What are the smudges and scuffs on our postcards and greeting cards/ self mailers?
This doesn't happen during printing, but in the sorting and mailing process after it's left Stannp.
Smears and smudges are an industry-wide issue that has been extensively researched by our Production team. We've found that the high-speed sorting machines used by postal providers are what typically cause these scuff marks.
Stannp digitally prints postcards and greeting cards/ self-mailers, which instantly bonds to the paper stock. Unlike the traditional ink-jet (wet-ink cartridges) style home printing you might be familiar with.
Mail sorting machines and the machine rollers can get pretty hot! If postcards or greeting cards/ self-mailers get exposed to the belts for a millisecond longer than they're supposed to, they're at the risk of getting abrasions. This is not an isolated incident for our printer or for our mailers and happens in many regions (USPS in the US, Royal Mail in the UK, Canada Post in CA, and beyond).
Letters do not get smudged or scuffed as they are enveloped.
Read more about how Stannp maintains high quality printing in this blog post.
We are unfortunately unable to provide a refund or credits for these smudge marks.