Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
TOP 2 QUESTIONS:
1. How long does it take for you to make my order? When will I get my
order?
Short answer: 1 day to prepare your
proof, 2-4 days to produce it after you approve the proof, shipping from
Missouri. But we always want to know your exact needed date even
if these times seem OK because we can get busy. We will be in touch if
you put too tight a needed date for the shipping you have chosen.
Long answer: Click
here
to jump to the longer answer with more details.
2. How do I get my photo or graphic to you?
Where is the upload box?
Short answer: We don't have uploads.
You will separately attach your image in an email. The easiest way is to
reply to the automated confirmation email you will get immediately after
ordering, and attach your image.
Long answer: Click
here
to jump to the longer answer with more details.
OTHER FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS - click on a question to jump to the answer:
Top 2 Questions - Long Answers
1. How long does it take for you to make my order? When will I get my
order?
- We prepare most proofs within a day.
- We ship most orders within 2-4 days after you approve, so watch
your email and respond to your proof promptly. If your spam blocker is overactive,
you might check there.
- We ship lighter, smaller orders via the US Postal Service, and
heavier, larger orders via FedEx Ground. FedEx air is always an
option but will cost more.
Since we ship from Missouri, we recommend these guidelines:
1st class mail => 2 days to states next to MO, up to 5 days
to the coasts
Priority Mail => 2-3 days
FedEx Ground => 2 days to states next to MO, up to 4 days
to the coasts
- We always recommend you give us the date your order is needed,
whether or not according to these timeframes there is "no problem"
getting your order to you on time. If the date is important to you,
we want to know about it.
- If we think you have chosen an inappropriate shipping method,
for example, requesting to have your custom order in 3 days after
you order using 1st class mail, we will be in touch with you. We
will present your shipping options, and if you choose to to
authorize a quicker shipping method, we will add that cost on to
your invoice.
- If we are out of stock, or have partial stock, or any other
similar problem with filling your order, we will let you know your
options right away.
- Remember that our products are custom, made especially for you
with your images, and we can only rush them so much. Even if you
choose FedEx Next Day service, that applies after we proof your
order, you approve it, and we make it. It can take several days for
the order to leave our shop, but then you'll receive it the next day
after we ship.
We do offer an In By 12, Out By 5 rush service for an additional fee. This is in the Shipping Options when you check out, and it requires Next-Day or 2-Day FedEx shipping.
2. How do I get my photo or graphic to you? Where is the upload box?
Our current shopping cart does not support uploads. You will email the photo or graphic to us in a separate email.
It is easiest if you reply to the automated confirmation email,
because it contains your customer number, sometimes called a shopper
ID.
Other Frequently Asked Questions -
Turnaround Time
What if I have a
certain date I need my order?
Please, let us know about this date! We give you a box in the checkout
process called "Date Needed, if there is an event or deadline." Even if
you think there is no problem with getting your order when you need it
according to our normal times, something always could come up. We are
very familiar with all the shipping options and will upgrade at our
expense if we get behind, but we can only do this if we know the date
you need your order.
What shipping method should I choose?
Here are the standard times. Please also add 1 day for proofing and 2-4
days for production. If you absolutely must have it sooner than this, we
do take special note of orders with expedited shipping chosen: Express
Mail, FedEx 2-day, FedEx Next Day.
1st class mail => 2 days to states next to MO, up to 5 days
to the coasts
Priority Mail => 2-3 days
FedEx Ground => 2 days to states next to MO, up to 4 days
to the coasts
Do you have rush service?
Yes, we offer RUSH! In By 12, Out By 5 rush service as a shipping option
in the checkout screen, which includes a rush charge and your choice of
FedEx 2-day or FedEx Next Day service. We have sometimes had customers
choose this option and then not be around to email their image and
approve their proof. Be on the alert, and we don't mind if you follow up
with a phone call to be sure your order is getting expedited.
What if I
don't get my proof?
First, check an overactive spam blocker.
