Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why a Purple Cow?
Our company president, Grant Maupin knew two things from his past experiences when he started our company. One was that he knew he either wanted an unusual name or a catchy logo. The second thing he knew was that he wanted our color to be purple. Armed with that information he began to brainstorm. Then he remembered going to the movies when he was a kid and getting the purple cow suckers. The rest is pretty much history. He began the process of getting logos drawn up and finding the perfect purple. It is a lot of fun to have people guess what PC stands for on the logo too.

Q: Are you a franchise?
No, we are locally owned and operated. Both the Ankeny and West Des Moines locations are owned by Grant Maupin and Bill Lankford.

Q: Can you print on envelopes?
Yes we can, and we can do it quicker than most print shops. Our process is digital instead of off-set, which means there is no set up or drying time involved in printing your envelopes. In most cases you can have them in 2-3 working days on a standard stock.

Q: Do you do mail merges?
Yes we do! If you need advice on how to correctly setup your Microsoft® Excel file for merging, feel free to give us a call. 

Q: Can you print on my Wedding Invitation stock?
In most cases we can print on customer's stock as long as it is not smaller than 4x6. Bring it in and let us give it a try.

Q: Can you add the addresses to my postcard mailing?
Yes. Even if you’ve already had your printing done and want to add something else, we can usually print on smaller stocks as long as they aren’t smaller than 4x6.

Q: Why is a digital file better?
When printing, an original copy printed from the computer file is always going to look better than a copy from a piece of paper. Every generation of copy from a copy gets worse, but with digital files every copy is an original and shows so in the quality of the finished product.

Q: Will laminating something make it waterproof?
Yes and no. If the lamination is bigger than the piece of paper being laminated, it will be sealed all the way around the edge. However if we trim to the lamination, or in the case of a mounted poster, the edges are left unsealed and rain or water can seep into your document. It is always a good idea to discuss the circumstances in which your project will be placed with your printer.

Q: What is the difference between digital printing and offset printing?
Off-set printing is a process that begins with an image on a computer, the image is burned onto plates then transferred to rubber, then ink, usually wet, is then applied to the substrate. There is pre-press work, bindery and many steps in between, but so you understand it is a process with several steps and can take some time. Digital printing is a process that takes the image from the computer file and puts it directly onto the paper or substrate. This process uses dry inks or toners and requires no drying time or pre-press preparation. That is why PC Print Center can turn around your projects so quickly.

Q: How big of a file can I send you via email, via website upload?
E-mail works great for small files. (under 5 mb) For your larger files (up to 100 mb)  please use our upload a file feature on our website.  For very large files it may be necessary to bring them in to our nearest location. Remember that if you're a local customer in the Des Moines Metro area, the purple cow can pick up for free. Please don't tell anyone we let the cow drive! :)

Q: What is a PMS color, and why does it cost more?
A PMS color is a specific and often registered logo color. i.e.: the Pepsi red and blue. It costs extra because to get the perfect color takes time and a process that can require a lot of sampling before we get it just right. The same charges may apply to color match something even if it is not a PMS color, but needs to be very specific color for your project(s).

Q: Can you fix my laptop?
PC actually stands for Purple Cow, not personal computer so the answer is no. Sorry about that.