General FAQ’s
Turnaround times for products vary from one product category to another, however most standard products on our website are ready to ship in less than a week. Please make sure you ask about the specific product you are in need of to get an accurate answer.
Production CalendarDuring busy seasons we do extend the production time to allow for the influx of orders. An item that is normally 3 business days may not ship for 5 business days as an example. Please check with us for an up-to-date time estimate. Please note these times are subject to change based on any given week. We certainly try to have the fastest possible times for our customers.
Rush OptionsWe do offer some rush options at an added cost depending on the product and delivery time. Please check with us to receive a quote based on the desired turnaround time if different than the standard turnaround time.
Custom ProjectsPlease allow for a longer turnaround time for any custom projects or sizes. For example: most Trade Show Hanging Signs have a production time of 6-7 business days or less. However a Custom Trade Show Hanging Sign may take 2-3 weeks based on the scope of the project. Please allow for enough time for the often longer planning stages associated with custom projects.
Allow for Time in TransitPlease factor in time in transit in addition to the production time. This can add anywhere from 1 to 5 business days depending on the final destination of your order. Expedited delivery is always an option but usually a much higher cost. Allow for additional time when shipping internationally.
Production Prints loves to compete for your business. We are so confident in our Products, Service and Price that we will work to match or beat any price that is lower.
In order for us to price match, please simply send over the website product link or estimate. We will make sure that the size, material, style and quantity are the same to ensure an apples-to-apples comparison. If the two are comparable products, we will make the determination to match or beat this price.
Production Prints makes it extremely easy to order. You can either place your order directly online or we can write up the order for you on our end. We can send to you any information you need such as Artwork Templates & Instructions, etc
If you need help, simply fill out our Contact Form here, give us a call or you can find us on our Live Chat tool M-F 9am to 5 pm PST.
On certain select products we do have demo units available for Live Conference Demos but we do not ship these units out. Instead, we have found it much more beneficial to do live video conferencing where we can explain how it is set up, explain the product's features and answer any questions you have in real time. Plus, we get to meet face-to-face... virtually of course!
Here is a current list of the products that are currently available for Live Demo Conferencing:
How to Participate in a Live Conference Demo:
Step #1- Let us know a day & time that works for you and we will send you a calendar invite with the next steps. Simply send us a message by email or send us a form message here requesting a Live Conference Demo and which product you would like to see.
Step #2- Next, you will need to download the 'Hangouts Meet' from the Google Play Store or the 'Hangouts Meet' from the Apple App Store.
Step #3- On 'demo day' make sure you are using a device like a smart phone, laptop or tablet that already has the microphone and speaker functionality so we can communicate. Desktop computers can work great too, but you have to make sure it has a microphone and speakers properly configured ahead of time.
*Alternative App*
Alternatively if you are not able to use the Hangouts Meet app, we can use WhatsApp Live Video Calls that can be found on Google Play here or Apple App Store here.
In June 2018 the United States Supreme Court in the case of South Dakota v. Wayfair ruled that states can charge sales tax from Out-of-State Retailers.
This impacts businesses nationwide that sell across the country (including us). It allows states to set a pre-defined Nexus that determines whether an out-of-state retailer is obligated to collect, file & pay sales tax in that state. These factors can range from a physical presence in the state like a warehouse to an 'economic' nexus based on how much revenue that business does in the state annually.
Production Prints currently has a nexus in the following states:
However due to the Supreme Court decision and as states roll out their new guidelines, we anticipate that this list will grow. We use sales tax software that automatically calculates if any sales tax is due and the percent based on the actual address that we are shipping to.
If you are interested in learning more about what constitutes a nexus in a particular state, you may find a State-by-State Guide here on all the nexus laws that are always being updated.
In good faith and in a matter of standard practice, we do not use any images until after a show is over so that it does not interfere with a new product release, brand announcements, etc. Images are generally used weeks to months after (if at all).
The photos taken helps use grow our brand and create awareness that helps to continually build and innovate new products and educate prospective customers on our range of options and applications.
You may send us a special request (a simple email will do) to not use images and we will either remove them or discontinue their use on our platforms and marketing.
Our 3D Renderings are NOT meant for:
Keep in mind, 3D renderings are intended to be a visual representation of the final product but not a 100% perfect depiction. This is because something created by software on our RGB LCD screens is always going to have differences to a physical product in real-life.
Some of these differences can be the result of:
3D Renderings is an amazing tool that gives us a visual aide of what the end goal should be but it is not intended to be the end result because of these difference and more.
Our 3D Renderings are meant for:
Thank you for understanding and we look forward to working with you on your project.
Getting Artwork Ready
We recommend using Photoshop (or Illustrator) and opening the template and designing right on top of it. Leave template as it's own separate layer so you can delete or hide it when finished.
