Industry Trends

The 7-Point Checklist I Use for Every FedEx Office Print Order (After $1,200 in Mistakes)

The 7-Point Checklist I Use for Every FedEx Office Print Order (After $1,200 in Mistakes)

I’m the person who handles our company’s marketing print orders—business cards, event posters, sales brochures, you name it. I’ve been doing this for seven years. And in that time, I’ve personally documented about a dozen significant mistakes that totaled roughly $1,200 in wasted budget and more than a few awkward client conversations. (The worst was a 500-piece business card order where the bleed was wrong on every. single. card. Straight to recycling.)

That’s why I now maintain—and religiously use—a 7-point pre-submission checklist for every order we place, especially with services like FedEx Office. It’s saved us an estimated $8,000 in potential rework over the past 18 months. This isn’t theory; it’s the scar tissue from getting things wrong. If you’re ordering printed materials, whether it’s your first time or your fiftieth, follow these steps. They’ll save you money, time, and a major headache.

Who This Checklist Is For & When to Use It

Use this list right before you upload your final files to FedEx Office (or any print service). It’s designed for common B2B items: business cards, letterhead, brochures, flyers, posters, and banners. It’s perfect if you’re not a full-time designer but need to get professional materials printed reliably. The goal is simple: catch the common, costly errors before they go to production.

The 7-Point FedEx Office Order Checklist

Point 1: Verify Final Dimensions & Bleed

The Action: Don’t just trust your template. Open your file and physically measure the document size and bleed area against FedEx Office’s specifications for your chosen product.

Why & How: I assumed “US Standard business card” meant the same dimensions everywhere. Didn’t verify. Turned out my design software’s default bleed was 0.125 inches, but the specific FedEx Office template I needed required 0.15 inches. The result? Those 500 cards with a thin white border where color should have been. Lesson: Always download and use the vendor’s specific template if available. If not, confirm their exact bleed requirement (it’s usually 0.125” to 0.25”). Your document size must be the final trimmed size plus bleed on all sides.

Standard print resolution requirements: Commercial offset/digital printing like FedEx Office uses: 300 DPI at final size. Large format (posters viewed from distance): 150 DPI is acceptable. These are industry-standard minimums.

Point 2: Audit Image & Graphic Resolution

The Action: Zoom to 100% in your file. Check every logo, photo, and background graphic. Is it pixelated or blurry?

Why & How: Most buyers focus on the overall design and completely miss the technical quality of embedded images. A graphic that looks “fine” on your screen can print fuzzy. For any critical element, ensure it’s a vector file (like a .EPS or .AI logo) or a high-resolution raster image (300 PPI at its printed size). A quick calculation: Maximum print width (inches) = Image width in pixels ÷ 300. A 1500-pixel-wide image can only print clearly at 5 inches wide at 300 DPI.

Point 3: Confirm Color Mode & Profile

The Action: Check your document’s color mode. For full-color printing, it must be CMYK, not RGB.

Why & How: Screens use RGB (Red, Green, Blue) light. Printers use CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black) ink. RGB colors are often brighter and more vibrant. If you submit an RGB file, the printer will auto-convert it to CMYK, which can cause colors to shift—your bright blue logo might print dull and purplish. Convert to CMYK yourself in your design software so you see (and can adjust) the final colors before printing. For brand-critical colors, consider a Pantone (PMS) spot color, but note that adds cost.

Pantone colors may not have exact CMYK equivalents. For example, Pantone 286 C (a common corporate blue) converts to approximately C:100 M:66 Y:0 K:2 in CMYK, but the printed result may vary by substrate and press calibration. Reference: Pantone Color Bridge guide.

Point 4: Spellcheck & Text Outline (The “Final Read”)

The Action: Do a literal, out-loud read of all text. Then, if possible, convert text to outlines/paths.

Why & How: Spellcheck software misses names, wonky line breaks, and double periods. Reading aloud forces you to see each word. The upside of converting text to vector outlines is 100% font preservation—no risk of the printer substituting a font they don’t have. The risk is you can no longer edit the text. I kept asking myself: is perfect font control worth potentially having a typo locked in? My rule now: triple-check text, then outline. Create a separate, editable master file first, of course.

Point 5: Review the Digital Proof Like a Product

The Action: When FedEx Office sends a digital proof, review it as if it’s the final printed item, not just a quick glance.

Why & How: Learned never to assume the proof is just a formality after approving a brochure proof that looked perfect on my laptop. The printed batch had much darker, muddier images. The proof was an accurate color representation, but I viewed it on an uncalibrated screen in a bright room. Now, I review proofs on a color-corrected monitor if possible, and I always check for: trim lines, color consistency, and that no elements got cut off. The proof is your last “undo” button. Use it.

Point 6: Decode the Total Price & Timeline

The Action: Look beyond the base price. Identify the line items for paper, finishing, shipping, and taxes.

Why & How: The question everyone asks is “what’s your best price?” The question they should ask is “what’s included in that price, and what’s the real timeline?” A “$45 business card” quote can become $75 with upgraded paper, a gloss coating, and standard shipping. And “3-day production” might mean 3 business days plus shipping time. In September 2022, I missed a client handout deadline because I calculated calendar days, not business days for production. (Ugh.) Now I always confirm the “in-hand by” date, not the “ship by” date.

Rush printing premiums vary: Next business day: +50-100% over standard. 2-3 business days: +25-50%. Same day (limited availability): +100-200%. Based on major online printer fee structures, 2025.

Point 7: Align Shipping with Your Real Deadline

The Action: Choose your shipping service after confirming the production completion date, not before.

Why & How: This is the step most people do first and get wrong. Looking back on that missed deadline, I should have paid for expedited shipping. At the time, standard delivery seemed safe. It wasn’t. Here’s the sequence: 1) Get the confirmed production completion date. 2) Add 1-2 days as a buffer (things happen). 3) Then select the shipping method that gets it to you by your true deadline. FedEx Office’s advantage is integrated print-and-ship, but you still have to connect the two timelines consciously.

Final Notes & Common Pitfalls

Don’t Skip the Proof: Even if you’re in a huge rush, always view the proof. A 5-minute review beats a 5-day reprint and courier scramble.

Communicate Clearly: If you have a specific Pantone color or a precise fold, note it in the “Special Instructions” box. Don’t assume it’s obvious.

Order a Physical Proof for Large Runs: For orders over $500 or with critical colors, consider paying for a physical hard-copy proof. It’s the cheapest insurance you can buy. (I really should do this more often.)

Save Your Files & Settings: Keep your final print-ready PDF and a note of the exact paper stock and options you chose. Reprinting next year will be effortless. (Note to self: organize the 2024 print folder.)

This checklist isn’t about being paranoid; it’s about being professional. Taking these 10-15 minutes before clicking “submit” has virtually eliminated our costly do-overs. It turns a potentially stressful process into a predictable one. Now go get something great printed.