Shipping and Delivery

Tracking Your Order

You can track the status of your order at any point throughout the production process.

1. Look for the box (circled below) in the upper left corner of your screen, or go directly to the Order Status page.

1. Enter your 9-digit order number.
2. The production status of your order will be displayed, as well as the estimated shipping date if you have already approved your proof. If you are able to make changes to your order-quantity, paper, production speed, shipping speed, address changes, split shipments, etc-the appropriate links will be displayed.

At proof approval, you are presented with an interactive delivery date calendar.

• The calendar displays current shipping addresses and scheduled shipment & estimated delivery dates, based on current production and shipping speeds.
• You’re in control of your order! You can:
  
  – Speed up or slow down your production speed
  – Speed up or slow down your shipping speed
  – Change shipping addresses
  – Add additional shipments
• The InstaPrice^® calculator will display the adjusted order total for any changes selected. Some tips:
  
  – Experiment with various combinations of production speeds and shipping methods.
  – Split your shipment if you need only a portion of your order faster.
  – It is often more cost-effective to upgrade shipping rather than production.
  
• If you have made changes, be sure to click the  button (circled in red above). You then have the option to view, print or email an updated receipt.
• When your order ships, you will receive the tracking number(s) via email.
• The tracking information will be displayed on the online status screen as well. If you have requested that your order ships via an alternative carrier (USPS, FedEx or freight) tracking information may not be available online. Please call 800-930-2423 with questions.

Shipping Methods

We ship orders via FedEx unless otherwise requested. Orders take from 1 to 5 business days to get to you depending on your location and the shipping method chosen.

Additional delivery options include:

• Customer pickup at our Livingston, MT facility
• UPS (United Parcel Service)
• Freight
• USPS (US Postal Service). Shipping via USPS requires confirmation of the following terms and conditions:

In the event of loss or delay when shipping via USPS, PrintingForLess.com is not responsible for product reprint/replacement.

When your order ships, you will receive the tracking number(s) via email.

• The tracking information will be displayed on the online status screen as well. If you have requested that your order ships via an alternative carrier (USPS or truck freight) tracking information may not be available online. Please call 800-930-2423 with questions.

Please contact us at 800-930-2423 for price quotes on international deliveries and alternate shipping methods. When ordering, indicate your preferred shipping method and quoted price in the “Special Instructions” comment box.

Shipping Changes

It’s easy to make changes to your shipping preferences.

1. When placing your order, you can enter just one address. Add additional shipments once the order is in our system.
2. Enter your 9-digit order number in the Site Search or Order Status/Change box in the left hand navigation bar. If your order is at a status that allows changes, there will be a Change Order link.

1. You are now presented with an interactive delivery date calendar. This calendar will also be automatically presented during proof approval.
• The calendar displays current shipping addresses and scheduled shipment & estimated delivery dates, based on current production and shipping speeds. You’re in control of your order! You can:

• The InstaPrice^® calculator will display the adjusted order total for any changes selected. Some tips:

• Follow the steps to add additional addresses or modify existing addresses.

1. If you have made changes, be sure to click the button (circled in red above). You then have the option to view, print or email an updated receipt.
   • The ability to change production speed after proof approval is based on individual job specifications and may or may not be available for your order. You will not be able to add additional shipments or modify shipping information once your job has been packaged, or is en route. Call us at 800-930-2423 with questions.

Free Blind Shipping

• We are happy to offer free blind shipping. When requested, we will ship your order without the PrintingForLess.com mailing label and will not include any PrintingForLess.com promotional material inside the package.
• If interested in blind shipping, please indicate so in the “Special Instructions” comment box when placing your order, or by contacting your team after your order has been placed.

Packaging

• Business cards are boxed; all other products are shrink-wrapped in “handful-size” bundles. Posters are shipped flat.
• Your shrink-wrapped or boxed printed pieces are then surrounded with styrofoam peanuts for further protection.
• Shipping cartons will generally weigh no more than 40 lbs. Heavier packages are double-boxed.
• When your order ships, you will receive the tracking number(s) via email.
• Each package will have its own tracking number.
• The tracking information will be displayed on the online status screen as well. If you have requested that your order ships via an alternative carrier (USPS or truck freight) tracking information may not be available online. Please call 800-930-2423 with questions.

