Why You Should NOT Use Vistaprint

Been thinking of using Vistaprint to build or host your website? Hold that thought. This article might change your mind - and we sure hope it will!

In this digital age, creating a good first impression plays a crucial role in the success of your business. Having a professionally made and well-thought-of website, business card, and other marketing materials creates the impression that you’re credible, legit, and that you’re the right company for the job.  

First impressions are more than just feelings or opinions. They can affect your company in a variety of ways, from customer acquisition to sales and marketing, up to customer loyalty. That’s why it’s so important to impress your visitors from the first click and on every customer touchpoint possible.  

If you’re a small business owner looking to make a good impression on your prospects through a great website and quality business card, then you’ve probably heard about Vistaprint. It’s hard not to notice this company, thanks to their super cheap deals and offerings!  

Something in us says that it’s too good to be true. Come to think of it, there’s no such thing as free when it comes to high-quality, professional service.  

As soon as we discovered that they’re offering 500 business cards for $9.99 only, and that they’re giving users a one-month free trial for a nice website, we figured they were up to something. After doing some research, our suspicions were on point. Here’s what we found:  

Why Should You Not Use Vistaprint for Your Website?

Poor Quality Site

Vistaprint targets small business owners because most of them don’t really know what makes a good website or how to build one. They draw customers in with their extremely low pricing, along with the fact that their website builder requires zero coding knowledge.  

However, Vistaprint’s website builder is very basic.  A lot of their sites look unprofessional and they blatantly disobey design principles.  

Although you have the freedom to choose from their extensive library of design templates, there’s a big chance that you’ll end up having a site that looks similar to others in the same category. A basic and cheap-looking website is not the best way to make a lasting impression on your visitors.  

At first, we thought that those websites were just part of Vistaprint’s 30-day free trial, hence the unattractive appearance. We had this assumption that they’ll start upgrading the websites once clients avail of their services. This time, our guts got it wrong.

Unfortunately for their clients, their sites remain unchanged, despite purchasing their packages. The company was never cheap in the first place, which brings us to our next point…..

Vistaprint Charges You for Things You’d Usually Get for Free

After your 30-day free trial ends, Vistaprint starts charging you anywhere from $5 to $25 per month for their website builder services, $35 to $55 per month for their website design services, and $35 per month for their website redesign services.  

You might think that their pricing sounds reasonable and may come off as cheap compared to others -until you realize that they’re actually ripping you off. Those features they’re charging you for are actually offered for free elsewhere.

Not Optimized for SEO

To increase your website’s online visibility and searchability, it needs to be optimized for SEO. Doing this ensures that potential customers can find you every time they search for the products or services you offer. It’s also important to submit your website to search engines so they know you exist.  

Guess what? Vistaprint is not optimized for SEO. You can’t rely on them to submit your site either.

So, if you decide to let them build or design your website, chances of you getting discovered by your target audience are slim.  

SEO can be tricky, especially since search engine algorithms keep changing from time to time. It’s best to hire SEO experts for the best results.  

You Are Limited to Their Website Builder

Despite paying for Vistaprint’s premium service, you’re still limited to their website builder. Plus, you can’t add your own code (whether it’s html, css, or php), which restricts your ability to improve and optimize your website.  

You Need to Buy Back Your Domain Name

Technically, you don’t own your domain name. You’re only leasing it from the domain registrar company you register it to.  

Nevertheless, your domain name belongs to you until your registration expires, or even if you cancel your plan.  

This is another area Vistaprint fails at. They will require you to buy your domain back from them so you can continue using it after switching to another provider.

But hey, at least they will allow you to retrieve your domain, unlike other web hosting services like GoDaddy and Yellow Pages Company. That is, if you’re still willing to pay them again!

When choosing a web design or web hosting company, see to it that they don’t take your domain name if ever you decide to cancel your plan. Make sure you have jurisdiction over your domain name.  

You Won’t Get 24/7 Support

A reliable web hosting service provides support 24 hours, seven days a week. With Vistaprint not being a real host, don’t expect to get help anytime you need one.  

What happens if your website experiences trouble during the wee hours of morning? Who will you call for assistance?  If it doesn’t get fixed immediately, there’s a huge possibility that you’ll  lose traffic and sales!  

Why Should You Not Use Vistaprint for Your Business Cards?

Low-Quality Printing

With Vistaprint, you only need to shell out $9.99 to print 500 pieces of business cards. That’s very cheap compared to other printing services, and almost impossible!  

So, how exactly was Vistaprint able to do it? Here’s their secret: They make their cards as cheap as possible to cut costs while still being able to make a profit.  

You can really tell the difference when you look at their business cards next to a more trustworthy supplier. Sometimes, their cards are smaller and the material is thinner. At the end of the day, you get what you pay for.  

Poor Quality Business Cards Can Affect Your Credibility

First impressions can go a long way, especially for small businesses. You want to look and feel as legitimate as possible so that potential customers will feel confident doing business with you. That’s why it’s important to invest not just in a good quality website, but also in other marketing materials like your business cards.  

Bad Customer Service

So far, Vistaprint has been getting a lot of negative feedback in terms of customer service.  

Many of their clients complained about getting put on hold for 20 minutes or longer when they contacted the company for support. Others reported that they weren’t able to receive the items they ordered months ago.

A reputable printing company is always ready to help you and is proactive in dealing with problems. Sad to say, Vistaprint isn’t one.  

Still a Bit Hesitant About Our Vistaprint Review?

If you don’t believe this Vistaprint review, you better take a look at the 110 customer complaints at The Better Business Bureau for further evidence. The company’s 61% negative review rating might just be your deciding factor.

Also, why settle for mediocrity when you can always choose to partner with the best?  

If you need help creating a stunning website that’s not only functional but also fast and SEO optimized, then Digital Resource is your perfect choice.  

We are an internet marketing company and we work smart to help businesses of all sizes achieve their goals and reach greater heights through effective digital marketing. We also design business cards and other marketing materials! Contact us today for inquiries!