We will follow up within a few days if we haven't heard back after sending your proof, usually without the attachment we sent the first time, because sometimes these kinds of emails make it through a spam blocker when ones with an attachment do not.
Most often, we email you that we haven't heard back on your proof and are pulling up your order to process according to your instructions. Occasionally we will call you because we really need your answer to a question about the order, but most times we proceed with production because your instructions seem clear.
Are certain
products faster to get than others?
Somewhat. Here are the products we make almost daily, so they will get
in and out the quickest of all our products.
- Dog tags
- Patches
- Mugs, at Christmas
- Can coolers
The others have varying degrees of complexity in making or may required hand finishing.
Most products we keep a good supply on hand, but occasionally we
won't have enough inventory to fill your order. We will always let you
know if that is the case on your order, and present your options to you.
Other Frequently Asked Questions - Photos & Images
How do you match up my image with my order?
We like you to put your shopper ID in the subject line, which is done
automatically for you if you respond to the confirmation email you get
right after you order.
But we can still match your photo or image with your order by your name or your email address. In any event, we will email a proof so you can check that everything is correct.
I don't want part of my original photo in my final product. Should I
just crop it away before sending it?
No, please, no! We need more background than you realize in order to
cover the product completely. We can blur or hide a person if we have
to. The work of doing that is tiny compared with the work of creating
background that isn't there.
How big an image do you need?
We can reduce an image's size, but trying to go bigger from a small
image usually doesn't work well.
A good rule of thumb is actual size at 150-300 dpi, also known as ppi. Fabric products can be on the lower end while ceramics and aluminum need to be on the higher end.
What file formats do you work with?
We work with any standard image format. We use CorelDraw and Photoshop.
We can read these file types:
CDR AI EPS PSD PDD PSP TIF JPG WMF GIF DOC PPT PDF
We CANNOT read Publisher files (PUB). You should send a JPG or PDF if you are using this program.
A TIF image (.tif) is usually best for photos, and more pixels are better than less. An EPS or AI image is usually best for graphics as it retains the smooth curves. A PDF image is usually best if you created your design in a newer version of Microsoft Publisher.
We like to work with files of 150-300 dpi. For mousepads, shirts, and tote bags, we need an image you have sized to at least 6x8 so that we can enlarge it without jaggies. This will usually be in the range of 5mb - 7mb, although you can compress that with a program such as Winzip such that you're emailing only 3mb - 5mb. For all other products, we can work with a smaller image and file size of 1mb - 4mb uncompressed.
We use RGB files in a Windows environment. If you have particular spot colors we need to achieve, you can send Pantone colors and we will adjust our print to come very close to those colors.
When in doubt, email us. If we get an image that won't work well, we will contact you before producing a product we don't think you will be happy with.
(Patches) I don't see the background color I want in your list. Can I
get it?
Yes. We have 16.7 million colors at our disposal. Tell us what you would
like, or you can tell us a Pantone color.
I don't see a color chart. What colors do you offer?
Any of 16.7 million colors. We don't have a color chart online because
monitors display differently. That is why if you have access to a
Pantone color chart and you want an exact color, that is the best way to
communicate. But we can work with descriptions like "a deep red, not a
fire engine red and not purple."
Can
I see what my order will look like before you make it?
Yes, that is our standard practice. After you order comes in, we size
your image and prepare it for how we will make your product, and we we
will send you that proof by email for your approval. It will be almost
exactly like you see in the proof, so if there is something that didn't
make it through correctly, such as a missed back side of a dog tag, that
is the time to point it out.
I don't have a scanner or digital camera. How can I get my image to you?
Our least favorite option is for you to mail it for us to scan. That
takes time, and while we always return photos unharmed, there is always
the chance something could happen to your image.
We prefer you to find a friend with a scanner, or to go to a store that offers photo services to get it scanned.
I think my photo/graphic/logo is great. Why are you writing me about its
quality?
Well, sometimes the image isn't as good as you think, sorry to say. We
are skilled with Photoshop and other methods, but sometimes we have to
tell you we will need a different image to get a quality product.
