looking for advice on buying vdp system for small shop

[MadG]

I have been working with a small company producing signs, we want to start producing mailers for some businesses in the area we are looking at about 25,000 a month at first and I am trying to find a printer / press for around 25000.00, this newbie could use some advice / solution on where to begin.
thanks in advance.
Rick

[PlanetDave]

Hi Rick,
There are a few details you left out. Are you printing Color or B&W? What type of stock do you intend to print on and do you want more capabilities that what you need. Your heading says VDP system. Are you also looking for software? Do you need just VDP software or do you also need mailing software? Does your budget of 25,000 include software?
When you answer these questions people will be able to give you better advice.

[JayDA]

What you're asking is a VERY broad question with about a million answers:

VDP design software, start with these:

gmc.net (Printnet T)
xmpie.com
printable.com (Fusionpro)
objectiflune.com (PrintshopMail and PlanetPress)
designmerge.com (Plugin for Quark and InDesign)
jetletter.net
creo.com (Darwin)

Every print vendor (Konica, Xerox, etc.) also has their own flavor of vdp offering, sometimes they rebrand other software.

My main business is direct mail, read up...there is a lot to learn. A good discussion of the various flavors of presort software appears here:

A Good Addressing/Sorting Program

If you tell me exactly what you are asking, I will do my best to help you.

[Edward Tsui]

difficult to position your requiremnt. frankly to say, 25000 A4 printing volume is not a big number. we can printout to PDF format (one filed variable text and barcode) in less than 1 minute using our software. So the key concern is the complex level of your mailer, your budget and the expectation of your own VDP business development.