Photobook Fast Delivery UK: Everything You Need to Know

by William Kenny

Looking for photobook fast delivery to the UK? This article tells you everything you need to know about photobook delivery times.

Today the great majority of photobooks printed are designed and ordered online – like the photobooks sold here at MYPICTURE.

MYPICTURE photobooks take 4 working days to print, and shipping takes an additional 3-5 working days. So order your photobook with us and you can expect your photobook to arrive in just 7-9 working days.

In this article we’ll explain the different steps involved in printing photobooks and the factors which can affect the time this takes. We’ll also explain the variables which can affect delivery times.

Photobook Printing Explained

Once an online photo printing provider receives payment for a photobook order, the print process involves several steps, including:

• Checking order details. The provider checks the order details to ensure everything is correct and there are no issues with the design or images.

• Printing. The images are printed onto high-quality paper using a digital or offset printing process.

• Binding. The pages are bound together using a variety of methods such as saddle stitch, perfect binding, or spiral binding.

• Quality control. The provider performs a quality control check to ensure the photobook meets their standards and is free from defects.

(Note: Further down the page we’ll explain a little bit more about some of the printing industry terms mentioned in these steps.)

Once a photobook is printed and has passed quality control, it needs to be packaged ready for delivery and then shipped to the buyer’s address. We explain the shipping process below.

Photobook Fast Delivery Explained

Today’s buyers in the UK and beyond expect fast photobook delivery. And since photobooks are treasured keepsakes, they also need to be packaged and delivered with extra care so that they arrive in a flawless condition. The process is as follows:

• Packaging. The packaging process involves placing the photobook in a protective sleeve or cover, and then placing it in a sturdy cardboard box or envelope to prevent damage during shipping. This process can be automated to various degrees, but must be done with great care as buyers expect the finished item to be flawless.

• Delivery. The package is labelled with the customer's address and any other necessary shipping information, and passed to the shipping carrier: this could be a local postal service but will more commonly be a dedicated courier service.

Here at MYPICTURE, we rely on UPS for most of our custom print deliveries. We’re partnered with a name you can trust to take care of your package, so you can rely on us if you need photobook fast delivery to the UK.

Factors That Can Affect Production & Delivery Times

The time it takes a photobook to be printed and delivered can be affected by the following factors:

Type of Photobook (Digital vs Offset Printing)

Digital printing involves printing digital files directly onto paper using toner or ink, which makes it a faster option more suitable for smaller print runs.

Offset printing meanwhile uses plates to transfer ink onto paper. This allows for excellent consistency in larger print runs, but it can be a slower process.

(Note: As MYPICTURE mainly produces our photobooks for use by private individuals, usually in runs of no more than a few copies, we use digital printing for the speed and flexibility it provides.)

Type of Photobook (Saddle Stitch vs Perfect Binding vs Spiral Binding)

Saddle stitch involves stapling the pages together along the fold line in the centre of the book. This method is commonly used for smaller booklets or magazines and is the fastest of the three methods.

Perfect binding involves gluing the pages of the book together along the spine using a strong adhesive.

Spiral binding involves punching holes along the edge of the pages and threading a plastic or metal coil through the holes to bind the pages together.

(Note: At MYPICTURE we offer our buyers a choice of perfect binding or spiral binding. Both take slightly longer than saddle stitch, but we think the premium look they provide makes it worthwhile.)

Quantity Ordered

For smaller “cottage industry” print providers, a sudden increase in photobooks ordered can cause a significant delay in production as they won’t have the staff or technical capacity to work to their usual timetable.

But if you order your photobook with a leading online provider like MYPICTURE, you can be confident that they’ll have the capacity to handle any fluctuations in order volume.

Time of Year

The time of year an order is placed can have a significant impact on both production and delivery times. This applies most of all at Christmas, when production volumes are so high that almost any order will take longer to reach your door. Other holidays such as Mother's Day can have an effect too.

The time of year an order is placed can have a significant impact on both production and delivery times. Any reputable print provider will be open about this. One sign that you can trust a printing site is if they provide clear order deadlines for Christmas delivery.

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How Long Do Photobooks Take to Arrive: Ordering from MYPICTURE

If you order your photobook from MYPICTURE, you’re choosing a respected provider with a long history of making premium custom prints. Our popularity among the public is shown by the excellent reviews we get on review sites such as Trustpilot.

And we get your top-quality photobooks to your door fast! Just look at these production and delivery times:

Production: 4 working days

Shipping: 3-5 working days

Total delivery time: 7-9 working days

If you're looking for a photobook that gives you beautiful print quality, a wide range of design templates and custom features, and arrives direct at your door super-quick, MYPICTURE is the service for you!

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