Printing in Karachi: how to ask so the rates come back right
Two printers quoting the same job can differ by half, and usually it is because they were asked two different questions. Here is what to specify, what changes the price, and what to check before you pay.
What to specify when you ask for a rate
Vendors quote what they are asked. Give them all of this and the quotes you get back will be comparable to each other — which is the whole point.
- Quantity. Print is priced in runs, not per piece. 500 cards is rarely five times the price of 100 — always ask for the price at two quantities so you can see the break.
- Size and finished dimensions. State it in inches or as a standard (A4, A5, business card 3.5 × 2 in). "Small flyer" is not a specification.
- Paper weight and type. In gsm: 300gsm for cards, 130gsm for flyers, 80gsm for letterheads. This is the single biggest driver of feel and of cost.
- Single or double sided. Say it explicitly. It is the most common cause of a quote being revised upward later.
- Colour. Full colour, one side or both? Or single colour? Digital or offset — offset gets cheaper as the run grows, digital wins on short runs.
- Finish. Matte or gloss lamination, UV spot, foil, rounded corners, die cut. Each is a separate line on the price.
- Artwork. Say what you are supplying: print-ready PDF with bleed, or do you need design work? Design is a different service and should be quoted separately.
- Delivery. Where in Karachi, and by when. Same-day and next-day carry a premium.
Questions worth asking before you agree
- Is the price inclusive of tax?
- What is the price at double the quantity?
- Do you need bleed and crop marks, and at what size?
- Will you send a digital proof before printing?
- What happens if the colour comes out different from the proof?
- Is delivery included, and to which areas?
What people typically ask for
- 500 business cards, 300gsm, matte lamination both sides
- 200 A5 flyers, full colour one side, 130gsm
- Company letterheads, A4, 80gsm, single colour
- Presentation folders with die cut and foil
What a fair price depends on
Rates move with quantity, material, finish and how fast you need it — which is why a single published price would mislead you more than it helped. The reliable way to find out what your job costs is to describe it once and let vendors quote it.
Other Karachi guides
Don't guess. Get real rates.
Describe the job once. Vendors come back to you with prices. Free to post, no obligation.
Post what you needQamru is a reverse marketplace built by Qamru Technologies LLC. It is in pilot in Karachi: in-app payment is not live yet, and during the pilot you agree terms and settle directly with the vendor.