Frequently Asked Questions

Pricing FAQ

Why are your prices so low?
M13 Graphics is able to offer lower prices because we print orders in very large quantities, with hundreds of other print jobs on large sheets of paper which are then cut down after printing has occurred. This is also known as "gang-run" printing. This helps to reduce the costs of making printing plates and other setup fees. We pass this savings on to you!

Quotations/Estimates
Prices posted on this website are subject to change without notice. Written estimates are good for 30 days. An estimate not accepted and ordered within 30 days may be revised.

Can you quote items other than what is listed?
We would welcome the opportunity to quote any print job that you may have. Please submit your Quote Request to us. We do not print Letterhead or Envelopes and all paper stock will be quoted on either 14 pt. gloss card stock or 100# text gloss paper stock.

Turnaround FAQ

What are the turnaround times?
Turnaround varies based on the type of job you are submitting for print.
Standard Turnaround is as follows:
Postcards / Flyers - Ship in 1-2 Business Days
Business Cards - Ship in 2-3 Business Days
All times begin from the day we receive your files and your job is paid.

Ordering FAQ

Can I order 2 sets of postcards as one order?
No, even though it may add up to the same amount of cards there is twice as much work that is still involved. For example, if you want 2 different postcards, then place 2 separate orders. The price for 5,000 of one postcard is not the same as the price for 2,500 each of 2 different postcards.

Can I order a lower quantity than you have listed?
No, our minimums are fixed and we do not offer lower quantities than what is published on our site. In most cases, 1000 is the lowest quantity that we offer. But please do shop around, as we offer 1000 pieces for less than many other online printers charge for 100 or even 250 pieces.

Can you split print quantites?
Quantities cannot be split up due to how we print orders. For example, you cannot split up 1000 business cards into two orders of 500 different names. A 1000 business card order will be printed on a 1000 sheet press run. If you need two different names, please order two orders of 1000 each.

Cancelling a job in progress
Due to the nature of our business, we process jobs as soon as we receive them. No refunds are available on orders unless files have not been prepared for printing and work has not started. If you need to cancel an order you have placed, you must call and speak to a M13 Graphics representative to avoid ANY costs IMMEDIATELY.

How are returns and refunds handled?
All sales are final. Every item we sell is carefully inspected before it is shipped. If merchandise is defective or damaged upon receipt please contact us within 24 hours after your package arrives. All claims MUST be made within 24 hours of receipt of your order. Shipping charges will not be refunded. Should your print job contain manufacturing errors and/or defects, we may rerun and ship the job at no charge. M13 Graphics reserves the exclusive right to judge what a manufacturing error and defect is. On a case by case basis we will investigate and determine if the damage was due to negligence on our part. Please contact our Customer Service Department at 877-613-1913 during normal business hours so we can handle your request. However, if a return is granted, you must return every single sheet, or item, that was sent to you unused. We appreciate your adherence and acceptance of these conditions.

How do I order?
All orders going to print must be pre-paid. Whenever possible, orders should be placed completely on-line to speed the processing of your order. We accept MasterCard, Visa, Discover, and American Express credit cards. If you need to pay with a check or money-order, it should be sent overnight to prevent slowing down the process of your order.

I don't see the size postcard I am looking for?
Order the closest size that your postcard will fit into and in the Additional Comments box on the checkout page, be sure to note the final trim size. We will not charge you any extra for this service.
FOR EXAMPLE:
For a 3" x 6" Postcard, order a 4" x 6" and note to trim to 3" x 6".

I was notified that my files are corrupt...
File corruption usually happens when submitting files over the internet with poor transfer speeds, or when creating very large compressed files. Transfer speed is determined by several factors: your internet connection (broadband vs. dialup), file size, and even time of day. If you have received notification that your files are corrupt, please upload your files again. There will be no additional fees charged. Be sure to try and successfully open the files again on your end before resending. And do not send the same compressed file, but try recompressing your files. We request that if you compress your files before sending, please use either WinZip on a PC or Stuff It on a Macintosh to create a SIT file. If you continue to have problems, please consider overnighting us your artwork on disk or CD.

Is ordering online safe and secure?
We employ a method of interaction with our visitors that does not compromise credit card information. This online system is 100% secure. A note about the Fair Credit Billing Act: Under this act, your bank limits your total loss and cannot hold you liable for more than fifty dollars of reported fraudulent charges. In the event your card is used in a fraudulent manner, you must notify your bank or card issuer immediately and in accordance with its reporting rules and procedures. We encourage you to feel comfortable using your credit card to conduct commerce on our site. If you wish, you may also send us a U.S. Postal Money Order or a personal or business check. Checks will delay your order as we must wait for your funds to clear before we begin production or ship any merchandise. Please allow an additional 7-10 business days for shipping and production of your merchandise if paid by check. To order by check, just print the order confirmation page and then mail the form with payment to: M13 Graphics, 1300-J Remington Road, Schaumburg, IL 60173

Is there an extra charge for bleeds? What is Bleed?
No. Unlike many other companies, all our prices include full bleeds free of charge. The bleeds should be 1/8" all around. Due to the very small shifting that occurs during cutting, it is NOT recommend that you use a border of less than 1/4” (.25) if your design calls for the use of a border. We cannot, and will not, guarantee that small borders will be the same size after trimming if you have used a border of less that 1/4” (.25).

