Customer Service Questions
Can you explain how you calculate the file dimensions for billing
Here is how we compute dimensions – we gang all your files up together and draw a box around the “black” part – the images and text. Now we know the length and the width. We multiply these two numbers together and this is your square inches total. We then multiply this square inch number by your square inch price of $0.62/sq inch or $0.67/sq inch.
Example:
9″ x 8″ is your “black part”
9” x 8” = 72 sq inches x $0.67 = $50.40
If your file has crop marks, we measure outside the crop marks. So if you don’t need crop marks, consider leaving them off to save a little cash.
When will I receive my order?
Photopolymer supply orders ship from our warehouse within 1-2 business days.
Custom Platemaking orders ship depending on the service you choose:
We offer a 1 business day turnaround, or Same Day Rush – an extra fee service.
For shipping in the USA, we offer UPS Ground, UPS 3 day air Service, UPS 2 day air Service, UPS Overnight morning, UPS afternoon Saver and UPS early Am (before coffee) 8:30 am service.
For International Customers, we offer US Postal Priority or Express Mail and UPS Worldwide Saver.
Remember that the days refer to business days and not weekends.
How do I know when my order has been shipped?
For platemaking, the day your order is completed (Order Complete) is the day your order ships. You will get a UPS tracking number via the log-in email on your account. Your invoice will be shipped in a separate email. Review your Order History to see all past and current orders for your status. For international orders using the US Postal Service, you will receive an email with your tracking number.
For Supplies – an email will be sent with the tracking number.
I need my order shipped today. By what time do I need to place the order?
For supply orders: Orders typically ship within 1-2 business days. If you need your order immediately, we encourage you to request expedited overnight shipping. However, if you’re in a serious letterpress emergency, please place your order before noon EST and mention that you’d like same day shipping. We’ll do our best to make it happen!
For platemaking: place your same day rushes by 1 p.m. EST.
Do you ship internationally?
Supplies: We ship supplies to Canada via UPS Standard or UPS Worldwide Saver and US Postal Service.
We ship international orders (outside of Canada) via UPS Worldwide Saver and US Postal Express Mail.
We think our online ordering system is pretty nifty but of course you can phone in your order to us by calling 315-473-0930. We love to talk to our customers.
Platemaking: We ship platemaking orders to Canada via UPS Standard or UPS Worldwide Saver and US Postal Service. We can ship Worldwide Saver to any international location or opt to use the US Postal Express Mail. These options are all at the click of a button through out platemaking site.
Printing: Yes, we love working with international clients and sending off printed letterpress beauties to destinations far and near.
What is your return policy for supplies?
Unexposed plates are not returnable as they have been custom cut for your order. Ink orders may or may not be returnable based on the date the order was made. Bases may or may not be returnable based on whether they have been used. We try to be fair in our returns so please call and we will work with you individually.
Once my order is placed online, how do I make a change to it?
Supply orders: please call us or e-mail us as soon as possible.
Platemaking: First, log-in to see your order and check its current status. If we haven’t begun processing your order (STATUS – RECEIVED), you’ll be able to change your order details or upload files online. If we’ve already begun working on your order (STATUS – IN PLATEMAKING), please call us or e-mail us immediately, as you won’t be able to adjust your order online and we can see if the production process is already too far along. At this point, we can still change your shipping options and shipping addresses. If your status is BILLING COMPLETE, we will not be able to make any adjustments at this time.
How do I cancel an order?
For supplies, please call us as soon as possible to cancel your order. We will have to discuss refunds and crediting accounts as your online Supply Order has already been charged for payment.
For Platemaking – you can call us right away or you may be able to cancel your order online, if your status is still in RECEIVED or ON HOLD.
Log on to platemaking and you’ll see all current orders. Choose Complete Order to cancel your order. Confirm when it asks if you want to proceed. Your order status will reflect Order Cancelled.
The option to cancel is not available once we move your ticket into platemaking production. Cancelling after this step may incur some production costs. Please call us right away to minimize those costs, if possible.
How can I check the progress of my order?
Log on to your account in platemaking. It will take you to your Orders page where the current status will be visible.
Status Explanations:
- Pending – Your order has been started but all the steps have not been completed. This requires further action on your part.
- Received – Waiting for us to review your files.
- On hold and awaiting action on your part.
- On Hold No Files Received – Please try uploading again or call for assistance.
- On Hold Bad Files – Your files need attention. You will receive an email indicating your order is on hold with the problem and asking you to correct and upload new files. File errors may include your files measure too large to plate, not in correct color mode, lines or dots too thin, files are in grayscale, etc.
- On Hold – Credit Card declined or expiration is passed. There is a problem with your payment, please contact us.
- In Platemaking – We are in production making your films to make plates. Your ticket is locked as we are moving ahead.
- Billing complete – Your platemaking job is billed and awaiting shipping.
- Shipping Complete – We have shipped and still need to Invoice your order.
- Order Complete – We closed out your order as we have created a shipping label and your package is out the door. The day your order was completed was the day it shipped.
How do I take advantage of the free 2 day shipping?
Boxcar Press offers free two day shipping for platemaking orders that are over 120 square inches as of August 15th, 2014. If your order qualifies, this option will appear as the default shipping choice.
Please remember these details about this service:
- Two day service is ground service for those already within our 1 or 2 days service area (New York state, the Northeast to Maine, down to Virginia, and parts of Wisconsin, Illinois and Kentucky).
- If your usual UPS ground is 3 day – 6 days, you will receive UPS 2 day Air.
- If you have selected any overnight air services for shipping, we will NOT downgrade for free 2 day service. We will believe that you really need the faster overnight service.
- If you really do need 2 day Air service, please choose the 2 day Air and don’t wait for us to upgrade you from ground or a slower service. It’s hard to make UPS deliver faster once it’s out for shipping.
- Free 2 day air applies to business days and not Saturday delivery.
Can you explain the same day rush service and fee?
Boxcar Press has a pretty fast platemaking turnaround service with our one business day turnaround. But if you have an even greater need for speed, consider our Same Day Rush Service. If you create your job ticket, upload your files before 1 pm EST, and choose Same Day, we’ll get your files out the door to arrive the next Business Day via UPS. Of course, speed comes at a price, the fee for Same Day Rush starts at $45 or 40% (whichever is greater) plus the regular cost of the plate plus your overnight shipping costs. Your minimum cost for a Same Day Rush plate is $75 before shipping and goes up from there.
So, we encourage you to make use of the one day turnaround as much as possible. Create your job ticket and upload your files before 5:30 pm EST and we’ll ship on the next business day, assuming your files are in tip-top A1 shape. File corrections may delay your shipping.