So where do you buy banners? It depends on your needs. Here are the most common places you can buy banners, and when you should buy from them.

Local sign shop

There are 2 kinds of sign shops: franchises and independently owned stores. If you buy a banner from a franchise, you are going to overpay for it. Franchises pay monthly fees for the privilege of using well-known names like FastSigns, Sign-a-Rama, or Kinko’s. Banners are not usually their main business. Don’t buy a banner from a franchise unless you have to pay by purchase order and have no other option, or you need a banner yesterday and can’t wait for one to be shipped.

Individual sign shops vary, but they typically make so many kinds of signs and banners that banners are not a prominent product. If your sign shop installs electrical signs, they make 10 to 20 times more money selling an electrical sign than selling a banner, so guess how hard they will work on finishing your banner if they have an electrical job to do. Use them at your own risk; some local shops make great banners and others compromise on quality because they don’t have a very good banner printer. And 99% of local shops will charge at least twice as much as online banner companies.

Online

Buying a banner online is only risky if you don’t research the company. Take the time to check out banner quality (Is the banner 13 ounces or higher? Do they use UV-resistant inks?), upcharges (Do they charge extra for hem and grommets on the banner?), and delivery time (How long does it take to print and ship the banner?)

You’ll find lots of different answers, so make sure you do your homework. But some online banner companies, like Beacon Banners, print higher quality banners with no upcharges… for half the price and in less time than your local sign shop takes. Why? Because banners are all they print. They don’t have to worry about scheduling other products, they just print banners all day long, and they are banner experts.

So if you’re in a real rush (you need a banner in less than 2 days), or your company requires you to use an approved vendor for your order, get your banner from a local sign shop (and you’ll probably pay extra for that rush order). But if you want the best quality at the best price, buy online from a trusted banner company.