Order Refusal
M13 Graphics reserves the right to use its sole discretion in refusing to print anything it deems improper or known to be illegal. M13 Graphics is not liable for any damages resulting from unwitting violation of copyright laws or illegal use of trade names or slogans. The customer guarantees the legal title of all matter submitted to M13 Graphics for printing and/or publication.

What is a Tag and why do I pay $25 additional if I opt to not have it?
Our prices include a savings of $25 off by allowing us to place an small (5 point type size) tag-line on your order. We will automatically place the tag-line on the back side.
The tag-line will read: print :: m13graphics.com 877.613.1913

Will I always receive the exact quantity I ordered?
Most of the time we will print slightly more than what you ordered, for no additional charge. As printing industry trade standards allow for underages of up to 10%, sometimes we will print slightly fewer pieces than you ordered. If you are doing a mailing and need to receive the exact amount ordered, it is best to communicate this to someone in our production department at the time your place your order.

Will I be billed before seeing a proof?
Yes. All orders must be pre-paid due to the extremely quick turnaround times involved. Once we receive your proof approval, your job is scheduled for the very next print run.

Payment FAQ

Billing
Your credit card bill will read "M13 Graphics"

Do you accept purchase orders?
No. M13 Graphics requires payment in full prior to any work being completed. We accept check, money order, Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express.

Do you offer terms or can you bill me?
No. M13 Graphics requires payment in full prior to any work being completed. We accept check, money order, Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express.

Will I get an invoice?
Your invoice will be provided to you upon completion of your order.

Printing FAQ

What is "Gang-Run Printing?
M13 Graphics is able to offer lower prices because we print orders in very large quantities, with hundreds of other print jobs on large sheets of paper which are then cut down after printing has occurred. This is also known as "gang-run" printing. This helps to reduce the costs of making printing plates and other setup fees.

IMPORTANT DETAILS CONCERNING COLOR REPRODUCTION
Gang-Run Printing refers to the specialization in supplying customers with affordable four-color printing. Utilizing this method known as "Gang-Running", this approach combines your short-run jobs with others having similar requirements. This allows the initial production costs to be spread out over several jobs, greatly reducing the make-ready charges for each customer. All work is carried out by skilled professionals on state-of-the-art equipment to assure you quality work at affordable prices.

BUT GANG-RUN PRINTING HAS IT'S LIMITATIONS
Because of limitations with the Gang-Run printing process, as well as neighboring image ink requirements the accuracy of color reproduction is not guaranteed and by placing an order with M13 Graphics you agree to this limitation. We do not accept responsibility for color variations between submitted files and the final printed piece.
Under no circumstances will a reprint be honored for color variations that have occurred during the printing process.

Can I request custom (PMS) inks?
Yes, as we print using 4-color process all of our printed products are printed with Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black inks, but an additional PMS color may be added for a charge.

Do you only print postcards, flyers and business cards?
No, we print just about everything under the sun in record time from Promotional Brochures, Event Flyers, Restaurant Menus, Postcards, Tickets, Handbills, Clothing Tags, Business Cards, Posters, Door-hangers, Booklets, Tri-Folds, Record Flats, and More! Contact us for a quote at 877-613-1913 or CONTACT US

Do you print in full color on the back side?
Yes, everything we print is doubled sided and full color (4/4) on both sides.

What kind of press do your print on?
Anchored by two 40'', seven color Komori presses with in-line aqueous gloss coaters, our facility includes off-line UV coater, digital cutting stations, folders, stitchers and die-cutting equipment as well. Additionally, our direct-to-plate technology eliminates the time and cost involved with conventional negative stripping and insures the integrity of your graphics.

What paper stock do you print on?
All our our products are printed on a premium 14 pt. Cover Card Stock or 100# Gloss Text Paper Stock with an Aqueous Semi-Gloss coating and/or UV coating. 14 pt. Cover Card Stock is most often used for postcards, rack cards, businesses cards, rip cards, door hangers, take out menus, pocket folders and tickets. 100# Gloss Text Paper Stock is the popular choice for sell sheets, brochures and posters. Don’t hesitate to get in touch and request samples that you can hold in your hand so you can make your final decision.

