Things to Consider Before Selecting Thermal Paper Rolls
Many businesses have found thermal paper rolls highly reliable for their printing needs. And this begs the question, what is thermal paper used for? Being the preferred option in POS systems, fax machines, ATMs, and credit and debit card machines, thermal paper carries the day when it comes to receipt printing. While they’re spot on in printing, purchasing thermal paper can be an uphill task.
Though there are many thermal paper rolls you can buy, the rule of thumb is to purchase premium quality printing paper. The subpar paper carries the risk of fading prematurely, which can hinder adequate inventory tracking compounded upon being a nuisance to clients.
What size should you buy?
Many business owners agree that the size of thermal paper is imperative; indeed, the most important question to answer is, what size of paper does your thermal printer require? Thermal paper comes in varying sizes and characteristics – both length, thickness, and coatings depending on what you intend to use the paper roll for.
Therefore, you should be certain of the dimensions of paper you are looking to purchase because this will also influence the quality of the final imprint as well as your printing speeds. If you are not sure of the size, reach out to us to iron things out and buy the right size for your machine.
Low or High Sensitivity POS Paper Rolls?
As stated earlier, thermal paper requires a thermal head to leave imprints of texts or images on the receipts. Therefore, sensitivity implies the amount of heat or energy required by the POS roll to facilitate printing. In this case, you either have low or high-sensitivity thermal paper, each with varying degrees of print quality and shelf life. Thus, if you know what your business requires, you can make huge savings.
However, the tricky part is that the relationship between sensitivity and the recommended thermal printer is inverse. For instance, the low-sensitivity thermal paper uses a high-energy thermal printer, and conversely, a low-energy thermal printer is ideal for high-sensitivity POS paper rolls. As it is cheaper to purchase low-sensitivity paper rolls, a business-conscious move would be investing in a top-grade high-energy printer.
Value for Money Thermal Paper
There are unique ways of knowing that the POS thermal roll you are purchasing is quality. One of the quality indicators is the brightness of the paper – the brighter it gets, the higher the quality. You can also check for the legibility of ink and contrast levels in the same light. While quality paper is expensive, those who have an eye for detail will enjoy higher quality and extended shelf life. In the long term, using low-grade thermal paper results in more machine breakdowns and paper jams which bite a huge chunk off the bottom-line.
Humidity Level
If the prevalent conditions include high environmental humidity, you should consider purchasing moisture-resilient thermal paper rolls. While you could get tempted to buy normal thermal paper, when these are left in moisture-rich conditions for a long time, printed receipts deteriorate faster. However, if you opt for moisture-proof POS paper or a roll made from synthetic material, the added protection safeguards against loss of printed text or images. Thus, the receipts stay legible for longer.
Future Utilization
If you will be using thermal paper rolls after they are printed, factor in how long you intend to store them. This means that the POS roll you select should have a long shelf life to ensure that documents are available for reference at later dates. Therefore, if your business requires thermal paper rolls that last longer, choose rolls that have impeccable resistance against heat, moisture, and other damaging elements normally found around the environment.
Quantity to Purchase
Your order volume depends on the projected number of transactions that will be handled. Once you know the number of paper rolls you should buy, you should buy your POS rolls in bulk and save more since you will likely purchase your inventory at a discount. Also, keep at the top of your head how long the paper rolls can be stored—factor in aspects such as available storage space as well as the roll’s longevity. Ideally, it would be best to store your POS rolls in a dark room with low humidity and at room temperature (77oF or 25oC) and be well wrapped to avoid hazards in the environment. This extends shelf life by at least three years, and you will have a reserve supply of printing paper, and you will avert a crisis of likely running out of thermal rolls sooner than expected.
These factors are straightforward and will lead you to your desired objectives if you stick to them when selecting a thermal paper.