Quick Guidelines:- Open Template in Photoshop
- CMYK color mode
- 125 dpi at full size
- Design right on top of template while keeping template it's own layer
- Extend Background all the way into bleed and to the edge of template
- Do Not add any of your own crop marks or guides other than what is on the template
- Keep important elements like text, logos, etc in safe area and away from edges
- Delete or hide template layer when finished leaving completed artwork
- Save your layered file in case you need to make any edits in the future
- Go to 'Layer' and click 'Flatten'
- Go to 'File' and click 'Save As'
- Save as a High Quality PDF (Note: If file is too large and won't let you save as a pdf, please save as a .PSB file which is a large Photoshop Document File)
- Upload file Here
Rich Black Settings Tutorial (Recommended: C:75% M:68% Y:67% K:90% ) Important if you are using Illustrator since their cmyk default black is 0%, 0%, 0%, 100% which can look a little dull when printed in Large Format Printing
Rich Black (the one we want) | True Black: (sometimes Illustrator's default black) |
C: 75% M: 68% Y: 67% K: 90% | C: 0% M: 0% Y: 0% K: 100% |
See what I mean?
If you recall hearing about CMYK printing or a 4-Color Print Process, this means that a printer (not much unlike your home desktop inkjet printer) uses 4 different ink pigments to achieve all the colors needed to create your banner and all other print jobs. Those 4 pigments are:
C = Cyan
M = Magenta
Y = Yellow
K = Black
When you use Illustrator's default black setting of 100% black and no other color values, it looks really good on your computer screen but can print out entirely different. When a Large Format Printer only uses one pigment it actually can look pretty dull. In the case of black pigment, it kind of looks like an ugly dark gray.
When you use Rich Black Settings, like the one listed above, it uses a combination of colors to achieve your black color. The result is a nice deep, bold black that you would come to expect for text, backgrounds, or any other design element.
Note: There are more than one Rich Black Settings you can use so please check with your printer. I have always used the one shown above with good results, but again check with your printer to avoid problems like Over-saturation.
Hopefully this helps explain the difference between these two settings.
Step 1: Open your image using Photoshop.
Step 2: Go to ‘Image’ along the top and click on ‘Image Size’. This will let you resize the image. Make sure that ‘constrain proportions’ is checked and go ahead and resize your image to approximately the size that it will be once printed. For example if you have an image that you plan on being the background picture for a 10’ wide Back Wall Display, then size it to 120” wide.
Step 3: Once the image has been re-sized, make sure you have a ruler bar along the top. If you don’t see a ruler bar, click on ‘View’ and make sure ‘Rulers’ is checked. Make sure it is in ‘inches’.
Step 4: Press Ctrl and ‘+’ if using a PC or Cmd and ‘+’ if using a Mac and keep tapping the ‘+’ symbol to zoom all the way in on the graphic until you see about 1” where it equals about 1” in real life on your ruler bar (see video below for a demonstration).
Step 5: Next, click on ‘Window’ at the top and click on ‘Navigator’. This opens up the Navigator tool. Using your mouse, click on the red box and comb around the Navigator. This shows your positon on the zoomed in file. Using the Navigator Tool allows you to inspect all aspects of your file. What you see here is going to be how it will look when printed out. If you don’t like what you see here, it’s time to find another image to use that is higher resolution.
Don’t Have Photoshop? If you don’t have Photoshop, I recommend sending your images to your Printer. They have experience in dealing with these issues and will be able to audit your design assets and make a determination if they will be high resolution enough. If using a freelance graphic designer make sure to let them know of the importance of using the highest resolution files available for optimal output.
- Logo in Vectored Format
- High Resolution Images
- Your Branding Colors
- Text Content & Fonts
- Examples of Designs you Like
What does it mean to be Vectored?
If a file is vectored, it possesses special powers that no other file type can achieve. Ok, that might be a little dramatic, but it's also true. Vectored files can be:- Re-sized larger or smaller and it won't pixelate or create blurriness even at billboard sizes
- Vectored artwork can be completely edited (every aspect can be edited or changed)
- Vectored artwork can be sent to other designers for changes or edits without consulting the original creator
- Vectored artwork is generally a small file size since it uses vector points and not pixels
Common File Types:
Can be Vectored: |
Cannot be Vectored |
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Note: It is important to point out that just because a file ends with one of these suffixes doesn't automatically mean that it's vectored. You can't simply take a jpeg file and re-save it as a .EPS file and expect it to be vectored. | You may design/ create your trade show display or banner stand artwork using Photoshop, but generally your logo is a vectored file from the above list that is placed on your layout template. |
How this Relates to your Banner Layout:
Since, we create all of our files in Photoshop(which is a raster program), you might be wondering how all of (the raster file), and then we start bringing in furniture (the vectored files) to fill up the space. So, the Photoshop file is the artboard and the files we drop into the artboard are items like vectored logos, vectored designs, as well as non-vectored this ties together. Simply put, we use a raster layout and add in vectored files. Think of it like a living room. Let's say you have a space that is in need of some interior design. In this analogy, the living room space is our artboard pieces like high-resolution images, etc. To further demonstrate all of this, please watch the video below:Product Questions
Most of the fabric material we use is a Poly Knit blend which uses a variety of synthetic fibers that is the best material for Full Color Dye Sublimation Printing. This type of material is much more wrinkle-resistant than the average cotton blend fabric however there may be situations that can still cause wrinkles or creasing.