Quantity

• You will receive more pieces than you order, free of charge, almost all of the time.
• On rare occasions, we may ship slightly fewer pieces than ordered. Printing industry standards allow for underages (shortfalls/deficiencies) of up to 5%, however such underages are the exception, not the rule, at PrintingForLess.com.
• If you need an absolute guaranteed quantity, we recommend that you order 5% over the quantity that you need. If you are using a mailing service, you may also want to inquire about any additional quantities they may need for equipment calibration, testing, waste, etc.

Your Guarantee

We want you to be delighted with our printing. We will complete your project in accordance with industry-wide trade standards for color and registration. Since monitor calibration varies widely, we run to uniform ink levels and a “pleasing color” standard.

100% Satisfaction Guarantee Terms and Conditions

• Full refund guarantee does not apply to shipping claims. We will reprint orders damaged or lost by UPS or FedEx.
• We reserve the right to have you return the original order, at our cost, before reprinting or refunding your order.
• Maximum refund per order or customer is $2500. The only remedy for problems with orders over $2500 is reprinting of the order to correct product defects. We are always reasonable to work with on orders of any size, but the lawyers made us put this part in to protect ourselves from possible fraud.
• This guarantee is limited to reprint of the original order quantity or refund of the purchase price of the order. We are not responsible for any damages or claims incurred by you or your business caused by receiving printed materials which are defective or incomplete or which you receive later than the estimated delivery date.
• This guarantee does not cover fees for mailing service or postage or associated incidental or consequential damages or claims. PrintingForLess.com is not liable for U.S. Postal Service errors, including loss or delay.

Proofing a Print Order

A “proof” is a preview of your press-ready file, allowing you to examine and confirm layout, text and content before your order goes to press. We rely on your thorough inspection of the proof to detect and correct errors. Orders will not go to press until we receive your proof approval. Online & hard proof options are available.

• When your proof is ready, we will send you an email with a link to your PDF proof, as well as attempt to contact you by phone. If you don’t have the necessary Acrobat Reader software, Adobe offers it as free download.
• We can also provide a JPEG proof if you don’t have Acrobat Reader and are not interested in using it. We will post a webpage containing a preview of your file that you can easily view with your favorite web browser. We will email you the address to this private website when the JPEG proof is ready, as well as attempt to contact you by phone.

We offer two “hard” proof options—hard copy mock-ups & hard copy proofs.

• Be aware that hard proofs add time and cost.
• While hard proofs provide a better sense of color than online proofs, they are not intended to be, and cannot be, a precise color match to your final printed piece.
• When placing your order specify in “Special Instructions” which hard proof you prefer and that you agree to pay the additional charges. Once we receive your order, we will update your preferences and email you a revised receipt.

Hard Copy Mock-up:

The hard copy mock-up should be used to verify composition and content of your piece. It is NOT intended as a color guide.

• The mock-up will be sent via Next Day Air and does not need to be returned. Prices are the same for one or two sides and include cutting, folding, stitching and any other work necessary to produce an accurate mock-up.

Hard Copy Proof:

This proof has good color accuracy; however it is just a guide. The presses we use are high quality offset presses and have a slightly different color gamut. Also, paper can and will affect color. Our presses run to industry-wide trade standards and not to match this proof.

Viewing and Approving Proofs

Proof Approval – Yes, It’s Required

We cannot send any order to press without your approval of the proof. This is for your protection as well as ours. As electronic files are transferred over the internet, they can become corrupted, fonts substituted, images swapped, etc. We don’t want you to receive any surprises when you receive your final printed product, so please take the time to thoroughly inspect the proof before you give your approval. Please, don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions!

• Hard copy mock-ups and hard copy proofs will be overnighted via Next Day Air generally the same day we post your online proof.
• When your online proof is ready, we will email you a link to the proofing page. We will also try to reach you by phone. In addition to the email link, proofs can be accessed through the myPrinting For Less.

