Cost is contained and risk is limited. Costs are typically lower than in-house, although prices vary widely.
Vendors can handle large volume and high throughput.
Expertise, training, technology obsolescence costs are absorbed by vendors. A broad range of options and services is available, including imaging, metadata creation, enhancements, processing, encoding, derivative creation, printing, storing and backup, database development. Institution removes one step from imaging functions and services often performed offsite or even offshore. Vendor instability creates vulnerability. Institution may be subject to hard sell on existing products and services typically designed for business market.