Can I receive a printed proof?
No. We do not provide printed (hard copy) proofs due to the nature of gang-run printing where slight color shifts can occur. These shifts would render a printed proof useless. If you have any concerns about the quality of our printing, please order a sample pack.

Shipping FAQ

Can I pick-up my order?
Our pickup and shipping facility is located in the suburbs of Chicago Illinois. If you live in the greater Chicagoland area and would like to pick up your print job, you can select this option when placing your order.

Can I ship to a PO Box?
Due to the extreme weight of printed material we cannot ship to a Post Office Box. If you entered a P.O. Box as your shipping address when placing your order online, your order will placed on hold until we have contacted you and received a physical Ship To Address.

How do I change my shipping?
We ask that you carefully plan both the anticipated turnaround time and the time to ship to your final destination as it is very difficult to process Shipping Changes once an order has been placed. We process hundreds of orders each day, and with-in minutes of receiving your order our Shipping and Fulfillment Department is already scheduling your ship date and preparing your label! Shipping changes are time consuming and costly for us. Please make sure your shipping information and method are correct the first time.
* Please note that we CANNOT ship to a PO Box

How do I get my tracking numbers?
On the day that your order ships from our Chicago facility, tracking numbers will be provided at your request.

May I use my own shipping account?
We do not allow customers to use their own shipping accounts as UPS and FedEX have very strict guidelines concerning third party billing and accountability.

What is Blind Shipping? (For Brokers)
As far as your clients are concerned, your ARE the printer! Your order will be shipped with your Company Name and Information as the return shipping address. All Blind Shipped orders will be shipped in a plain box with no additional advertisements or promotions packed with your order.

File Preparation FAQ

RGB and CMYK color modes
Most graphics software programs give you the choice to work in either RGB or CMYK color mode. Scanners and digital cameras create images and computer monitors display images using combinations of just three colors: Red, Green and Blue (RGB). These are the primary colors of light, which computer monitors use to display images on your screen. Offset printing presses print full color pictures and images using a different set of colors, the primary colors of pigment: Cyan (blue), Magenta (red), Yellow and Black (CMYK). This is "4-color process" or "full-color" printing that comprises the majority of magazines and marketing materials you see every day.
If you have not created your digital layout or design using CYMK color space to begin with, at some point your RGB file must be translated to CMYK in order to print it on a printing press.

Are my images the right resolution? What is Resolution?
Raster graphics such as TIF and JPEG files must have a minimum resolution of 300 dpi (dots per inch). Images with a resolution less than 300 dpi will reproduce poorly on press (the image will look fuzzy and/or pixilated). If you took your images from a website on the internet, there is a 90% chance that they will not be a high enough resolution for printing (unless the images came from a stock photography house and are designated high resolution). The internet displays images at 72 dpi, so that the images appear quickly over an internet connection, but under no circumstances should they be used for printing. If you submit low-resolution files for printing, your print quality WILL be poor.

File types that we accept:
Adobe Photoshop (.psd)
Adobe Illustrator (.ai or .eps)
QuarkXpress (.qxd) (There will be an additional charge for Quark files)
We also accept the following file formats:
.eps .pdf .tif .jpeg (must be submitted in 300dpi CMYK)

File types that we DO NOT accept:
Adobe InDesign (.indd)
Adobe PageMaker (.pmd)
Microsoft Publisher (.pub)
Microsoft PowerPoint (.ppt)
Microsoft Word (.doc)

How should I name my files?
All files should be saved including the following in the name: Job Name, Size, Side, Extention
Example: Wild Wednesdays 4x6 FR.jpg or Wild Wednesdays 4x6 BK.jpg

Fonts and typefaces
Font and typeface integrity can be an issue when it comes to transferring files to another computer or printing company for production. We have thousands of fonts; however, to be safe, it is better to include them along with your original document. In vector drawing programs such as Illustrator, Freehand or CorelDRAW, you must convert all fonts to outlines or curves just before you send us your final, print ready file(s). Also, keep in mind that small colored text doesn't print very well. Because we print in four-color process it is best to use a minimum of a 9-pt. type, unless the type is black or white. And keep in mind that most people can't read type smaller than 6-pt. no matter what color it is.

How do I send you Corel Draw Files?
Convert all fonts to Outlines (curves) and save a copy of your file as an (.eps) or Adobe Illustrator (.ai) file. Or you can save your work as an Adobe PDF file and submit that for printing.

How do I send you Freehand Files?
Convert all fonts to Outlines (curves) and save a copy of your file as an (.eps) or Adobe Illustrator (.ai) file. Or you can save your work as an Adobe PDF file and submit that for printing.

How long will it take to upload my files?
Uploading may take a very long time depending on your connection speed.

