The printing industry has come a long way from the days when A3 printers ruled every office. Now, with A4 devices becoming more sophisticated and businesses keeping a closer eye on costs and space, choosing between A3 and A4 isn’t just about paper size – it’s about balancing productivity, space, and budget in today’s evolving workplace.
Hot Tip: Most A4 devices offer the same functionality as an A3 device, they just can’t print on 11×17 inch paper.
Here’s what you need to know to help your customers make the right call.
The A3 Printer
The A3 printer has long been a stalwart in the business world, excelling at managing letter (8.5 x 11 inches), legal (8.5 x 14 inches) and the larger ledger (11 x 17 inches) paper types with ease. Renowned for its versatility, the A3 printer has been a reliable workhorse, meeting the diverse printing needs of businesses across various industries.
Pros of an A3 printer:
- Can print on all 3 paper sizes
- Professional-quality output for presentations and graphics
- Some offer advanced finishing capabilities like folding and booklet making
- May provide a lower cost per impression if customer is printing high volumes
“Less than 3% of offices print on 11 x 17 inch paper.” – Office Tech Insider
Cons of A3 Printer:
- More expensive than A4 printers
- Up to 66% more service required than A3 printers
- Takes up more physical space
- Higher hardware purchase or lease cost
- May be overkill if you rarely need ledger size printing
The decision mainly depends on whether you regularly need to print onto 11 x 17 paper. For occasional printing of ledger documents, using a print shop might be more cost-effective.
The A4 Printer
In today’s business environment, the A4 printer has become an attractive option over the A3 for businesses and is outselling them by a wide margin. Often referred to as a “desktop device,” the A4 printer seamlessly integrates into workspaces of all sizes, offering convenience, practicality and affordability. Its adaptability, coupled with cost-efficient performance, makes it a preferred choice for businesses seeking to streamline everyday document printing tasks with ease and reliability.
Pros of A4 printer:
- Lower purchase and lease cost
- Compact size
- Affordable running costs
- Comparable print speeds
- Optional large paper capacity online
- Simple to operate
- Advanced security protection
- Easy to move / relocate
Cons of A4 printer:
- Limited to letter and legal paper sizes
- May need print shop for special jobs
Critical Discovery Questions: Understanding Your Customer’s Printing Needs
Before recommending any printer solution, ask these five essential questions to uncover what your customers truly need:
1. How much printing are you doing on 11 x 17 inch paper? With less than 3% of printed pages done on ledger size paper, it’s likely that your prospect doesn’t need to spend more for an oversize A3 device. But for customers who only occasionally need larger formats, consider recommending a reliable A4 for daily tasks and partnering with a local print shop for those special projects. This approach often delivers significant savings in both cost and valuable office space.
2. What types of online finishing are you looking for? While A3 devices traditionally cornered the market on professional finishing options, today’s advanced A4s are challenging that narrative. Many advanced A4s offer impressive finishing capabilities like stapling, folding, and hole-punching. Help your customers understand which specific finishing features matter most to their workflows.
3. What Are Your Monthly Volume Requirements? Here’s a practical guideline: For customers printing under 3,000 pages monthly, an A4 device typically hits the sweet spot for efficiency and cost. When volume exceeds 10,000 pages, an A3’s robust architecture may offer consistent performance from a larger print engine. For volumes between these benchmarks, consider factors like document complexity and peak usage patterns to make the right call – or sell them two A4 devices!
4. Where do you plan to place the printer? Office real estate matters. A3 devices command roughly a 3’x3′ footprint, while A4s operate comfortably in about 2’x2′ and can be easily placed on a table or elevated platform. Remember to account for paper tray extensions and user access space in your planning. This consideration becomes especially crucial in modern, space-conscious office environments.
5. How Do Budget and ROI Factor In? While A4 devices offer attractive upfront pricing, don’t let your customers focus solely on acquisition costs. For high-volume operations, an A3’s efficiency in supplies and maintenance may deliver better long-term value. Help them understand the total cost of ownership, including the life cycle cost of the hardware, consumables and service.
5 Dealer Profit Opportunities in Every A4 Deal
Smart dealers know that Q4 is prime selling season, with nearly 80% of SMBs closing their fiscal year on December 31st. As businesses look to maximize tax advantages through year-end purchases, now is the perfect time to optimize your profit strategy. These five key profit centers are the place to start!
1. Cash Flow Profitability
At ISI our Flooring Program gives dealers the opportunity to manage cash flow to maximize profitability. Our Flooring Program gives participating dealers 90 days to one-year flooring to pay for hardware, parts, and supplies at NO CHARGE!
2. Freight Costs
ISI has reduced or even eliminated rising freight fees to maximize profits. In fact, we offer our dealers a free freight program on all orders over $500. Savings that flow directly to your bottom line.
3. Drop Ship Savings
ISI dealers drop-ship 60% of their deliveries to their end-users. This means reduced costs of goods sold. By drop-shipping products and suppliers directly to customers, ISI dealers eliminate receiving, storing, and reshipping fees.
4. Pre-Configuration Savings
Pre-configuration is our most popular services. By having us pre-configure your customers’ products before delivery with asset tags, IP addresses, firmware upgrades, and more, you reduce or eliminate installation set-up times, accelerate deliveries, and cut on-site costs.
5. Sales Rep Rewards
ISI pays cash incentives and rewards on our entire product line including even the smallest desktop printers!
At Impression Solutions, we start with great pricing and then work to eliminate related costs. Our value-add services can help you differentiate your business from your competitors and eliminate avoidable hard and soft costs to protect your margins and grow your profitability!
Want to learn more? Take our Dealer Profitability Challenge and see where you stand! Book a 30-minute profit discovery conversation with an ISI representative today!
About ISI
Impression Solutions Inc. is a value-add, full-service distributor of printing and imaging solutions. ISI offers their dealers, resellers and their end users unparalleled service and support as an OEM full line authorized distributor of Kyocera monochrome and color printers, MFPs, Wide Format Printers, printer accessories, printer supplies and customized printing solutions.
Recent launches include Virtual Inventory Services and IS Docs, a turnkey Document Management program for Imaging Dealers to grow their monthly recurring revenues (MRR).
ISI maintains a full inventory of over 2,200 SKUs of printer products ready for same-day shipment from their 35,000 square feet of warehousing space in 5 distribution centers from coast to coast.
