Frequently Asked Questions

• Plastic Auction Paddles
• Oversize Spotter Paddles
• Promotional Paddles
• Labels/Decals/Stickers
• Sponsorship Labels (with removable adhesive usually)
• For table #, Name, Donation details
• Variable data printing of guest names, table # etc. (provide excel file)
• Numbered Paper Bidder cards - 7 styles to choose from
• Numbered Paper Bidder cards with tear-off stubs
• "Soft" signage
• "Hard" signage
• Heat-bent table tents
• Table number stanchions (theme matching)
• Retractable banners
• Vinyl and Fabric Banners
• Super Large cut out printed letters, numbers, and shapes
• Picture frame props
• Oversized checks
• Door Tags
• ID Membership Cards
• POP displays and signage
• Custom shaped magnets/Vehicle Magnets
• Custom Lifesize cutout standees
• Ornamental door letters
• Real-Estate site-signs
• Custom shaped chalk boards
• Custom Lawn Nativity Sets
• Plastic key fobs
• Directional Signage (Easel + Handheld)
• UV-Flatbed Digital Printing
• Custom cutting services

Well, the way we produce our paddles depends on a number of things. And the way in which we produce our paddles has even changed quite a bit since we began in 2003.

Currently, the simple answer for 'most' of our paddles is:

1. We digitally print to full sheets of plastic using a very large digital flatbed inkjet printer. Sheets of plastic are 4'x 8' and 5'x 8' in size. One of the printers we currently use is a Fujifilm Advance Select X2 double-wide flatbed printer. It is a HUGE piece of equipment and weighs about 5,000 lbs. It can print substrates that are up to 8' x 10' in size.
2. Once we have printed the numbers, graphics, photos, images or whatever is called for, we take the sheet of printed plastic over to our flatbed digital cutter where we then cut out the paddles into the particular-shaped paddles.

Now, beyond the various 'sheet' plastics we use, we also have a line of very rigid, sturdy, 'permanent' paddles that are actually manufactured by way of injection molding.

We make our paddles from several different reusable plastics. BTW, 3mm (millimeters)= about 1/8"

These are our usual materials:

• BasicPRO model - 3mm BubbleX (made by Primex)--- Polypropylene, knife cut: This plastic material is better than what we previously were making ourselves for the last 20 years-we used to make our own stuff (called Cartonplast) but this BubbleX material is simply better in several ways.
• ValuePRO model - 4mm BubbleX (made by Primex)--- Polypropylene, knife cut Thicker and super rigid.
• PremiumPRO3, PremiumPRO4, PremiumPRO6 models - 3mm, 4mm, 6mm thick Sintra & Komatex (brand) PVC--- Expanded PVC, routed
• PlatinumPRO - "Permanent" paddles--- HIPS [high impact polystyrene], injection molded

The Cartonplast brand of polypropylene is a direct competitor to Coroplast. Where Coroplast has the dominant market share here in the US, Cartonplast seems to be dominant in Europe and the UK. ORBIS Corporation makes our material.

When we first started out (2003) we thought we'd use the typical 4mm Coroplast plastic material for our basic paddles. But we soon came to see that, while they had rigidity, once the paddle was folded it didn't look so great and that it didn't resist pressure too well against the flutes.

NOTE: Effective 2-2025 I'm happy to announce that we have a NEW plastic we are using for our BasicPRO and ValuePRO lines of corrugated, and it's called BubbleX. This stuff is just so good, and better in many ways. SO excited to bring this plastic to the paddle world! And, btw, NOBODY uses this material for paddles. You'll love it!

So no more Cartonplast now. You may still see references about Cartonplast throughout our site and elsewhere but we have officially made the change to BubbleX.

Yes. Most orders have some type of text and/or graphics (including pictures)

We can print anything to our paddles. We digitally print direct to the plastic surface for the best look and longevity. We can easily provide a number of 'looks' of having your logo(s) and graphic(s) on our paddles... and even before you might want to purchase.