There are two versions of your proof on the proofing page:

• Proof PDF: A low-resolution version of your file at final trim size, down-sampled for shorter download times. Includes fold line indicators when appropriate. Recommended for slower connections.
• Press-Ready PDF: This is the full-resolution file which will be used to create your plates. Includes .125″ bleed margins, order number and printer’s marks which will not appear in the finished trimmed piece.
  – Your text may falsely appear jagged in the full-size (zoomed out) PDF. The inability to accurately preview
    vector text is a known weakness of Adobe Acrobat.
  – Select the magnification tool and zoom in to the text. It should now preview clear and crisp; this is
    how it will print. If it still appears jagged when zoomed in, contact us.

1.   If you find something that needs a correction:

• Submit up to two rounds of minor corrections for us to make at no charge by using the  button, or
• Send us a corrected file by using the  button.
Extensive corrections and/or design work may be subject to additional fees. Of course, there is never a charge for any corrections needed as a result of any errors we introduced in preparing your proof.

2.   If you are ready to send your order to press for printing, click the  button to approve your proof.

 

3.   Complete the approval process by confirming or adjusting your production speed, shipping method and delivery addresses on the interactive delivery date calendar.

 

 

The InstaPrice^® calculator will display the adjusted order total for any changes selected. Some tips:

• Experiment with various combinations of production speeds and shipping methods.
• Split your shipment if you need only a portion of your order faster.
• It is often more cost-effective to upgrade shipping rather than production.

Follow the steps to add additional addresses or modify existing addresses, and be sure to click .

Proofing Checklist

Here are some tips and guidelines to help you in finding potential errors in your file, BEFORE it goes to press:

1. Print out a “hard copy” of the online proof and compare it to a printout of the original file you sent to us. We have found that it is much easier to proofread and catch minor changes on paper than on a computer monitor.
   • Keep in mind that most desktop printers will cause significant inaccuracies in panel sizes and margins. This resizing is NOT part of your file—be assured that we have checked and adjusted your project so that it has proper bleed and panel dimensions.
2. Have a friend or co-worker give the proof a quick review; a second set of eyes will often notice things that you overlook.
3. Look at these common problem areas particularly carefully:

Proof Download Times

The speed of your proof download is dependent on file size, Internet connection speed and the volume of Internet traffic.

Changing Order Attributes

It’s easy to make changes to your order attributes—quantity, paper type, ink, coating and folding.

1. Click on the “Change Your Order” link, found in either the upper left or right corner of your screen. You can also go directly to the Change Order Request page. Enter your 9-digit order number in the left-hand column.

2.  You are now presented with an interactive version of the product ordering page.

You’re in control of your order! Dependent on product type and where your order is in the production process, you may:

– Increase or decrease quantity
– Upgrade or downgrade paper stock
– Change your full-color or black-only ink coverages
– Add or take away coating options
– Add or take away folding options

Your original choices for order attributes are marked with a red asterisk.

The InstaPrice^® calculator will display the adjusted order total for any changes selected.

3.  If you have made changes, be sure to click the
 button. You then have the option to view, print or email an updated receipt.

4.  Click on “Modify Production Speed and Shipping Options”
     link (circled in green) to:

• Speed up or slow down your production speed
• Speed up or slow down your shipping speed
• Change shipping addresses
• Add additional shipments
• Create a Mailing for all or part of your quantity

Discount Offers and Promotions

Printing Coupon Current Promotions

Redeeming a Coupon

PrintingForLess.com offers coupons and discounts in the form of alpha-numeric promotional codes. When you want to apply a discount coupon or promotional code to your order, please enter the alpha-numeric code in the “Promo Code” box at the bottom of the InstaPrice^® section on the ordering page.

Printing Production Speed

Production Speed or Turnaround Time Basics

“Production speed”, or “turnaround time” is how fast your order moves from proof approval to shipping. This is the time required to complete all in-house production steps— plating, printing, bindery and packaging— after you approve your proof. It does not include shipping time.

