Someone phoned me up the other day in a very unhappy state.

They had placed an order via an online print supplier, and things had not gone according to plan in terms of the promised delivery of the job.

Few things make me more depressed than hearing about someone having a bad experience with a printing company.

Worse, this customer is based in another country, so is attempting to sort out the wrangle long-distance.

When I looked into it, it became pretty apparent that, via an internet search, the buyer had unfortunately alighted on a company that was not what it seemed.

The firm’s website gave the impression that it was a printing company, but there were clues in the location (on an upper floor of a city centre address) that meant it was unlikely to have the necessary printing equipment of its own.

Also, it was difficult to pin down the exact company name, and things like the registered company number were nowhere to be found on the site.

All of this sounded a warning klaxon here. As the famous cartoon says, “on the internet, nobody knows you’re a dog”. Unfortunately, a dog of a business can also put up a website frontage that masks the smelly actuality.

It also put me in mind of our recent article about online reviews. When handing over thousands of pounds to a remote supplier, it’s definitely a good idea to check out their bona fides first.

Apart from being frustrated that this print buyer hadn’t asked “Jo’s Help Line” for advice first – I could have pointed him at any number of pukka print suppliers able to produce this work properly – this sorry saga also highlighted an important point.

Do make sure that all the things that lend credence to your status as a business of substance and repute are easy to find on your own website, and clear for all to see.