Frequently Asked Questions

What are your delivery times?

We dispatch standard items within 5 working days, delivery by 24 hour courier. If your order is not a standard item, we will give you a firm delivery date when you order.

What are your payment terms?

We offer discounts on all standard items on the understanding that all items are paid for with your order. Please use the Paypal shopping cart, even if you don't have a Paypal account, as it is a secure way to pay using your credit or debit card.

I want something that isn't in your shop - can you do it?

Probably - please send us an email on info@soprint.co.uk with your requirements and we will send back a personalised quotation. We are always happy to produce bespoke work.

What is "Artwork"?

Artwork comprises the files needed to print the items you want. Artwork can be just a picture: .pdf, .jpg, .tif, .eps, .bmp, etc; or it can be a professionally produced layout on a good quality program such as Quark, Illustrator, Pagemaker, Indesign etc. Either way the quality of your artwork will determine the quality of the finished product. If your artwork isn't very good, we can modify it at our standard studio cost, however images will still print badly if they are low resolution.

Are my pictures good enough to print?

The minimum resolution for a suitable picture is 300dpi, at the correct size. If you supply your picture the size of a postage stamp and you want it reproduced on a poster, the quality will be very poor. If you're not sure how good your picture is, send it to us for a free appraisal. Don't forget - just because it looks good on your screen, doesn't mean it will be good enough to print.

The file I am sending is quite big - is that a problem?

We can accept files on email of up to 16 megabytes (Mb). If your file is bigger than this, we recommend that you use the website Mailbigfile.com, to forward your file to us at info@soprint.co.uk. This ftp server can handle files up to 100Mb.

My artwork has been produced on Microsoft Word/Publisher/Powerpoint - can you use it?

Yes, although we must convert them to PDF before we can print. Because this can sometimes suffer from translation errors, we will send you a PDF proof to check.

I use a program which you don't list - can you still help?

Our list of in-house programs is continually expanding, when enough people request a program that we don't have, we buy it. Please check with us at info@soprint.co.uk. to make sure. Alternatively you could try exporting your artwork as a PDF, EPS or similar universal file as many programs are capable of this.

What if I change my mind and want to correct the artwork?

You can make as many corrections as you like, up to the time that you approve the artwork for printing, after which a charge may be made.

Will you check my artwork for spelling or layout errors?

We will check your work for basic faults, but will not be held responsible for errors in your artwork.

If you produce my artwork, who then owns it?

When you've paid for the artwork, the copyright is transferred to you. We reserve the right to keep copies of your artwork for your exclusive future use. Once the artwork is paid for you can request a copy at any time.

What do I have to provide, if you are producing the artwork?

It's always handy if you have an example of something you like. Perhaps you have an old business card or letterhead, or an invoice which just needs updating. If you don't have anything, then write down or email what you want and we will use our extensive experience to interpret your instructions. Send a copy of it in the post or email and we will turn it into fresh artwork for you to check.

How much will new artwork cost?

Artwork is charged by time. We charge £30 per hour, but a typical full colour business card will only take about 30 chargeable minutes. If your requirements are complicated, the price will increase. If your budget is limited, you may set a maximum for the artwork costs. Our artwork is personalised and original, not copied from commercial templates.

How long will you keep my artwork on file?

We keep all files. Our system is double-firewalled, protected by Norton Antivirus and regular backup copies are made to CD and reserve hard-drives.

What formats do you accept?

We use both Mac and PC formats

The files we accept are: PDF, .bmp, .jpg, .eps, .tif, .psd.  

The programs we use are: Indesign CS2, Illustrator CS2, Pagemaker 7.0, Quark 6.5, Photoshop CS, MS Publisher 2003, MS Word 2000.