might change during the year.
Many arrangements mix the two: print-and-hold for the envelopes and forms, print-on-call for the brochure.
What the agreement should cover
| Point | What to settle |
|---|---|
| Specification | Full spec per item, plus a reference sample from the first run that later batches are matched to |
| Price and tier | Unit price per item at the agreed annual quantity; what the price becomes if actual usage ends up a tier lower |
| Minimum call-off | The smallest batch the printer will pick or print, and any charge for going below it |
| Lead time | Working days from call-off to delivery, and whether a faster option exists at a surcharge |
| Delivery | Included destinations and any charge for additional branches |
| Shortfall | What happens to undelivered stock or unfulfilled quantity at the end of the period: invoice, roll over, or write off |
| Change of artwork | Whether a change resets the run, and who pays for stock already printed under the old artwork |
| Paper price | Whether the price is fixed for the period or subject to a paper cost adjustment clause |
| Ownership and insurance | Who owns held stock, and who insures it |
The shortfall clause is the one to read twice. On a print-and-hold arrangement, the stock has been made and paid for by the printer, so an end-of-period invoice for the remainder is reasonable. On print-on-call, a shortfall usually just means the price moves to the tier you actually reached.
Running it day to day
A blanket order fails when nobody owns it. Appoint one person to place call-offs, keep a running tally of what has been delivered against the annual quantity, and check each delivery against the reference sample. Set a call-off point for each item (when the office is down to the last carton, for instance) rather than waiting until it runs out; the lead time is short but not zero. Review the tally at six months: if usage is running well above or below the plan, talk to the printer then, not at the end of the year.
For a multi-branch company, the same arrangement extends naturally to a distribution plan where each call-off goes to several addresses; our guide on distributing a bulk run to multiple branches covers the packing and labelling.
Blanket orders with us
We set up annual print agreements for companies in Singapore that use standard items steadily: stationery, forms, brochures, packaging and branch material. You get the annual-quantity price, a choice of print-and-hold (next-day call-off from our air-conditioned store) or print-on-call (three to five working days from approved artwork), one contact who manages the tally, and a simple written agreement that covers the points above, including a clear shortfall clause.
If you already know your annual usage, send us the item list and quantities and we will quote both models side by side. If you do not, send last year's invoices and we will work it out. Details of our approach to volume work are on the choosing print services page, and you can contact us to discuss an arrangement for the coming year.