Here are some best practices to avoid these issues:
- Loosely Fold Graphic- After your event or show, loosely fold the fabric. By loosely folding the fabric the edges are more 'rounded' instead of flat. This rounded fold will help avoid creases.
- Don't Wait to Fold Graphic- Immediately fold the fabric using the suggestion above. After you remove the fabric from the frame, don't allow it to remain in a bunched pile. We recommend having two people fold the graphic.
- Keep Graphic in it's Own Box- When storing away the graphic, make sure it is separate (usually in a separate box) from the frame. The frame may still have a light amount of oil left over from the manufacturing process, storing the fabric separately will avoid the graphic getting oil and dirt on it.
- Use and Over-sized Box- Place the fabric in an over-sized box. This will help make sure that you don't have to fold the graphic many times and it will give the graphic enough room to be loosely folded.
- No Heavy Objects on Top of Graphic- Don't place anything heavy on top of the graphic. This is probably the biggest. If you store away your graphic and there is another heavy frame or box sitting on top of it, by the time you go to use it again, those creases may be pretty pressed. It will make things more difficult for your next show. Keep the box by itself without additional items or boxes on top of it.
Removing Wrinkles or Creases
If wrinkles or creases do appear, the best way to resolve this is by having a hand-held steamer like these. They are fairly inexpensive. Once the graphic is set up at your show on it's frame and pulled tight, use the hand-held steamer to lightly go over the fabric. This will reset the fibers in a way and will be very effective at removing the wrinkles or creases. You can do this at your show during set up. The other method is an iron. While we certainly DO NOT recommend putting the iron directly on the printed fabric, you can lightly iron on low heat the backside of the graphic. I recommend having an extra piece of fabric (like a shirt or extra strip of fabric) to put between the graphic and the iron. This will help prevent damage to the print.
- Hold and wait until the Soldering Iron is fully heated. Keep away from carpet or anything else that it may touch and burn (including hands or body)
- Have graphics set up on the display frame and measure precisely where the holes or cuts need to be made and how big.
- Make small marks on the fabric to indicate the area where the cuts will be made. Hold the TV up to the mount to get a good indication where these need to be done.
- When ready, poke straight into the fabric and it should go in easily. If for some reason it doesn't, the iron is probably not hot enough yet.
- Slowly move across the fabric to get the cuts that are needed. The heat will melt the synthetic fabric fibers and make it almost like plastic preventing any streaks or fraying of the fabric. -After finished immediately unplug the iron and set off to the side to let cool in an area away from anything flammable or that can burn.
Yes, we can Match Pantone Colors (learn more) but this is a separate service. If you have a specific solid spot color that is important to match we have two options:
Option #1- PMS Color Match (link)
With this option, we print out a small version of your artwork and use a Color Book to match your PMS Pantone Color to. This is an extra service and is $45 per color matched. This can only be done with solid colors. A hard copy is not mailed to you with this option.
Option #2- Hard Proof Print (link)
The other option is to print a hard proof. This is where we print out your artwork as a small size version on the actual material that will be used for the final product and we mail it to you for approval (here is an example). This allows you to physically hold it in your hands and inspect it to make sure the color is correct.
If you do not select one of these two options above, your artwork will be printed out but with no guarantee of accuracy. This is because Large Format Printing prints in CMYK color mode and interprets pantone colors as accurate as possible but not always 100%.
Please make sure to contact us if your particular color needs to be matched so we can perform these extra services. Just make sure to account for the extra days needed for this.
Payment Policy
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- Credit Cards- Preferred method of payment is credit card (Visa, Mastercard & American Express).
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- ACH Payments through our Quickbooks link- If your company prefers to pay by ACH, please let us know and we can enable the ACH payment link in our Quickbooks System. By paying by ACH through our link, your invoice will be settled immediately just like a credit card payment and will not result in any delays.
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- ACH Payments sent from your system (not using our Quickbooks link) If your company uses another system to send ACH payments (like bills.com) then we wait for the funds to hit our bank account before production begins. This can take between 1 to 5 business days depending on your provider or bank. If you are on a tight schedule to receive your order, then we suggest using credit card or paying by ACH using our Quickbooks link.