Just email us the graphics you are wanting to use and we'll send back some mockup .pdfs. When it comes to printing graphics we always want to get the best quality you have. "Vector" format is preferred (.ai, .eps, .pdf, .svg) but also higher-resolution .jpg, .gif, .png, .tiff (300 dpi is best). Logos etc. taking from a browser are just 72dpi typically and usually don't work.

PMS matching isn't something we do, but our equipment is dialed-in so colors will be very very close.

No. Since we don't print in 'spot' colors like screenprinters do, and instead print digitally (4-color CMYK process), whether it's all color or just black & white it's all the same to us. Same pricing.

Maybe it should be said "What don't you print?". We have all the high end equipment any large successful sign shop would have, in spite of this being a one-man-shop. Wide-format printers, digital flatbed cutters, roll laminators and the like. So we produce not just plastic paddles but also all types of signage. Decals, stickers, posters, magnets, stretch canvas, banners, and site signs are just some of the items we produce.

See the 'What Do You Guys Make' at the top of the page for a more complete list. We can print and cut (to shape) just about any material that comes on a roll or sheet (plastics or otherwise) as well as very LARGE items.

It depends on their needs. Sometimes budget drives the decision and our BasicPRO line is the right option. When there are sponsors helping to defray the cost of the paddles and the customer really wants the paddles to last several years but they still have to be lower cost, they might go with our ValuePRO line. Because there are so many factors that go into what is the best solution we encourage you to check out our product comparison page that we believe will help you in deciding.

Keep in mind that ALL of our plastics are reusable to varying degrees at different price points. If you're still not sure give us a call to discuss things. We got you! (And we like getting calls)

While it is easy to say "it depends", we can say that in over 20 years of making paddles the majority of our customers begin their numbering sequence with "1". Probably 60%. Next popular is starting at 101. Probably 30%. And then there is everything in-between.

But unless specified otherwise we start at "1".

Along those same lines, don't forget that we also fill-in any of those paddle numbers that might have gone missing. Sometime after your event (or before the next) simply take inventory of what paddle numbers are missing, put the list in Excel and shoot it over to us. You DON'T have to buy a new set of paddles if you don't want to. I know I wouldn't wan to!

Yes.

We will print to one side, both sides, or no sides. Whatever you want.

As stated elsewhere, the website sucks. You wouldn't even know all the things we make based on this current site. Sad, but probably only 115 out of 350 paddle shapes are online as of now (2-2025). Kind of gave up putting more up online since we started development of a new platform. But you can see above what we've produced and produce regularly.

I'm a one-man shop here. And I do it all. And I know what I need to do to make everything better; it's just a resource issue at hand (and always has been). I'm primarily focused on customer satisfaction. If you're willing to reach out to me I know you'll be thrilled with what I make and hopefully the whole experience. I've got great equipment, love what I do, and always do my best to make your event great.

Once the new platform is up (mid to later 2025) things will look VERY different. All paddle products, signage, sponsor labels, VDP of patron labels, with full price transparency and costs included, an online-designer for all products, robust customer portal, place orders for missing paddles directly online and more.

Well, nearly every customer of ours IS a non-profit organization. Because our customers ARE so cost-conscious we've been VERY slow to modify any of our prices over the years. In several instances, our pricing NOW is less than it was 15 years ago. We keep removing cost from our production and procurement processes, and improving efficiences so we can continue to support our customers better.

That said, we HAVE been known to throw an occasional 5% discount around from time to time. You know what they say, "If you don't ask you don't get". Maybe you deserve a little something for the effort for reading this far! Just contact me directly and I'll give you 5% off of your order.

Yup. We do it all the time. We don't expect our prospective customers to understand all this stuff. Which is why we send samples out at no charge to you and look to answer your questions once you receive them. We'll include all of the usual plastics we offer (typically customer extras we've produced) and usually in our oval shape. We'll put shapes you're considering in there as well, if we can find it in our shop that is!

