Foto Print Policies & Procedures

We always give you exact price with an estimate number to reference to. This eliminates any verbal "he said, she said" and ensures that everyone is on the same page. For some common items, there is sample pricing under "Things we Print".

Yes, and here's why:

• You may have sent the wrong file. It happens.
• When we convert or separate the colours for printing, sometimes that can change the appearance.
• Transparency issues are often more visible after we have prepared your file for printing.
• A surprising number of our clients notice typographical or layout mistakes when they see the proof, even though they checked it before sending it to us.

Yes. We archive all digital files for future access. For privacy concerns, we will not release thoses files to anyone other than the invoicee, unless authorized by that individual or company.

No. We don't charge extra for rush, super rush, asap, snap to it, I'm out, blitz it, hurry, urgent, get cracking, hustle, make haste, scramble, shake a leg or step on it jobs.

Yes. We archive all customer supplied digital file artwork, which can be quickly and easily accessed for future printing. We do not charge for this archival service.

No. For your security, we do not keep credit card information.

No. Sometimes we can avert print disaster by being attentive but ultimately, supplied files should always be double and triple checked BEFORE they are sent to the printer. It is also wise to solicit the help of someone other than the creator to aid with proofreading. Our experience dictates that an individual who is fresh to the project is usually more capable of finding misteaks :)

Our application for credit is available in PDF format here, or you may come in to obtain a physical copy.

We work around your schedule, not ours. Let us know what your timeline requirements are and we will do our best to make it happen. We are used to extremely tight deadlines so don't hesitate to let us know.

If timing is NOT critical, here are some general standards:

Step 1: Proofs

We usually produce proofs for you to approve within a few hours. If you are supplying a digital file and we discover file issues which will compromise print quality, you will be contacted before we proceed or any costs are incurred.

Step 2: Print production

From proof approval, depending on size and complexity, we can complete your order from an hour on small jobs to a week on larger or more complicated projects. Again, if you need it quickly, let us know and we'll jump on it.

If we are printing from a supplied file, usually within a working day.

If we are creating or editing, it may take slightly longer, depending on the amount of work involved.

If the job is a rush, let us know and we will jump on it.

• You may have sent in the wrong file. It happens!

• We could have retrieved the wrong file from our server (hey, we're human too).

• When we convert or separate the colour, sometimes it can change the apperance of the file.

• Transparency issues are often more visible after we have processed your file for printing.

• Occasionally, unexpected results can appear once the file is imposed (printing multiple images up on a press sheet)

• A surprising number of our clients notice typographical mistakes when they see a proof, even though they checked the document before sending it to us.

• It only takes a minute to check the proof, but it takes much longer to reprint an incorrect job and costs a lot more.

Our estimator analyzes your request and determines the best approach based on your specifications. Given that we always attempt to produce economically, options may be offered, which will save money or production time. It's amazing how much can be saved when the most efficient sizes are used to fit the specifications of equipment. Sometimes a 1/4" size change can save considerable money. Once an estimate is completed, most are emailed but we are happy to phone, fax or mail.

Creating/typesetting or editing charges are subject to computer time plus new proof(s).

• The cost will depend on the amount of work required. We can accomplish most small editing jobs, like creating or editing a simple business card, within our minimum charge of $29.25. Additional changes to the same job are subject to a minimum of $15.75.
• Hard copy proof charges vary depending on the type (laser or ink jet) and the number of proofs required.

We accept:

Debit, Interac e-Transfer, cheques or cash.

Visa or MasterCard accepted only upon completion of order via phone or in person.

Account application available at Application for credit.

Once an order is placed, we preflight (fancy word for "check") all supplied file(s) to determine what issues, if any, will affect the print quality. If there are issues, we contact you to organize whether we, you, or whoever created the file, will repair it and re-supply.

Once the file passes our "preflight" process, we produce a colour accurate hardcopy proof as well as a soft (emailed) proof for you to look at. For those who are critical about image quality or colour accuracy, we encourage you to view the proof in person.

If, at the proof stage, you do not like the proof, either:

1) You fix/adjust the file and resubmit it for a new proof.

2) We fix/adjust the file and output a new proof.

3) You can cancel the order, in which case, there will be no charges. (We can't remember the last time this occured, but it may be a comfort factor for those who are unsure of our printing capability.)

We contact you with the details before incurring any costs. You can either fix the issue and re-supply the files or get us to fix it. Admittedly, our standards are high, so even small issues are referenced.

We're proud of our 'get it right the first time' record but in the rare occurrence that you receive a defective printing order, please follow these guidelines:

• Bring back or request that we pick up the entire printing order.
• Provide a clear description of the issue.
• Allow us to investigate and identify what happened.

If the problem was on our end, we will reprint it as fast as possible.

If the problem was not on our end, we will contact you to discuss your options. Most errors occur when our customers do not proofread carefully enough. Regardless of the source of the artwork, it is the customer's responsibility to catch any errors in the proof before we print. This is, and always has been, an incredibly important step in the printing process and is the reason why we require approval before going to press.

If you created the artwork, preferably not you. Our experience shows that it should be someone other than the creator, particularly if they have no attachment to the project and have won spelling bees in elementary school :)

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Yes, but for specialty stocks/substrates which are provided to us, the customer must assume responsibility for the material cost should it become damaged. Please allow extras for setups, samples, and errors. Mistakes, both human and machine, happen in the print industry, and accepted standards allow for 10 - 15% waste on any order. Fotoprint will not replace or refund the cost of customer supplied materials should something happen to it during the process.