Promote Your Curbly Page With Business Cards

By gregoryjohnson

Curbly Card

This is the card we are using in Iowa City to promote Curbly. By using VistaPrint.com we were able to get them for just the cost of shipping and handling. I ordered a bunch for the Iowa City Area Curbly Users Group, but plan to order some for myself to promote my own personal Curbly site as well.

If you go to VistaPrint.com be sure to signup for their mailings because that's when you'll get the special offers for other free stuff. Otherwise, you'll pay retail prices just like everyone else who goes to the site. To signup for the mailings, look for the invitation on the left side of the web page that says, "Exclusive Offers. Become a VistaPrint Insider to receive exclusive offers and tips." They seem pretty good about not sending a lot of junk mail - just the free offers that you'd want anyway.

So, how does VistaPrint.com make money? Eventually, some people come back and order some of their other products that aren't free. Also, there are upgrades to their free products. For example, you can pay a little more and get glossy cards, printing on the back, and matching return labels. ~ Gregory

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January 30, 2007

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gregoryjohnson

January 31, 2007

So, while I would agree that VistaPrint engages in marketing and sales that I would not choose to emulate, I do think their product and service is good for the wise shopper. This is why when I tell people about VistaPrint, I always warn them about not accepting the free offers. I also tell them that the company charges for shipping. I would also encourage people to make sure they are dealing directly with VistaPrint at the VistaPrint.com website and not some other company pretending to be VistaPrint. Outside of those three disclaimers. I've found their company to be quite pleasant and professional to work with. I've placed numerous orders with them over the past 5 years and never had a problem, overcharge, or poorly printed material. However, I plan to look into the other companies that you and Bruno have suggested as well just so I know what else is out there. ~ Gregory

gregoryjohnson

January 31, 2007

I'm guessing some of the complaints about VistaPrint are "legitimate" for the following reasons: (1) When people hear they can get free business cards, they assume free means they will spend nothing. There are a lot of businesses that advertise something for free and still charge for shipping and handling. Microsoft and other Fortune 500 companies use this tactic. Personally, I would be a little more clear in my advertising and state something like, "Business cards for the price of shipping and handling." (2) Some people signup for the other gimmicks that VistaPrint is promoting such as the "Passport for Fun." As I understand it, VistaPrint will give you an additional discount on a future order if you signup for the Passport to Fun membership. However, the PassPort for Fun will eventually result in reoccurring monthly fees after the first month of free trial. Again, this is not the kind of thing I would do as a business. However, many businesses now advertise "One Month's Free Membership" to get people to signup for something and then they bill them after the first month is out. Most people don't remember to check their credit card statement until a few months have passed and most people forget to quit before the first month. So, when you finally call the company, you've already been charged at least once. There are magazine subscriptions that work this way. Another example is Sprint PCS mobile phone service. With a new phone, they automatically have a hidden service that you don't pay for in the first month. It is for streaming video that's available on their new phones. The service is attached to your account. After the first month, they start charging you $40 (extra) per month for it.

gregoryjohnson

January 31, 2007

Hi Keter, I clicked on the link from Consumer Affairs.com page you provided. The links is still there today. It says, "Free Business Card. Get 250 business cards absolutely free from VistaPring. www.vistaprintguide.com" So, basically, the ConsumerAffairs.com site is simultaneously providing a forum for complaining about VistaPrint, while at the same time benefitting from having an affiliate link that advertises VistaPrint services. The www.vistaprintguide.com appears to be affiliate with VistaPrint, yet they, too (like ConsumerAffairs.com) are part of the stampede to see who can make the most money through affiliate links. ~ Gregory

Keter

January 31, 2007

Gregoryjohnson...I revisited the site...no popups, no ads for Vistaprint. You might want to scan your computer for adware/malware activated by a keyword on that page (likely, Vistaprint). This is not the only place I've seen this information, either. See also http://www.creditcard.org/

bruno

January 31, 2007

Thanks for the tip, Greg. I'm glad to see you're promoting Curbly in your community. As for business cards, if you're looking for affordable (not free) cards, I've had great luck with www.overnightprints.com. They've even got an online flash designer where you can design your graphic.

gregoryjohnson

January 30, 2007

Keter. This is all too bazaar. I went to the consumer affairs page you provided. They actually have pop-up ads on their site - something VistaPrint doesn't have. They also have ads for VistaPrint and other products. So, they are actually an affiliate for VistaPrint. I clicked on one of the links provided at the Consumer Affairs site and the resulting page stated, "VistaPrint is the world leader in business product printing. With over 7,000,000 customers, they have been able to invest a tremendous amount of money into technologies to print high quality products very quickly. Their intuitive website makes ordering print products exceptionally easy if you are self-employed or run a company with 100 employees. When it comes to trust, VistaPrint is one of the most trusted companies on the internet. You will also find them traded on the stock market (VPRT - stock quote) with a market capitalization of over $1.1 billion dollars (as of 9/25/06)." The consumer affairs site doesn't seem like a legitimate site. It seems to be loaded down with banner ads, text advertising links, and pop-up ads. I've used VistaPrint for years and have always had consistent excellent results with their stickers, post-cards, business cards, stampers, and other materials. However, I do know that VistaPrint has an affiliate program that others may misuse and abuse. There may also be companies posing as VistaPrint, taking people's credit cards, or promising them other things. One must be sure to go to the correct site. I did notice when checking out of the VistaPrint site that they offer membership in some kind of travel or dining club or something like that. They key with VistaPrint is to just say no when that offer comes up. I hope this helps. ~ Gregory

Keter

January 30, 2007

Be careful with VistaPrint...and if you've used them, check your credit card statements. Not too long ago they apparently sold these numbers to a scam service that charged somewhere around $15/mo. to people without their knowledge.

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/online/vistaprint.html

This one's not as pretty, but it is totally free and doesn't capture information that could be used for ID theft:

http://www.businesscardland.com/home/create-business-cards.html