Staples Print and Marketing Services Review: Fast Holiday Gifts

You can now get custom photo gifts and business prints with expert in-person help and same-day pickup options.

The author reviews Staples' Print and Marketing Services, highlighting their suitability for holiday gifts like photo books, mugs, prints, and puzzles. While online ordering is convenient with user-friendly design tools, the author emphasizes the benefit of in-store human assistance for file preparation and issue identification, a feature lacking in online-only services. Same-day in-store pickup is available for rush orders. For higher quality, Staples can print at a production center, though this extends turnaround time to potentially two weeks. Mug quality is deemed comparable to competitors, though personal preference for shape may vary. Photo print quality is good for the price, but lags behind dedicated photo services like Mpix and Printique. Staples also offers business printing solutions, including an effective online business card maker, banners, and posters.

Staples is leveraging its physical retail presence to offer a distinct advantage in the personalized printing market. The in-store consultation service addresses a key pain point for consumers who are not design or file format experts, bridging the gap between digital creation and physical output.

This hybrid approach, combining online convenience with human expertise and same-day fulfillment, positions Staples as a strong contender for immediate needs and for users seeking a more guided, less intimidating printing experience than purely online competitors.