Frequently Asked Questions about Printing

1. How is that ezeeprintng.com offers such low prices?
2. What Printing Process is used at ezeeprinting.com?
3. Are there any additional costs for processing uploaded images or Graphic Design work?
4. What kind of Graphic files can I use?
5. What resolution should be my graphics file?

1- How is that ezeeprintng.com offers such low prices?

Internet Marketing & Sales allows us to keep our overhead costs down allowing us to pass the savings directly to our customers. We leverage our volume printing position to drive the cost down.

2- What Printing Process is used at ezeeprinting.com?

After each order is placed, our Professional Graphic Arts department reviews it. We make any necessary adjustments needed for best professional results such as re-touching the graphic files to meet the best quality standards etc. All full color printing is done using four ink colors; Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black, it is also known as CMYK. Most full color commercially printed material is produced using CMYK. We use Litho Printing, the most common type of printing process in the commercial print industry. We always use high quality paper and card, as you would expect from a leading commercial printing company.

Are there any additional costs for processing uploaded images or Graphic Design work?

Ezeeprinting.com has absolutely NO hidden charges! The Product Prices are fixed and will have NO additional fees.

What kind of Graphic files can I use?

You can use the following file formats when designing on-line: BMP, JPG, GIF and PNG. We don't allow file sizes larger than 10 Megabytes to be uploaded.

What resolution should be my graphics file?

For best printing results, please make sure that your image file resolution should be 250 to 300 DPI (Dots Per Inch).

What happens after I place my order?

Once you design your stationery and place an order, our graphics department will re-touch, re-design or re-finish the ordered stationery for best quality results.

What if my image file is not 250-300 DPI?

No need to worry. Each and every order processed through ezeeprinting.com is checked and re-checked by our professional graphic arts department. Any image not meeting the professional printing quality will be enhanced or re-touched to ensure that it will be of professional quality.

How do I know my printing will be of good quality?

Our quality control team checks every order before dispatch to ensure it meets our strict quality standards, but you are also covered by our guarantee.

Is it safe to order online?

Yes, your transaction is completely secured. We use Alertpay to process all credit card transactions.

What forms of payment does ezeeprinting.com accept?

the following credit cards: Visa, MasterCard, American Express.we also accept if you have Alertpay account and transfer money from your Alertpay account to our Alertpay account.

Sorry, we do not accept COD's.

How much do you charge for shipping/handling?

ezeeprinting.com offers FREE shipping/handling within the 48 contiguous states. For shipments to the state of Alaska, state of Hawaii or other U.S. Territories, please contact our Customer Service Department.

Can I track my order?

Once registered and after placing your order, our state of the art order management systems allows you to track each job through its various printing stages.

What if I am not satisfied with my printing?

We will always do our best to ensure you are delighted with your printing. However, if we make a mistake, we will reprint your job at no extra cost. For more details, please see our Terms & Conditions.

How long will it take to get my order?

There are many variables that will affect the shipping time of your order. However, there is a minimum of eight business days from the time of the order being placed, to the time of shipment. You may monitor the status of your order by logging into your account at Ezeeprinting.com.

Do I have to re-create my order every time?

You can view and re-order all previously placed orders with a single click. No need to re-design or re-create your work. All orders are saved for unlimited time period.

Do you offer customized brochures?

Ezeeprinting.com offers three various ways for you to design an eye-catching brochure. You may provide us with your brochure information on-line, using one of our templates, and our in-house Graphic Design Department will create your brochure. You may upload a previously designed brochure to our Web-site for printing. Whatever option you choose, our in-house Graphic Design Department will send you an electronic proof of your brochure, via e-mail, for your review and approval.

If you have Microsoft publishers then follow these steps to get 300dpi high resolution CMYK file ?

Step 1

 Download one of these Pre-formatted templates and open it in publisher (Right Click -->Save as)

Step 2:

Verify that you have guides turned on by clicking View > Boundaries and Guides. You should see some green lines around the outside of your template.

The outermost lines are called "cut lines". The cut lines show where your design will be cut by the automated presses. This ensures color will extend all the way to the very edge of your cards, no white edge. This is called a "full bleed process". Your background colors/design MUST extend past these lines!

The innermost lines are called the "safety lines". Anything outside of these lines run the risk of being cut off. Although the cutting machines are very accurate, this ensures that important information won't be chopped off. It also helps make your card more readable. Keep all your non-background text, logos, pictures, etc. inside of these lines.

SVerify that your design is in CMYK color mode. This is very important as we will not be able to print your design if it is not in CMYK. Click Tools > Commercial Printing Tools > Color Printing. Then select Process Colors (CMYK) > OK from the "Color Printing" menu.

Step 4:

Now you are ready to begin designing your business card. Its up to you to decide what you want the card to look like. Start experimenting with the different tools to get the look you want. With unlimited amounts of colors, tools, and "ready to use" graphics to choose from, anything is possible! Remember to create separate files for each side of your business card if you wish to have information on the back.

*IMPORTANT:*

If you place or insert photo files, make sure they are in CMYK mode. For instance, bitmaps, jpeg's, or tiff's.

