FAQ for Quick Ship Orders

What is your processing time?
We strive to offer you a high-quality product with a quick turnaround. Once your order is approved to print, our in-house processing time is 1 - 2 business days. Please remember that the shipping time is in addition to the in-house processing time.

What type of printer do you use?
Our Quick Ship Collection uses the highest quality digital press available. We employ a state-of-the-art four color digital press utilizing liquid ink versus toner, giving your pictures the look and feel of true photo quality. It seems that more and more printing companies are adding the word "Digital" to their product descriptions. Yet, sometimes their idea of digital is no more than a copier connected to a computer. Our press redefines the upper limits that digital technology can offer. And, best of all, your materials look better that anything you have ever seen. The colors are richer, the text looks crisper, the gradients and screens are smoother. We offer the very best digital printed cards available.

Can I view my card before I place my order?
Yes, our innovative Design Studio offers you the ability to view your card before ordering. The Design Studio allows you to upload an unlimited amount of photos and text. You can then use the tools to change fonts, ink colors, layout, etc. You can use your creativity to set up your proof in the Design Studio, or simply submit your text and let our professional typesetters do the work for you.

How do I approve my order to print?
Whether you use the Design Studio to create your own proof or simply submit your text for our typesetters, a professional proof will be uploaded into the account you create on our website. You can view your proof through that account and submit your approval online once you are happy with the proof.

What are the photo requirements?
For the best print quality, your digital photo should be a high resolution jpg, with the required 300 dpi and 4" x 6" in size. The quality of the final product will depend on the quality of the digital file we receive. The following tips will help you maintain the highest quality image possible.

	When removing the pictures from your camera, drag them directly from your camera's folder instead of using a computer software (example Kodak Easyshare) to retrieve your pictures. Many computer software programs will compress your pictures into smaller files making them a lower resolution and a lower print quality.
	When sending your picture to us, please make sure it is the original file. Please do not crop, edit or compress your picture, we are happy to do this for you.
	When taking pictures with your digital camera, check your camera to make sure it is on the "Fine" or "Superfine" setting.
	Cameraphone pictures are not a high enough quality picture.
	If you are scanning a printed picture, clean the glass with a glass cleaner and a lint free cloth to remove dust and dirt. Next scan your image at 100%, at least 300 dpi and save at the Maximum Level JPEG setting.

Can I mail my picture to you?
At this time we are not accepting any photographs through the mail. Please follow the instructions above to scan the picture yourself or take your picture to any copy store and ask for them to scan it for you. After you scan the picture you can upload it through our Digital Design Studio or email it to us after you place your order.

Can you change my picture to black and white or sepia?
Yes, we are happy to change your picture to black and white or sepia tones. For the best printing results, please do not change the picture yourself to black and white or sepia. When you upload your picture into our Digital Design Studio, you have the option of changing your picture to sepia or black and white.

Will you edit my photo?
We will be happy to make minor edits to your photo, at no extra charge. But we will be unable to correct blurry, grainy, pixilated photos, or ones that are too dark or bright. We will be able to crop, brighten slightly, remove red eye and convert to black and white or sepia tone. If you would like for us to make an adjustment that you are not able to do through our Digital Design Studio (crop, zoom, change to sepia tones or black and white), please make notes in the text box for "Special Instructions to Typesetter."

Can I email my photo to you?
Yes, if you prefer to email your picture, you may do so. After placing your online order, simply send us an email to photos@polkadotdesign.com with your picture attached. Please provide your order number in the subject line when sending your email.

Can I use a photograph taken by a professional photographer?
Yes, you are able use a professional image with written permission from the photographer. Please fax the photo copyright release form to 817-590-4622.

What type of paper do you print on?
We print our digital designs on 110 lb. matte (non-glossy) cardstock. This cardstock contains 30% recycled content.

Do envelopes come with my order?
Yes, all invitation and announcement orders include envelopes.

Will you print my return address on my envelopes?
Yes, we offer return address printing on the back flap of the envelope. You can select this option when placing your order in the Design Studio. Return address for digital products will be printed in black ink only.

What type of envelopes come with my order?
All of Polka Dot Design's Quick Ship digital cards come with a high quality, 70 lb. bright white envelope.

Do your cards require extra postage?
Most of our cards do not require extra postage, except for our square invitations and announcements. We recommend taking a fully assembled invitation to your local US Post Office Branch for accurate postage costs before mailing your invitations. We cannot be responsible for returned items due to insufficient postage. HINT: To protect your invitation during mailing, we suggest requesting the US Post Office to "hand cancel" your invitations or announcements.

Do you print anything on the back of the card?
Yes, our beautiful designs continue onto the back of the card giving a completed look to our invitations and announcements. We also tastefully place our logo on the back of the card, along with the item number of the product.

What if I want my cards to look just like the online sample?
We are happy to typeset your order exactly like the online sample. Simply upload your picture through the Digital Design Studio, click the "Set-up like Online Sample" button, and add your text to the card. Once we receive your order, our typesetters will create a proof for you and will upload a proof through your online account via our website. At this point you will be able to make changes or approve your order to print.

What is your return and cancellation policy?
Our goal is to provide our customers with an excellent product and service. We want you to be happy with your card choice. If you have placed your order and it has not been approved, we are more than happy to change your order to a different card design. Our typesetters will change the card and create a new proof for you to review. If you would like to cancel an order that has not been approved, we will retain a $15.00 service fee and refund the difference.

Since this is a personalized product, once the order has been approved and/or printed, we are sorry, but there are no cancellations, exchanges or returns.

How can I place a reorder?
If you'd like to receive additional cards of an earlier order, please call our customer service department at 877.816.0884, and we'll be happy to re-order the cards for you. Please note, due to the nature of a digital press, cards that are not printed on the same press run may differ slightly in color. The in-house processing time for a reorder is 1 - 2 business days, any changes to your order may require additional processing time.

Should I order my coordinating pieces all at the same time?
Yes, in order to ensure color consistency, coordinating pieces must be purchased together. Stickers may vary slightly in color due to the different paper stock.

Can I order just the design and print the wording myself at home?
Our entire digital line is printed on a high-quality four color digital press, and the products are printed on premium, heavy-weight cardstock that may not be printer compatibile. Due to the manufacturing process, we do not suggest printing our digital products on any commercial or home printers.

How will my order be shipped?
All Quick Ship items ship via FedEx from our Alabama location. We offer FedEx Standard Ground, 3 Day Select, 2 Day Air or Next Day Air shipping. At this time, we do not ship outside the 50 United States.