Free Business Cards Comparison – DCP-Print Order Process
This morning I began the order process for DCP-Print.
When you first get to DCP-Print‘s website, you easily see in the top menu a link for “Free Business Cards” flashing at me. It is the only link flashing and is easy to find and recognize.
The next page is a little confusing. You have to pick a category for your template. I choose “Most Popular” because it was in a bold font…I guess advertising takes it’s toll on all of us.
After clicking on Free Business Cards -> Most Popular, 48 different business card templates come up. This is about 6 more than VistaPrint offers total!
After looking at the 48 templates, I don’t really find anything that fits what I am looking for so I click “Profession or Subject” from the far left menu.
When the category “Profession or Subject” opens, about 50 different sub-categories to choose from.
DCP-Print obviously offers A LOT more templates than VistaPrint does.
Many of these templates are very professional looking templates with some stock photography or stock designs on them, not just horizontal lines, dots and graphs.
After surfing a few of the 50+ sub-categories I still can’t seem to find the perfect template. That is when I see the banner on the right side that says, “Upload your own design”.
I assume that you can’t “Upload your own design” and get free business cards, but I’ll give it a chance anyways.
I decided to make a free business card for another site about business marketing.
The next screen I come to looks like a huge disclaimer list of things I don’t want to read, but then I realized that they are actually instructions on how to upload and what format, size, etc the uploaded image file must be…important stuff!
Here are some of the important parts:
1. The file size must be no larger than 1MB.
2. The file resolution must be exactly 200ppi (pixels per inch), no more nor less. All calculations in the present specifications are based on the assumption that the resolution of the file you uploaded is 200ppi.
3. The file format must be compatible with our system, which accepts the following file formats: (*.jpg,*. jpeg)
6. Color – Please take care to convert every file uploaded into the system into RGB format.
By default Adobe Photoshop was set to 72 PPI (definition: Pixels Per Inch) and so I had to recreate my entire business card to make it 200 PPI.
After that recreation process I think my business card design is ready to be converted into a free business card from DCP-Print!
The next step is a little confusing because the boxes don’t look like links. The first box that says :
At the next screen you will upload your business card that you have designed. Click “Browse” find the card then click upload.
Even though my file size was fairly small, it took a little time to upload, probably 30 seconds.
Click “Continue To Checkout” where you will get to view your finalized free business card, obviously smaller than it will be.
There is a small white box that you have to put your initials in, saying that you accept the online proof that you just looked at.
DCP-Print doesn’t want to be held responsible if you spelled your name wrong, then paid to have the business cards printed. Seems fair enough.
Next you have to choose your quantity and check the box if you want lamination.
If you upgrade to 500 or more cards, you will have to pay for the extra. A total of 500 cards will cost you $7.99 plus shipping (which we’ll discuss in a minute, hint – it isn’t free shipping).
If you want to have the free business cards laminated, you will be paying $10.99 extra for that.
I am going to stick with 250 free business cards with no lamination and no additional upgrades.
Here is where the shipping is:
Being in search of free business cards has resulted in a charge…however, they did say “Free Business Cards”, not “Free Business Cards with Free Shipping“.
The price seems a little steep for a small box that isn’t very heavy, maybe this is how they can afford to offer free business cards.
I choose the $9.99 shipping for 21 days (I know, I’m cheap.) For $1 more you can get shipping in 14 days instead of 21.
I don’t know if the USPS really offers a 21 day shipping option, but maybe it includes time to print, cut, box and then time to get to your door.
The next page is a registration page. I’ve never ordered from DCP-Print so it looks like I’ll have to fill out a new user registration form.
DCP-Print asks for a phone number, maybe they will want to call and give me free shipping as well as free business cards…who knows.
Under my total is a box that says,
“Enter Claim Codes
Do you have a Credit, Gift Certificate, or Coupon Claim Code ?
Please enter your claim code here and then click “Apply to Order”.
Maybe there are coupon codes on the internet that I can find…let me check…
After about 10 minutes of searching I can’t find any coupon codes related to their free business cards order…looks like I’ll be paying for business cards after all.
I put in my credit card info, click submit, then realize that I could have paid with Paypal…that would have been easier, now you know at least.
Here is the final screen:
Thanks for your order !
Your order has been approved and confirmation has been sent to your email address !
That was easier than I thought.
If you are looking for the short version, here it is:
Step 1. Click “Free Business Cards”
Step 2. Find the template
Step 3. Upload your own business card design or put the info into the boxes that you want on your business card
Step 4. Submit the order
Step 5. Receive cards in the mail
Sounds pretty easy, let’s see how long they take to get here…21 days is a long time away.
Overall the ordering process was pretty simple, in total it took me about 30 minutes including creating my business card.
I would have liked the option to have double sided business cards, or half size business cards, but at least DCP-Print let me use my own artwork.
Below is the jpg of the card I created, we’ll see how close they come to it!
To order your own business cards from DCP-Print, please Click Here.