I was notified that my files are corrupt...
File corruption usually happens when submitting files over the internet with poor transfer speeds, or when creating very large compressed files. Transfer speed is determined by several factors: your internet connection (broadband vs. dialup), file size, and even time of day. If you have received notification that your files are corrupt, please upload your files again. There will not be additional fees charged. Be sure to try and successfully open the files again on your end before resending. And do not send the same compressed file, but try recompressing your files. We require that you compress your files before sending by using either WinZip on a PC or Stuff It on a Macintosh to create a SIT file.

Is critical artwork or text too close to the trim? What is this?
Text or images that are not meant to get trimmed off the edge of your final printed piece must be 1/4" (.25) from the edge of your layout (also known as Safety). Images that are meant to go to the very edge of your design must extend into the bleed area 1/8” (0.125). Due to the very small shifting that occurs during cutting, it is NOT recommended that you use a border of less than 1⁄4” (.25) if your design calls for the use of a border. We cannot, and will not, guarantee that small borders will be the same size after trimming if you have used a border of less that 1⁄4” (.25).

Is my job the wrong size? What is Bleed?
Digital files must be built at the correct bleed size. Whenever possible, please download and use our Free Layout Templates to ensure correct page size and to prevent additional charges during file preparation.

RGB-to-CMYK conversion of your images
You will have more control over the appearance of your printed piece if you convert all of the images from RGB to CMYK before sending them to us. When we receive RGB images, we do a standard-value conversion to CMYK, which may not be perfectly to your liking. We want you to be happy, so please, take the time to prepare your file properly. We cannot be responsible for sub-par results if you furnish your images in RGB. Even though monitors always use RGB to display colors, the colors you see on your monitor will more closely match the final printed piece if you are viewing them in the CMYK color space. Be aware that computer monitors can display colors in RGB that will not make the conversion to CMYK. These colors are said to be "out of the CMYK color gamut". What happens is the RGB to CMYK translator just gets as close as possible to the appearance of the original and that's as good as it can be. So it's best to select any colors you use for fonts or other design elements in your layout using CMYK definitions instead of RGB. That way, you will have a better idea of how they will appear in your printed piece.

What types of media do you accept?
We prefer you to upload your files using the online ordering system. But we will accept a Mac or PC CD or Zip Disks. Please mail to:
M13 Graphics
1300-J Remington Road
Schaumburg, IL 60173

When you receive my files will fonts be missing?
If you used a page layout program (Publisher, QuarkXpress, Pagemaker, InDesign, etc.) you must provide all fonts and typefaces used in your layout. If you do not supply fonts, you will be asked to upload your fonts and your job will be placed on hold until we receive them.

Why can’t I finish my upload using AOL?
If you use America Online, you should be aware that AOL could limit your inactivity on the web and disconnect you if you are not a current, active user. Uploading files appears to be inactivity to AOL. It is recommended that you keep your AOL email account open at the same time you are uploading your files. This can trick AOL programming into thinking you are still active on the Internet, thereby preventing the possibility of getting disconnected during your file upload.

Will my job meet U.S. Postal regulations?
The US Post Office requires that all postcards being mailed must meet certain requirements and may not mail them properly, or will charge a different rate if there are mistakes. Please contact your local US Post Office to find out these requirements.

Policies FAQ

Cancellations
No refunds are available on orders unless files have not been prepared for printing.

Changes to Policies
M13 Graphics may change, modify, add or remove portions of this policy at any time, and any changes will become effective immediately upon being posted unless noted otherwise. This policy was updated on January 1, 2004.

Electronic Manuscripts/Images
It is the client's responsibility to maintain a copy of the original computer files, artwork and transparencies. M13 Graphics is not responsible for accidental loss or damage to media supplied by the client or for errors on supplied artwork furnished by the client. Until M13 Graphics can evaluate digital input, no claims or promises are made about our ability to work with jobs submitted in digital format, and no liability is assumed for problems that may arise. Any additional translating, editing, or programming needed to utilize client-supplied files will be charged at our current rates. M13 Graphics does not archive your work for longer than it takes to produce the final product. Please save your work!

How are returns and refunds handled?
All sales are final. Every item we sell is carefully inspected before it is shipped. If merchandise is defective or damaged upon receipt please contact us within 24 hours after your package arrives. All claims MUST be made within 24 hours of receipt of your order. Should your print job contain manufacturing errors and/or defects, we may rerun and ship the job at no charge. M13 Graphics reserves the exclusive right to judge what a manufacturing error and defect is.On a case by case basis we will investigate and determine if the damage was due to negligence on our part. Please contact our Customer Service Department at 877-613-1913 during normal business hours so we can handle your request. However, if a return is granted, you must return every single sheet, or item, that was sent to you unused. We appreciate your adherence and acceptance of these conditions.

Right to Subcontract
M13 Graphics shall have the right to assign any portion of the work required to another contractor.

Sample Use
M13 Graphics may use your product for samples or advertising purposes.