Some things we don't like:
- Photos taken on a camera phone - the quality is usually poor
- Sometimes, photos taken by yourself holding out the camera - your arm may look strange, and the flash may wash out all the details on your face
- Photos you have pre-cropped to omit a person or background - we'd rather work with that ourselves
- Photos with the tops of heads cut off - your eye may not notice it, but it is all too plain on a dog tag, for example
- Copyrighted images - do not ask us to reproduce images of famous people
- Lewd or profane images or sayings - we have a fairly narrow range of what we consider appropriate, actually
Can you work from a sketch or rough idea?
Yes and no. For a quantity of one, there isn't a lot we like to do
because we are expecting to cover our time in the price. That's why we
don't have setup fees.
We really prefer for you to locate your own art and send it to us. There is too much guesswork as to what style and kind of squirrel you might want in your product, for example.
We also don't like to do a lot of "speculative" art work, revising proof after proof when you haven't placed a firm order. We'll generally show you one, perhaps two, proofs and then make note of further changes you want. After your order comes in, we'll continue to work on the final proof.
Don't you need to see my design to know if it will work or how much it
will cost?
Not usually. We can reproduce just about anything, and our prices are
not dependent on the complexity of your design.
Other Frequently Asked Questions - Ordering
What is the minimum order?
Just one. The price goes down when you order more of the same thing, but
we'll do just one if that's all you want.
What payments do you accept?
Major credit cards - Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover
Paypal
Check or money order
For checks and money orders, we expect your payment to arrive within 2 weeks of placing your order. After that time, we will have to void your order and release the inventory we were holding for you, but it is easy to reinstate your order if you arrange the payment later.
How much is
shipping?
It is based on the weight of the product and starts at a very reasonable
amount for 1st class mail. We encourage you to use our cart to make
those calculations, as we ourselves do all the time. You don't have to
proceed on to the payments information until you are ready. You will see
various choices for shipping, from the slowest at 1st Class Mail to the
fastest at FedEx Next Day.
Do you ship to Canada? Europe? Asia? Africa?
Somewhere else?
We ship worldwide.
We do have some more rigorous checks we do for orders where we have reason to wonder if the credit card given is legitimate. While we check orders placed in the US also, we look a little more carefully at those shipping outside the US because of fraud we have seen.
Most international shipping has very limited tracking once the order leaves here. We wish it were different.
Why can't I order first and you send a bill
for me to pay from?
Because our products are all custom, we require prepayment for all
orders. We very rarely make exceptions for schools and other groups that
must use purchase orders.
I don't want to give a credit card out online. How can I order?
You can choose Will Call In Credit Card as your payment method. We
expect you to call immediately, however. We don't want you to use it as
a way to delay paying or to hedge your bet if you don't like our proof.
We sometimes do not prepare the proof until you have payment arranged.
Do you have a printed catalog?
Sorry, no. All our information is online. We can prepare flyers for you
for a special purpose, or provide additional business cards for you to
hand out.
Do you have special pricing for reselling your products or using them
as fundraisers?
Yes. We have a spreadsheet we can email with these prices. We ask that
you place a small initial order at regular prices, but thereafter you
can use our wholesale prices and a wholesale checkout link that we can
provide you.
Can
you take my order over the phone?
Yes and no. Yes, you can call in your credit card, and we also are happy
to discuss your order with you over the phone. But if you choose not to
use the shopping cart, we ask that you email your order details, phone
number, billing/shipping address. This gives us a written record of your
order. We also have seen too many errors when information is given
verbally.
When do
you charge my credit card?
That depends. If you order through our cart, there will be a pending charge on your card or Paypal account.
We will finalize the charge in 3 days.
If you order over the phone we charge it when we have approval on your proof and are beginning production. If your card declines at that time, we will let you know and you can either provide another one securely online or you can call one in. You should never put a credit card in a regular email, as it is not a secure transaction.
