15 Things To Know Before Using Walmart Printing Services in 2022: The Ultimate Insider’s Guide
As an ecommerce seller, I rely heavily on printing services for my business. Producing product packaging, marketing materials, branding assets and more with speed and quality is essential. Like many other sellers, I’ve found Walmart to be a surprisingly great option for handling these printing needs through their partnerships with FedEx Office and Walmart Photo Centers conveniently located in stores.
After utilizing Walmart printing services for years, I’ve learned the ins and outs of how to get the best results. If you need printing done, Walmart likely has you covered. Here are 15 key things to know:
1. Overview of Walmart Printing Services
Walmart provides a wide range of printing services by partnering with FedEx Office and utilizing their own in-store Photo Centers. This gives customers access to professional quality printing on-demand at affordable prices.
Key options include:
Business printing – Business cards, brochures, banners, posters, marketing materials, etc.
Photos – Standard prints, canvas prints, photo books, calendars, cards, custom photo gifts etc.
Personalized gifts – Photo books, calendars, canvases, blankets, mugs and more
Invitations – Weddings, birthdays, baby showers, parties
Nearly any printing need for business or personal use can be fulfilled conveniently through Walmart’s services.
2. FedEx Office Partnership
FedEx Office powers the professional and business printing options available from Walmart. According to Walmart, over 1,800 of their stores now have a FedEx Office location inside. This makes it easy to place and pick up business printing orders.
FedEx Office can handle jobs like binding projects, large format poster printing, outdoor signage and more that a standard photo printer cannot accommodate.
3. Walmart Photo Center Capabilities
Even stores without a FedEx Office have a Walmart Photo Center for printing photos and photo gifts. These are automated kiosks and mini-labs located in the Picture Department.
The Photo Center excels at consumer photo printing including standard prints, enlargements, posters, collages, canvas prints, calendars, cards and more. Turnaround can be as fast as one hour for many products.
4. Place Orders Online for Pickup
Ordering prints and customized photo gifts is extremely easy thanks to the online tools Walmart provides. You can upload files and images from your computer or print directly from your smartphone camera roll.
Once your order is submitted, you simply select your pickup store and the estimated time for completion. Many locations even offer drive-up pickup from your car for added convenience.
5. Expect High Quality Prints
During my time as an ecommerce seller using Walmart’s photo printing regularly, I’ve been consistently impressed with the image quality. Prints are vibrant and crisp.
They use quality Fuji paper and Epson printers that produce lab-quality photos. I would rate the quality equal to or better than standard drugstore print labs.
6. Quick Turnaround Times
One of the biggest perks of using Walmart printing is the fast turnaround. For standard photo prints, pickup is available within 1 hour in many cases if you order in-store or online for pickup same day.
Here are some example print times I’ve experienced:
- 4×6 photo prints – Ready in 1 hour
- 5×7 photo prints – Ready in 1 hour
- 8×10 photo prints – Ready in about 3 hours
- 16×20 poster prints – Ready in 24 hours
- Canvas prints – Ready in about 72 hours
This type of fast turnaround is extremely valuable for both personal and business printing needs.
7. Affordable Pricing
Beyond convenience and quality, Walmart printing is very affordable compared to standalone print shops and kiosks. For example:
- A 4×6 glossy photo print is just 9 cents
- An 8×10 enlargement is only $2.97
- A 20×30 poster print is $19.94
They often run specials like 25 4×6 prints for $5 or 50% off canvas prints as well. This can add up to major savings.
| Print Size | Walmart Price |
|---|---|
| 4×6 print | $0.09 |
| 5×7 print | $0.74 |
| 8×10 print | $2.97 |
| 20×30 poster | $19.94 |
8. Convenient Locations
With over 1,800 stores featuring FedEx Office and thousands more with Photo Centers, there‘s likely a Walmart print shop near you already.
You can search for locations with specific services using the store finder tools on Walmart’s site and FedEx Office’s site. This makes it easy to find a location en route or near where you live and work.
9. No Need for Appointments
Another perk of Walmart printing is that no appointments are needed. You can walk right in and usually get your order handled in minutes. The self-service kiosks also allow you to quickly place routine photo orders yourself.
During holidays and peak times, they may get busier than normal. But in general, the ordering process is streamlined for speed and convenience.
10. Accepts Various File Types
When ordering professional printing through FedEx Office, they accept all major file types:
- Images: JPEG, GIF, TIFF, PNG
- Documents: PDF, Word, PowerPoint, Excel
For optimal quality, submit high resolution images/files if possible. But they can work with most standard formats which makes the process very straightforward.
11. Avoid Copyright Issues
One key rule to avoid headaches is not attempting to print any copyrighted or trademarked materials. Walmart printing services adhere to copyright law.
Stick to printing only original content and assets owned by you. The printers will inspect orders and reject any submissions appearing to violate trademarks, patents or creative copyrights.
12. Utilize Design Templates
To ease the design process, Walmart provides access to professionally designed print templates through partners like Canva.
Simply choose a category like business cards, banners, invitations, etc. and customize one of the professionally created layouts. This makes it easy to produce great looking printed pieces.
13. Check FedEx Office Hours
If visiting a FedEx Office location inside Walmart, be aware their hours differ from the main store hours. FedEx Office is generally open 9am to 6pm, while the main Walmart may operate longer hours.
Double check location hours online or by calling ahead to avoid wasted trips. The Walmart store finder provides specific operating hours for the FedEx Office.
14. Expect Top-Notch Customer Service
In my experience, the associates working the Walmart printing areas are always friendly, knowledgeable and eager to help. They want to make sure you get exactly what you need.
The service experience is just as good as specialized print shops, and much better than automated kiosks and photo labs. This expertise goes a long way.
15. Satisfaction Guarantee
One final benefit to mention is Walmart’s satisfaction guarantee. If you are unhappy with a photo or print order for any reason, returns and reprints are accepted within 90 days.
Between the quality, convenience, service and peace of mind, Walmart printing checks all the boxes. I highly recommend taking advantage of these services for both personal and business needs.