USEFUL TIPS:

Save Often! You never know when your computer may crash or lock up. While you are working on your file, save as an .PUB.

The Inkjet Test: Throughout the design process I suggest printing your creations on your inkjet printer directly from Illustrator. Use glossy photo paper if you have it. This will give you a good idea how your card will look as far as sizing goes. If your text looks small or scrunched up when printed on your inkjet, it will be too small or scrunched up when printed by our presses.

To run the inkjet test click File > Print. I suggest using the highest resolution print option (photographic quality) that is available on your printer. No adjustments to sizing or placement will be needed. The design should print on the paper at the actual size of 2.25 x 3.75" for standard cards, 4.25 x 3.75" for folded cards.

Remember the full bleed process will trim your cards down to normal size.

The inkjet test does 2 things:

The inkjet test is a better alternative to proofing your uploaded files online, something that we don't offer. My philosophy: You can see the design on your screen when you design it, why would you need to see it on your screen again as a proof? What matters the most is what it looks like on paper.

 Step 5:

Review the steps in this tutorial one last time to make sure everything is 100% ready. This will prevent delays on the process of your order.

Once your design is complete, save your file as a .PUB file one last time. Saving your file as a .PUB will allow you to open and make changes to your design when you decide to reorder business cards. Be sure to keep this file in a safe place on your computer where you will remember where it's at.

Step 6:

Now we need to save the file so it can be read by the printing presses. Click File > Save As. Instead of saving as a .PUB file, select "Tag Image File Format" (*.tif) from the "Save as type" menu bar.

After selecting .tif from the menu bar, click the "Change" button. Next, select Commercial Printing (300 DPI) from the pop-up menu. Press OK. Once this is done, save the file on your computer in the same folder that you saved your .PUB files.

Step 7:

Now that your .PUB and .TIF files are saved in the same folder, use WinZip, StuffIt, or WinRAR to compress both files into one complete file. By submitting both the Publisher file and the exported .TIF, it ensures that there will be no problems or delays with the process of your order.

*IMPORTANT:*

If for some reason you are only able to compress and submit one file, make sure that you send the .TIF file. Download popular compression programs: WinZip StuffIt WinRAR.

Step 8:

You are now ready to place your order! Choose which type of card you designed below to have your cards printed.

Remember: If you choose to have printing on the back, you must have 2 seperate files to upload (one for the front, one for the back).

Does white count as a printing color ?

No. White does not typically count as a color due to the fact that this is the color of the paper in most cases.

How do I prepare my text for the printer?

Adobe PDF is the preferred text format used by most printers. It works with virtually all image setters, plate setters and digital output devises. Most popular file formats, including MS Word, Word Perfect, MS Publisher are easily converted to PDF. PDF is a "locked" format so there is no problem with re-flow when the files are opened on different computers. PDF can be read on any PDF reader which are free at the Adobe website.

How long will a screen print last?

Unlike a transfer which is applied on top of a garment, screen printing penetrates the fibers which lasts as long as the garment itself.

How well will a pre-press proof match what I see on my monitor ?

Due to the wide differences in monitor calibration and the different technologies used, some printed colors in your proof may not exactly match the colors on your monitor. Make sure to always ask the printer if they have any suggestions on color matching.

What type of label is best for outdoor and industrial applications?

Labels intended for outdoor use need to be durable and have the ability to hold up to a wide variety of different weather conditions. Vinyl and polyester are top material choices for outdoor conditions. The matte finish on the vinyl media helps reduce glare, while the polyester's glossy finish creates a sharp, shiny image. Bumper stickers are, typically, made of vinyl. Often outdoor labels or industrial labels require a UL listing. UL recognition ensures that a device, system or material has been tested and certified by this private organization to meet specific safety standards. The three primary tests to determine film and adhesive performance are a heat age test, outdoor weather ability, and exposure to various solutions. CSA is another testing organization devoted to establishing standards for safety, quality and performance. Unlike UL, which recognizes a substrate's adhesion to specific individual surfaces, CSA recognizes nine substrate groups for applied labels. Silk screening or special inks may be required to help with the fading of inks.Please do let us know if you need such special printing.

What are color separations?

A color separation is an image that defines where one specific color will be printed. Colors can be mixed by overlapping areas of different color separations, so that one ink is applied on top of the other. By combining this technique with halftones, many variations of colors are made possible.

What are embossed or de-bossed invitations?

Embossing or de-bossing refers to the surface of the paper being either raised or lowered.

What are Halftones?

A halftone is a way of using a stencil to mimic shading of a color. This can be done using patterns of small dots, diamonds, squares, or lines. As you lose focus on the pattern, your eye blends the colors of nearby dots and background to make a new color.

What are monograms?

Commonly seen on personal invitations and letterhead. Personal monograms are initials traditionally representing the first, middle and last name.

What are the common sizes for catalogs and booklets?

Most commercial printers will offer your catalog or booklets in these standard sizes 5-1/2" x 8-1/2", 8-1/2" x 11", 8-1/2" x 11, or 11 x 17.

What are the different types of bindings I can use for my multi-page projects?