Just let us know. At some point I'll have a page where you can request samples online but right now you'll just need to use the contact-us page, ok? Provide Org, Shipping Address, and phone and we'll get them out. If you want to tell us when your next event is that would helpful so we know your general timeline. No PO boxes please.

We have done as few as just 1 paddle. While this is pretty rare, even orders of 5-10 is not unheard of.

Please don't expect the cost-per-paddle to be the same as the pricing you see online. Common sense says the cost will obviously be more. How much more? Depends. Figure we probably won't be interested in orders of less than perhaps $80 or so. If we are just picking blank paddles readily available then perhaps less. But again it depends. Catch me in a good mood, don't kill me with a complicated request and I might just cut you a break.

Standard production times are 2.5 weeks. From there we have several tiers of rush charges depending on how many production days you give us.

We have produced and shipped orders as fast as the same day. Rush charges apply, of course, but if you need your order badly enough we'll do everything in our power to drop everything and make you our #1 priority. Not sure what to do? Just call us at 866-667-2335.

Because we do all of our own production, and nothing is outsourced, we are able to produce to create and ship and order IMMEDIATELY if need be. Our normal 'quoted' production time is 2.5 weeks or 13 working days (typically), but we quite often are asked to produce and ship much more quickly. We use FedEx pretty much exclusively.

We've also been known to give some of our shipping discounts to rush order, just as a courtesy. Because we can. And it's a nice thing to do. If you are already paying a rush charge for a more last-minute order, I can often offer you discount shipping. But only if you ask "nicely" [think Jack Nicholson in A Few Good Men] Haha.

Well, it depends. (What other answer were you really expecting)

How long our paddles will last depends on several factors. Most of our customers use their paddles 1-3 times per year. Many only use them once a year. For ANY of our paddle materials, if treated properly, we expect years of use and re-use.

In the spring of 2025 we switched out the BasicPRO and ValuePRO paddle lines with a new (better) plastic called BubbleX. We HAD been making our own corrugated plastic material (called Cartonplast) in a proprietary form for the last 20 years and were having it made to our exact specifications

and it has been a key product differentiator for us all this time. It was the best lower-cost reusable paddle you could buy. And with great value. But since we discovered BubbleX (made by Primex), this next-generation corrugated plastic has simply blown us away. It is hands-down better in a number of ways.

So we've switched. It's a big internal change to our small business to navigate this change, but it simply the best product out there now and we're comitted to using it for our BasicPRO and ValuePRO lines. The quality will blow you away. And I think we've only tweaked pricing $0.10 a paddle despite the sheet cost to use being twice the cost.

We use FedEx for our shipping. Occasionally we will use USPS for shipments to Hawaii or Puerto Rico as there USPS has best rates.

Yes. We charge $10 for ground packages and $25 for Express shipments when using your FedEx account.

Yes. We can ship anywhere FedEx goes. For our international customers we also give them OUR COST on shipping. This is typically about 1/2 the retail rate as found on their website.

We want to be as competitive as possible around the world! If you need to know what the shipping might be shipping to you just contact us and ask.

Absolutely! We ARE essentially a sign shop. And we DO produce all of the types of products say, a Fast Signs produces. All of it. It's just that our CORE business revolves around auction paddles and event signage. Once we get our custom website up (summer-fall 2025) you'll be able to see and order most any type of signage as well.

YES, we do it all of the time. I usually have to spend maybe 2-2.5 hours working on a design, depending on complexity, so while I can't afford to spend that amount of time "just to see" if you are serious and have buy-in to doing something different, new, or unique, I'll probably go ahead and spend my time. Without a comittment on your part.

When needed, we can produce an order very quickly, moving it to the front of the production queue.

Depending on the time of day we might even be able to ship it the same day. If you need a RUSH order very quickly please email us (john at betterbidders dot com) and give us a shout via phone.