• Approve your proof before midnight MST (10pm EST; 11pm CST; 1am PST) to begin production the next business day
• On weekends, approve before 11:59pm MST on Sunday to begin turnaround on Monday
• Standard turnaround for most products is four business days; expedited turnaround, as fast as two days, is also available

You are in control of determining your production speed!

• When you approve your proof, you will be given an opportunity to decide when you want to receive your order.
• You can access the interactive delivery date calendar at any time through the Change Order Request page.
• The calendar displays current shipping addresses and the scheduled shipment date & estimated delivery date, based on current production and shipping speeds
• You can upgrade/downgrade the production speed and/or shipping method in order to best meet your deadline and budget. Split your shipment if you need a portion of your order faster.
• Changing production speed after proof approval is based on individual job specifications and may or may not be available for your order-please give us a call at 800-930-6040 or email info@printingforless.com

Interactive Delivery Date Calendar

Tracking Your Order

You can track the status of your order at any point throughout the production process.

1. Look for the box (circled below) in the upper left corner of your screen, or go directly to the Order Status page.

1. Enter your 9-digit order number.
2. The production status of your order will be displayed, as well as the estimated shipping date if you have already approved your proof. If you are able to make changes to your order- quantity, paper, production speed, shipping speed, address changes, split shipments, etc- the appropriate links will be displayed.

When your order ships, you will receive the tracking number(s) via email. The tracking information will be displayed on the online status screen as well. If you have requested that your order ships via an alternative carrier (USPS or truck freight) tracking information may not be available online.

Changing Production Speed

1.  Enter your 9-digit order number in the Site Search or Order Status/Change box in the left hand navigation bar.
     If your order is at a status that allows changes, there will be a Change Order link. 
2.  You are now presented with an interactive delivery date calendar. This calendar will also be automatically presented during proof approval.

• The calendar displays current shipping addresses and scheduled shipment & estimated delivery dates, based on current production and shipping speeds.
  You’re in control of your order! You can:
      – Speed up or slow down your production speed
      – Speed up or slow down your shipping speed
      – Change shipping addresses
      – Add additional shipments
• The InstaPrice^® calculator will display the adjusted order total for any changes selected. Some tips:
      – Experiment with various combinations of production speeds and shipping methods
      – Split your shipment if you need only a portion of your order faster
      – It is often more cost-effective to upgrade shipping rather than production
• Follow the steps to add additional addresses or modify existing addresses.

3.  If you have made changes, be sure to click the  button (circled in red above). You then have the
     option to view, print or email an updated receipt.

• Changing production speed after proof approval is based on individual job specifications and may or may not be available for your order.
• You will not be able to add additional shipments or modify shipping information once your job has been packaged, or is en route. Call us at 800-930-6040 with questions.

4.  Click on the “Modify Order Attributes” link (circled in green above) to:

Production Speeds by Product

FAQs

How long does it take for me to get the proof of my job?
Once you have placed your order, you should get it within 1 business day after we receive your electronic files.

How long will it take to get my order?
Most jobs will be shipped within 4 business days after you approve your proof online. Please check the specifc product ordering page for available turnaround times. Shipping by FedEx takes from 1 to 5 business days to get to you depending on your location.

How can I get my order even faster?
Our standard service is quite fast. For most products we ship your order within 4 days after you approve your proof online, via FedEx Ground. In most parts of the country, that means you will have your order in about 6-10 days. If you want to receive your order faster, select one of our faster handling options or upgraded shipping options when you place your order.

What if I want to change something on my order after I’ve placed it or approved the proof?
We require an electronic “paper trail” for all changes made after your initial order is placed. You may make changes to such things as quantity, shipping method, or shipping address by going to the Change Order Request page. Please note that some changes cannot be made after certain stages in the production process — for instance, the quantity cannot be changed once your job has been printed.

Packaging

To determine the propper length, width and depth, place the carton facing you with the opening pointing up (as if the carton was going to be filled from above). 