1. Perfect binding:
Gluing the outside edge of the signatures to create a flat edge.

2. Saddle-stitch binding:
Uses one or more staples on the fold of the signature.

3. Side-stitch binding:
Stapling the signatures together on the side rather than the fold.

4. Case binding:
Signatures are sewn together and attached to the hard cover.

5. Plastic comb binding:
Plastic teeth are fitting into a stack of pages.

6. Three-ring binding:
Holes are punched into the pages and fitted into a binder.

What are the grades of paper and the basis weight of each ?

The standard weight of a paper is defined by the weight of 500 standard-sized sheets in pounds. These are the different grades of paper and their respective basis weights.

Bond :
Usually reserved for letterheads, business forms, and quick printing jobs. 16# for forms, 20# for copying, and 24# for stationary.

Text:
A high-quality sheet with a lot of texture. Ranges in weight from 60# to 100#, but the most common weights are 70# or 80#

Uncoated Book:
The most common sheet for offset printing. Usually a 50# to 70# stock.

Coated Book:
A glossy sheet that yields vivid colors and excellent reproduction. Generally goes from 30# to 70# for web, 60# to 110# for sheet fed.

Cover:
Used for book covers, postcards, and business cards. Coated or uncoated. Come in 60#, 65#, 80# or 100# weights.

What are the most common card stocks used in postcards?

The three most popular card stocks offered by printers are:
1. #100 lb. cover, c2s (coated two sides) is probably the most popular.
2. #100 lb. c1s (coated one side) is ideally suited for postcard mailing.
3. #12 Point c2s (coated two sides) is a luxurious premium sheet with brilliant finish .

What are the most popular sizes for personalized note pads?

4 x 6, 5-1/2 x 8-1/2, and 8-1/2 x 11 are the three most popular sizes for personalized note pads.

What are the postal requirements for my envelopes?

It is important to keep in mind U.S. Postal Service requirements when designing your envelopes.

All mail .25 inches thick or less must be:
1. Rectangular in shape,
2. At least 3.25 inches high, and
3. At least 5 inches long.

A mail piece must be at least .007 (7 pt.) inches thick when it does not exceed 4.25 inches in height and 6 inches in length.

A mail piece must be at least .009 (9 pt.) inches thick if it is either greater than 4.25 inches in height or greater than 6 inches in length or both.

What are the standard sizes for brochures?

There are three standard sizes of brochures 8 1/2x11, 8 1/2x14, and 11x17

What are the standard substance weights for envelopes?

16 lb. Used for overseas air mail envelopes. "
20 lb. Used for commercial envelopes where strength and opacity is not a factor. "
24 lb. Used for most open side official and commercial envelopes. "
28 lb. Used for most open and catalog envelopes and large (i.e. 11, 12 and 14) size commercial envelopes. "
32 lb. Used for heavy duty envelopes and clasp envelopes. "
40 lb. Used for large envelopes, heavy duty envelopes or envelopes used for storage and frequent reference

What determines the price of a label?

Square surface area
Type of material
Custom or generic
Number of colors
Total quantity of order .

What does (4 over 1) or (4 over 4) mean?

4 over 1 refers to full color on the front and black & white on the back. 4 over 4 refers to full Color on both the front and back.

What does the book printer mean by trim size?

The trim size refers to the actual size of the finished book.

What does the gutter refer to in book printing ?

The gutter is the space between the printed area and binding (AKA margins). Make sure your gutter corresponds to the binding being used.

What is a color bleed?

A "color bleed" is the result of placing different colors of ink adjacent to each other. As the ink is squeegee across the stencil, the colors "bleed" together. This is not a bad thing. Normally it is done intentionally for effect.

What is a motif and how is it used in invitations and letterhead?

Motifs are small designs printed on invitations and letterhead. Often, a motif is a single recurring design throughout a person's personal, business or wedding stationery.

What is cover stock?

A term used by paper manufacturers for a heavy paper that is suitable for catalogs and other folders. Cover stock can come in "coated" which has a smooth surface, or "uncoated" in its original rough surface.

What is dpi ?

Dots per Inch. The measurement of resolution for page printers, photo type setting machines and graphics screens. Graphics screens usually reproduce 60 to 72 dpi, most page printers 300 dpi, and typesetting systems 1,000 dpi.

What is engraving?

One of the oldest and most elegant processes for printing. Engraving involves etching the text onto a copper plate. During the printing process, the plate is coated with ink and then compressed onto the paper, creating the printed text in a slightly raised impression. Engraved stationery is considered to be the epitome of good taste and sophistication. The process is relatively expensive but the finished product is first-rate.

What is greeting card scoring?

This process involves partially cutting through the greeting card so it will fold more neatly.

What is screen-printing?

Screen-printing is a print process where a design or logo is transferred to the substrate by way of a screen. The printer will transfer the inks through the screen to the garment to achieve the desired result. The process involves exact pressures, specialized inks, and heat curing to result in a long lasting design. Screen printers can normally print up to four colors.

What is the difference between 100# text stock and 14pt card stock?

100# text is measured in weight. 14 pt is measured in thickness. It can be hard to differentiate between the two unless you know both weight and thickness.

How can I make sure my blues do not come out purple?