How Ordering Actually Works

Six steps, and only two of them need you. The one thing worth understanding is when the clock actually starts, because it is not when you place the order.

1. You order or request a quote

Most things on this site price themselves: shirts, name tags, plaques, banners, signs, stickers, business cards, postcards, brochures and copies all give you a real number instantly. Things with too many variables to price honestly online, like vehicle graphics or ADA signage, get specified here and quoted by hand.

2. We look at your artwork

Automatically at upload, then again by our team before your proof. The automatic check catches resolution, color mode and transparency problems in about two seconds. Our review catches the rest. If something needs fixing you hear about it now rather than in three days.

3. You approve a proof: the clock starts here

Every custom order gets a proof and nothing is made until you say so. Check spelling, phone numbers and dates especially. Those are what people miss, and an approved proof is what we build to. The one exception is rush printing on cards, flyers, bookmarks and yard signs (below): there is no separate proof, because the design on your screen is what prints.

4. We make it

Screen printing, DTF, embroidery, laser engraving and wide-format all happen at our shop in Hopewell Junction. Typical times from proof approval, in business days:

Business cards, postcards and cards, palm and rack cards, flyers, bookmarks and yard signs are printed in the business days the designer shows for your exact paper, size and quantity, counted from proof approval, and the designer shows one date: the day your order is ready to pick up or ships. Checkout shows the day a shipment arrives for the service you choose, the carrier's estimate with extra days for delays.

Rush on these is printed the next business day, wherever your paper and quantity allow it (not on writable, Luxe or soft touch papers, or the very largest quantities). A rush order has no separate proof: the design on your screen is what prints, and you confirm that when you choose rush, so the clock starts when you order. An order placed by 11 AM Eastern on a business day, paid or sent on a purchase order or account terms, is printed the next business day; placed later, or on a weekend or a day we are closed, it counts from the next business day. Some holidays move these dates, and the date shown always counts them. How rush printing works.

Rush on everything else in the table still comes with a proof, and its rush days count from when you approve it. Rush orders go into production right away. To change one, call us at 845-202-7600 as soon as possible. Once production has started, we can't guarantee changes.

A few items ship straight to you: roll labels in solid ink colors, and tents, flags, table covers and banner stands. Their times are when they ship, and transit time comes on top.

5. You get it

Collect it free from our Hopewell Junction shop, or we ship it to you with the rate quoted on your order. Items that ship straight to you can't be picked up. See pickup and shipping.

6. Reordering is the easy part

Your artwork, specs and sizes stay on file. Because a reorder uses the same file and the same settings, what arrives matches what you got last time, which is the whole point of not switching suppliers every year.

Working backwards from a date

If you have a deadline, do not start from the lead time. Most product pages show the date your order will be ready, and many have a "need it by" field: put your date in and it tells you the last day you can order, with the proof round trip already accounted for. If the date is not achievable it says so, and tells you whether rush would fix it. For apparel, or when it's close, call 845-202-7600 and we'll tell you what's possible.

Getting sign-off first

If someone else has to approve the spend, the plaque, nameplate, brochure and copy builders have Copy link and Print / PDF. The link reopens with everything exactly as you set it, and the PDF is a proper estimate you can attach to a requisition. The name tag builder and the apparel studio give you a link to send. For anything else, ask for a quote and we'll email one.