Take the stress out of online printing

We manage everything from business cards to exhibit graphics and promotional products. Here's a sampling of projects we've managed for clients:

Traditional print marketing

• Business cards, stationery
• Presentation folders, 3-ring binders
• Binder tab dividers
• Flyers, brochures, postcards
• Booklets, catalogs
• Calendars: hanging and desk pads
• Stickers, labels

Large format graphics

• Posters
• Wall graphics
• Banners
• Step and repeat walls
• Fabric walls
• Exhibit displays
• Retractable banners (pop-ups)
• Table covers and runners

Promotional products

• Embroidery and screen printing: shirts, hats, bags
• Lanyards and ID tags
• Drinkware: mugs, tumblers, coasters
• Pens, magnets, stress balls
• Outdoor signage
• Vehicle wraps

We ensure the quality of our print products by choosing vendors we have worked with previously and trust. Our established relationships with these vendors allow us to consistently deliver high-quality results, as we are confident in their capabilities and reliability.

If we have not worked with a particular vendor previously, we review their production capabilities and evaluate the quality of the stock/media/product.  If time allows, we request samples of the product or similar printed pieces.

In one project, we decided to cancel an order because the client chose a lower-cost vendor who provided a low-quality proof. The color shifted greatly from our file and the text was blurry.

We weren't confident that this vendor could meet our expectations. The client paid a small fee for the work incurred, and we placed the order with a trusted vendor instead.

Quote turnaround can be anywhere from a day to a week depending on our schedule and the vendor. 

We can generally quote the project during the design and approval phase so that it doesn't add to the production time.

Production turnaround varies based on the product.

Business cards, flyers, brochures, and most flat products without binding or special finishing can take 4-7 business days.

Apparel vendors often provide their lowest unit cost when taking delivery 9–12 business days from order date. The price increases for a guaranteed delivery date and every day that's turnaround is shortened.

Specialized products requiring multiple rounds of finishing, such as custom binder tabs or desk pad calendars, can take 4 weeks for production, plus shipping.

Shipping is generally another 3-7 days for UPS/FedEx. Freight can take longer.

All products are drop-shipped to you directly from the production facility. Some vendors offer free ground shipping and the option to expedite. Shipping fees for heavy or oversized products can increase the cost greatly.

Samples can often be requested from a vendor and sent directly to you. This can add another week to the quoting process.

We are unable to provide samples ourselves because products are drop-shipped to clients.

Since we're designing print-ready files, we generally don't have an issue. However, it does happen and proofs are checked vigilantly to ensure production is as expected.

Examples where issues were resolved before production are:

• A proof was forwarded from the salesperson to prepress instead of the print-ready file. Proofing files are often used in the quoting process so the estimator can provide an accurate quote. These are often in the wrong colorspace, don't include bleeds, and are often low-resolution. In this instance, a print-ready file was provided but it was mistakenly overlooked. The printer flagged it for not being print-ready and we made sure they had the correct file.
• A graphic sent for embroidery was recreated by prepress. Specifications for embroidery were not available and the artwork we created was a hair too small for embroidery. Instead of flagging the issue, prepress recreated the artwork using a non-brand font. We caught the substitution in the proof and provided a new file that met the specifications.
• An on-screen proof appeared low resolution. The vector artwork provided looked ragged and soft in a digital proof provided by the client's preferred vendor. This was a warning that the print quality would not match our expectations. We contacted the vendor to discover that the proof was a true reflection of the product and decided to pay a small fee to cancel the order. We placed a new order with a trusted vendor to the client's satisfaction.

We can guarantee product quality with our chosen vendors.

We will manage projects with a vendor you select but cannot guarantee quality.

You will always be responsible for signing your approval of the design and content prior to production. This includes:

• Spelling and grammar: Ensuring all text is free from spelling and grammatical errors.
• Content accuracy: Verifying the accuracy of all information, including dates, names, and addresses.
• Contact information: Ensuring all contact details, such as phone numbers, email addresses, and websites, are accurate.
• Layout and formatting: Checking that the layout aligns with their expectations and all elements are correctly placed.
• Images and graphics: Confirming that all images and graphics are correct.
• Design approval: Providing final approval for the design before it goes to print, confirming that you are satisfied with every aspect of the proof.

Errors are uncommon but can happen. If you encounter any of the following production errors, please take a photo of the issue and forward it to us via email.

We will contact the vendor for the following issues:

• Color inconsistencies: If the color shifts noticeably from one print to the next due to poor color management (i.e. from red to purple or dark to light).
• Duplicate or missing prints: This can happen for short/small orders when the order is for one print of each file.
• Missing delivery: If the package returned to the vendor because it failed to be delivered, either because of an incorrect or incomplete address, we'll work with them to have it re-shipped. An additional fee will be charged to reroute the shipment.
  It may be easier and more economical to pick up the package and the local distribution center. Whomever the package is addressed to will need to bring their ID to pick up the package.
• Apparel counts shorted: The simplest course is to take a refund of the item missing. A reprint may be possible at no charge, but the product may not match the original order (i.e. the shirt may come from a different manufacturer and the color can vary.)

Issues that will be investigated, without guarantees:

• Low resolution images: If a file was approved using a high-resolution image and the print appears low-resolution, we will contact the vendor and do our best to resolve the issue satisfactorily.
• Trim and bleed issues: Assuming the file was setup correctly, there are a limited number of products/scenarios where the production method can encounter an issue. For example, posters are printed without a bleed and cut directly on the edge. If the cut is wide, then you may see a sliver of unprinted paper. This is not cause for a reprint.

Issues that we will not be responsible for:

• Files approved with low resolution images: We will highlight any image that is below the recommended resolution or appears low-quality. If you choose not to replace the image for whatever reason, you are responsible for the product.
• Spelling, grammar, or content mistakes: If you approve the file with an incorrect phone number, email address, or copy error or omission—even if we typeset the document, you are responsible for the product. 
  
  Whenever possible, get multiple eyes on a proof and review it in the morning when you're fresh. Don't be like the person who approved his business card without his name.

Try us! We'd love to hear about your unique project.

Oftentimes, a client's budget dictates the viability of a project. Caviar dreams on a beer budget, right? 😉

Thanks to our extensive experience sometimes we can advise you on ballpark costs based on our initial conversation.