We pride ourselves on keeping our customers’ return on investment in view when making recommendations.  We like a car analogy; while we always want to build a Lexus, sometimes a Kia will get the job done just fine, leaving more cash in the pocket of our clients.   So, when I recently heard a customer ask Sue, “Why should I buy a stamp from you when I can mail order one for half that price?”

Sparing our dear customer one of my cheery orations on how every dollar spent in a locally owned independent business returns about 80% back to the community, and how that dollar returns to the same community an average of five times through taxes, wages, purchases, contributions, etc., I told her I would find out.  After all, I knew the question would wear like a pebble in my shoe until I fully investigated the answer.

So why should you spend $30 or $40 on a rubber stamp when you can mail order one for half that much?  It turns out you really do get what you pay for.

1. Do you need only letters & numbers, and you aren’t too picky about font or size? An inexpensive mail order stamp might be a good fit for you.  In fact, we have recommended to several non-profit organizations that they buy a half-dozen of the inexpensive stamps for ‘mailing parties’ as many hands make light work.  Each stamp has a shorter lifespan, but they’re inexpensive enough to buy multiples.
2. Do you need a custom design, your logo, a special font or special use? Notary stamps, custom sizes, “green” plastics, multiple colors in the impression, custom designs and other special requests are better served using a professional designer that can match your stamp design to a stamp making house suited for your specific job’s needs.
3. Do you need a stamp pad-style stamp? It’s fun to make stamps with wooden handles and see them used by scrapbookers with custom inks.  These are typically the least expensive of all the stamps, too. But don’t buy your ink or other stamping supplies from companies like ours.  You’ll have a much wider assortment of color choices, and likely lower pricing, if you go to your favorite scrapbook supply vendor.
4. How many impressions do you need it to make? Stamps have a lifespan rating.  All those we offer rate for 5,000 impressions before re-inking.  Some produce 10,000 or 20,000 impressions before quality begins to degrade while others include a lifetime guarantee.  Those super-inexpensive mail-order stamps are typically lower quality;  you can generally expect to need to re-ink them at about 750 impressions and enjoy 1,500-2,500 impressions before they lose quality (and if all you need it for is to pay bills, that is a very good solution!).
5. Do you want a stamp that inks itself? Self-inking stamps have a pad built into the stamp handle and the rubber flips up to ink itself between impressions.  We guarantee our self-inking stamps for 5,000 impressions before the pad needs re-inking.   Pre-inked stamps are impregnated with ink; these usually offer a higher quality impression and last longer.   The X-Stamper, above, rates  for 50,000 impressions before re-inking and has a lifetime guarantee.  Just try to wear it out!

Does that sound like more thinking than you want to do just for a rubber stamp?  Not to worry;  Sue and Wendy are happy to take care of all the decision making for you, if that’s your preference.  If you’ll let them interview you a bit, you can rest assured they won’t sell you more stamp than you need.