Knowledge Center: After You Order

Proof Approval – Yes, It’s Required

We cannot send any order to press without your approval of the proof. This is for your protection as well as ours. As electronic files are transferred over the internet, they can become corrupted, fonts substituted, images swapped, etc. We don’t want you to receive any surprises when you receive your final printed product, so please take the time to thoroughly inspect the proof before you give your approval. Please, don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions!

• Hard copy mock-ups and hard copy proofs will be overnighted via Next Day Air generally the same day we post your online proof.
• When your online proof is ready, we will email you a link to the proofing page. We will also try to reach you by phone. In addition to the email link, proofs can be accessed through the myPrinting For Less.

There are two versions of your proof on the proofing page:

• Proof PDF: A low-resolution version of your file at final trim size, down-sampled for shorter download times. Includes fold line indicators when appropriate. Recommended for slower connections.
• Press-Ready PDF: This is the full-resolution file which will be used to create your plates. Includes .125″ bleed margins, order number and printer’s marks which will not appear in the finished trimmed piece.
  – Your text may falsely appear jagged in the full-size (zoomed out) PDF. The inability to accurately preview
    vector text is a known weakness of Adobe Acrobat.
  – Select the magnification tool and zoom in to the text. It should now preview clear and crisp; this is
    how it will print. If it still appears jagged when zoomed in, contact us.

1.   If you find something that needs a correction:

• Submit up to two rounds of minor corrections for us to make at no charge by using the  button, or
• Send us a corrected file by using the  button.
Extensive corrections and/or design work may be subject to additional fees. Of course, there is never a charge for any corrections needed as a result of any errors we introduced in preparing your proof.

2.   If you are ready to send your order to press for printing, click the  button to approve your proof.

3.   Complete the approval process by confirming or adjusting your production speed, shipping method and delivery addresses on the interactive delivery date calendar.

You’re in control of your order! You can:

• Speed up or slow down your production speed
• Speed up or slow down your shipping speed
• Change shipping addresses
• Add additional shipments
• Create a Mailing for all or part of your quantity

The InstaPrice^® calculator will display the adjusted order total for any changes selected. Some tips:

• Experiment with various combinations of production speeds and shipping methods.
• Split your shipment if you need only a portion of your order faster.
• It is often more cost-effective to upgrade shipping rather than production.

Follow the steps to add additional addresses or modify existing addresses, and be sure to click .

Changing Your Order

It’s easy to make changes to your order attributes-quantity, paper type, ink, coating and folding.

1. Click on the “Change Your Order” link, found in either the upper left or right corner of your screen. You can also go directly to the Change Order Request page. Enter your 9-digit order number in the left-hand column.\

2.  You are now presented with an interactive version of
     the product ordering page.

You’re in control of your order! Dependent on product type and where your order is in the production process, you may:

– Increase or decrease quantity
– Upgrade or downgrade paper stock
– Change your full-color or black-only ink coverages
– Add or take away coating options
– Add or take away folding options

Your original choices for order attributes are marked with a red asterisk.

The InstaPrice^® calculator will display the adjusted order total for any changes selected.

3.  If you have made changes, be sure to click the
 button. You then have the option to view, print
     or email an updated receipt.

• Speed up or slow down your production speed
• Speed up or slow down your shipping speed
• Change shipping addresses
• Add additional shipments
• Create a Mailing for all or part of your quantity

Tracking Your Order

You can track the status of your order at any point throughout the production process.

1. Look for the box (circled below) in the upper left or right corner of your screen, or go directly to the Order Status page.

1. Enter your 9-digit order number.
2. The production status of your order will be displayed, as well as the estimated shipping date if you have already approved your proof. If you are able to make changes to your order-quantity, paper, production speed, shipping speed, address changes, split shipments, etc-the appropriate links will be displayed.

When your order ships, you will receive the tracking number(s) via email. The tracking information will be displayed on the online status screen as well. If you have requested that your order ships via an alternative carrier (USPS or truck freight), tracking information may not be available online. Please call 800-930-6040 with questions.