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- Checks- are accepted, however we do not begin production until check is received and cleared by your bank to prevent bounced checks.
Checks made out to:
Production Prints 70 SW Century Dr. #100-441 Bend, OR 97702
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- Wire Transfers (not ACH)- are accepted. We wait for funds which is usually same day or next day (depending on what time of days wire was sent) before writing up work order
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- Terms- All orders require 100% payment before product begins. This prevents any delays from the time the order is placed and it shipping out. We do not offer terms (for example NET30).
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- Freight Billing- For orders that are shipped via LTL Freight, we send you a credit card authorization form to be filled out. We only bill actual freight costs + 3% to cover credit card fees (no markup). Your credit card is not run for the freight costs until after it has been delivered.
Shipping and Freight
Trade Shows and other Live Events is our business so as you can imagine we are dealing with firm in-hand dates and tight deadlines each and everyday. However, once your order is picked up by FedEx, UPS or other Shipping/ Freight company it is considered F.O.B. (Free On Board) and becomes the responsibility of the transportation company. This means it is out of our very capable hands and we are now relying on a 3rd party reputable company (like FedEx) to make the delivery based on the shipping method.
As you can imagine (especially after Covid) delays can and do happen which is why we always encourage our customers to plan and order as soon as possible and add extra days before a true hard deadline to account for any potential shipping missteps. Chances are your order with no margin for error will arrive on time with the expected delivery date, but why chance it?
Production Prints cannot and will not be held responsible for any financial or logistical costs associated with your order not arriving on time due to shipping or freight delays.
For larger displays and products that require that the contents fit in multiple boxes, we may require that everything ship on a pallet. For example if you order a large custom tower that fits into 3 large boxes, it usually makes sense to ship all 3 boxes on a pallet that is shrink wrapped and sent via freight. This prevents the loss of any package which would then render the other 2 packages useless since they are all needed to make 1 display. We can make the arrangements on our end and we will notify you if this type of shipping arrangement is required.
If Production Prints ships anything freight (such as a pallet) we will use our own freight courier company that we know and trust. In the past we have had inconsistent results using a variety of other LTL freight couriers. This may result in a slightly higher rate but due to the often time-sensitive nature of the trade show and event business, this option lends itself to greater reliablity and control of your important order especially when we ship to convention centers where there are narrow delivery windows.
We ship nationwide in the United States as well as Canada. We typically do not ship internationally with the exception of Canada with some rare circumstances. If you have questions about shipping somewhere other than the U.S. or Canada, then please reach out to us and we will provide you with a definitive answer. Please note: For any deliveries made to Canada it will be the responsibility of the customer (or receiver) to pay any tarrifs imposed by customs or government agencies. We do furnish a Certificate of Origin, Commercial Invoice and Shipping Documents for all orders going to Canada. Please allow for enough time for shipping in case the shipment is delayed in customs which can happen from time to time.
Please make sure to inspect your packages immediately upon receiving them. You have 3 business days to inspect the contents once received and make any claims on them. You will want to make sure everything is accounted for and that nothing is broken or incorrect with the order. While we have our own internal quality assurance to prevent mistakes, we still recommend reviewing your order to make sure it is complete and accurate to save time and hassle.
Yes we do ship to multiple addresses for our customers.
Warranty & Returns
(Please note a RMA (Return Merchandise Authorization) is required to ship back any returned items. Returns shipped back without a RMA will be refused and Production Prints will not be held responsible for these shipments.)
Custom printed graphics carry a 1 year warranty against manufacturer defect, but does not cover stains, rips or tears (unless notified within 3 days after receiving). Standard wear and tear does not meet the warranty threshold on graphics.
Please make sure to inspect any and all packages immediately upon receiving. You have 3 business days to inspect the contents once received and make any claims on them for stains, tears or rips. For all other concerns, you have 10 business days after delivery to make a claim.
If you are not satisfied with the product for whatever reason, you may return the hardware up to 10 days after delivery for a refund on the hardware only. Since graphics are custom printed and not something that we can restock and resell, are covered under the warranty but not eligible for refund.
Please note a RMA (Return Merchandise Authorization) is required to ship back any returned items. Returns shipped back without a RMA will be refused and Production Prints will not be held responsible for these shipments.
Unfortunately, some shows are having to make the tough decision to postpone or cancel shows due to the Coronavirus (Covid-19).
We do sympathize with our amazing exhibitor and trade show industry community who may be affected, however we cannot be held responsible if your trade show gets cancelled and will not be able to offer any refunds. Please take this into consideration before ordering.
Our hope is that this global event will quickly be put under control so that everyone can resume business as normal as soon as possible.