| If you are in retail, food service or the hospitality | | | | the quality of the paper, and it has a surprisingly large |
| industry, chances are that you are using at least one | | | | effect on the quality of the print. This is true even with |
| machine that uses thermal paper. Whether the | | | | standard printers, but it is all the more true when the |
| machine is a credit card processor, a cash register, a | | | | ‘ink’ is actually part of the paper as it is with |
| fax machine or a complete point of sale system, you | | | | thermal paper. |
| will find that there is a wide difference in the quality of | | | | One important factor in choosing the right thermal |
| the thermal paper available for use with them. | | | | paper for your business is how important and how |
| What is thermal paper? | | | | enduring the print quality is with a specific paper. The |
| Thermal paper is paper that is impregnated with heat | | | | pigment in many lower quality thermal papers is |
| sensitive chemicals, often with a top coat or sealer. | | | | subject to fading within a short time of printing. If you |
| The pigmented chemicals darken when exposed to | | | | rely on printed receipts for your record-keeping, then it |
| heat, as when they are passed over a heated printer | | | | will be important for you to choose a thermal paper |
| head. While thermal paper used to be expensive, the | | | | that will stand up to time. This is not as important if you |
| prices have come down considerably in recent years | | | | use a point of sale system that stores all transactions. |
| as the use of thermal printing systems and thermal | | | | Your customers, however, will very likely appreciate |
| paper has increased. The increased competition and | | | | the extra attention to quality when they find |
| better technology has made thermal paper for | | | | themselves trying to balance a checkbook or credit |
| receipts, credit card receipts and food service tickets | | | | card invoice using receipts that they can actually read. |
| the state of the art for point of sale technologies. | | | | What’s the significance of A-grade when applied |
| How to choose thermal paper for your business | | | | to thermal paper? |
| There are a number of factors to consider when | | | | While there are many different kinds of thermal paper, |
| choosing thermal paper that is right for your business. | | | | there are two grades of paper that are most |
| Those factors range from the size your machines | | | | commonly used with POS systems - "A" grade and |
| require to the quality of the paper to the price per roll. | | | | "TMP" economy grade. The biggest difference |
| Here is a look at things you should consider when | | | | between the two is the brightness of the paper. A |
| trying to determine which type of thermal paper is right | | | | grade thermal paper is much brighter white than |
| for your business. | | | | economy paper, which means higher contrast and |
| What point of sale machines do you have? | | | | better legibility of the printing. "A" grade thermal paper |
| The most obvious requirement for your thermal paper | | | | is more expensive than economy grade, as might be |
| is that it fits your machines. Thermal paper is available | | | | expected, but it will give your business a much more |
| in a wide range of widths and lengths. Most machine | | | | professional image. You will have to decide yourself |
| manuals recommend using a specific size and some | | | | whether the additional cost is worth it. |
| may recommend a specific brand of thermal paper to | | | | There is one other reason you might consider using |
| use for best results. If you use the wrong size or type | | | | higher quality thermal paper with your POS equipment. |
| of paper in your machines, you could invalidate your | | | | Lower quality paper gives off more dust when going |
| equipment’s warranty. Even using paper that is too | | | | through the printer, which can contribute to machine |
| small for your machine can have an impact on your | | | | breakdown and paper jams. The investment in higher |
| bottom line. Using POS thermal paper that is the | | | | quality paper could pay off in time saved doing |
| highest diameter and width accepted by your machine | | | | maintenance on your point of sale system. |
| will increase the number of receipts that you will get | | | | How about the cost? |
| from each roll and decrease the amount of time you | | | | There are many ways that you can save on the cost |
| will have to spend changing the rolls. | | | | of your point of sale replies without sacrificing quality. |
| Why is the paper important to quality? | | | | One of the best is to shop online with a supplier of |
| There are two major factors in the print quality of the | | | | POS thermal paper and other POS supplies. By |
| receipts and information printed out by your POS, FAX | | | | shopping online, you can compare prices and find the |
| and other systems that use thermal paper. The first, of | | | | best deals on quality point of sale paper rolls and |
| course, is the quality of the printer used. The second is | | | | thermal paper. |