Frequently Asked Questions
Products
- What products can I purchase through your company?
We offer postcards, including direct-mail and EDDM (Every Door Direct Mail) postcards; presentation folders; a wide range of promotional products, such as canvas bags, pens, flashlights, bottle openers and can coolers; and real estate marketing materials that include business cards, folded note cards, greeting cards and stationary (envelopes and letterhead), among a host of other products.
- Can I use my own custom template for a product's design?
Yes, you can upload your own completed design for printing, or you can provide a custom background over which we will organize your custom text. Please be sure to look up the specifications for the bleed and finished size for your design. There is one-time customization charge of $15 to convert your design to fit the product's template size.
- What file formats should I use for images I provide?
Our website accepts JPG, JPEG and PDF files. If you have any other file format like EPS, TIF, PNG or BMP, please email the file to support@sparkprint.com, and we will forward you the same image converted into a file you can upload to our Design Center.
- What are the finished sizes of your products?
Provide a graphic with the finished sized of our products.
Full SizeFinished SizeBusiness Cards3.63 x 2.133.5 x 2Standard PostCards5.59 x 4.335.47 x 4.21Jumbo PostCards8.62 x 5.598.5 x 5.47Standard FoldedCards5.59 x 4.335.47 x 4.21Jumbo FoldedCards8.62 x 5.598.5 x 5.47Door Hangers4.5 x 11.254.25 x 11Letterheads8.625 x 11.1278.5 x 11Envelopes9.625 x 4.259.5 x 4.125Presentation Folders18.25 x 16.2518 x 16 - Are your products of high quality?
Our paper products are printed on substrates of no less than 16-pt thickness, and our signs are printed on 4mm-thick corrugated plastic. Most of our products are also gloss-coated.
- Do you guarantee your products' quality?
We believe in 100% customer satisfaction, and we guarantee the quality and printing of our products. If you are not pleased with the quality of the product you receive, mail us 3 – 5 samples of the product along with a description of the issue you see, and we will work with you to deliver a product that exceeds your expectations. This product guarantee does not cover misspellings or incorrect information entered by our customers.
Policies
- What is your order Cancellation policy?
Printing for orders begins the same day our customers place them, unless a customization request is included with the order. Orders may be canceled if printing has not yet begun. To find whether your order is eligible for cancellation, call one of our customer service representatives at 800-345-0908.
- What is your refund policy?
Eligible refunds usually take 4-7 business days to be fully processed.
- I made an error on my order; will you offer a discount for a corrected reprint?
When an order is completed using a design submitted with an error, we will offer 50% off of our list price on a reprint for a corrected version of the design on the same material at the same quantity, excluding any associated shipping and handling costs.
- I forgot to enter my coupon code; can I still get a discount?
We do not provide refunds for coupon codes not entered at the time of payment.
- What if I have a problem with the product I receive because:
1. my order got damaged in shipment?
Email a photo of the damaged product and box to support@sparkprint.com within 14 days of delivery, and we will replace it for you. Please keep the box on hand until we provide confirmation that the re-shipment has been completed.
2. my photo has a red tint to it in print?
Mail us 3 – 5 samples of the order. We will review the samples to determine if we need to make color corrections to your photo. In most cases, we reprint the order after adjusting your photo's coloration.
3. my business card was cut incorrectly?
Mail us 3 – 5 samples of the order, and we will reprint that order for you.
SparkPrint.com
ATTN: Customer Care
14 Central Street, Norwood,
Massachusetts 02062, United States.
Image and Image Quality
- My photo does not appear on the proof.
Your photo may use a color format or file type unaccepted by our Design Center. To have us adjust and optimize your photo, email that photo to support@sparkprint.com.
- My photo appears to be grainy. Will it print clearly?
Your photo is displayed at 72 DPI (dots per inch) after it is uploaded, which may cause it to appear grainy on the screen. As long as your photo is of high resolution and meets our quality standards, it will appear clear in print.
- How do I ensure my photograph is of sufficient quality?
As a general rule, your photograph has to be at least 200 DPI (dots per inch) at the size it is going to print. To get an idea of how it will appear in print, open the file in Microsoft Paint, IrfanView or any other image software, and zoom in until the image appears at least as large as it will in print; if your image does not have any pixelation and is not hazy, it may meet our quality requirements. Also check your file size; if it is greater than 200KB, it may meet our quality requirements. Please note that these are rough guidelines, and cannot be used to guarantee the photo's quality in print. The image quality is ultimately the responsibility of our customers. To have a customer service representative review your photo, email it to support@sparkprint.com.
- What should be the dimensions of the photos I upload?
Our templates support a variety of photograph sizes. As long as your photo is at least 200 DPI (dots per inch) at print size and meets the aspect ratio, it will print well. Our quality-assurance inspection will resize any image that needs to be adjusted.
- Can you print my black-and-white photo?
Yes we print black and white photo, for assistance please click here to view our quality requirements for uploaded photos.
- Will my photo print exactly as I see it?
No! There will be some difference in the way the photo will appear in print. Some reasons for this are:
1. color calibration of LCD monitors varies from one monitor to another.
2. our printing uses a CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow and black) color-combination process, whereas most monitor displays use a RGB (red, green and blue) color-combination.
3. temperature and moisture conditions also affect the print.
We do not guarantee that your print will exactly match what you see on a computer screen. However, if you place an order using our templates for a real estate company, we will do our best to match the colors that company has approved.
- I need to remove the background of my photo. Can that be done?
Yes! We will remove the background of your photo for a fee of $15.
- My photograph appears distorted/stretched on the screen.
Distortion generally occurs when the photographs uploaded do not match our aspect ratios (the ratio of the width to height). Our quality assurance team reviews each photograph to correct such issues. In case a photograph cannot be corrected, someone from our customer service team will call or email you.
- Your application says that my photo is too large.
We have a file size limit of 2MB for portrait images and 10MB for background images and other images being uploaded to our templates. If you email your photo to support@sparkprint.com, we will optimize/resize your image appropriately and email you a copy.
Shipping and Delivery
- When will I receive my order?
Most of our products are delivered in 3 to 15 business days, depending upon the delivery options selected. When you select your order's shipping speed, you will see an expected delivery date listed next to each product. This date presumes no additional proof approval is required by you, and approval of any additional proofs will add at least 1 business day per proof iteration. Our quality assurance team may choose to delay production for an item until we receive additional proof approval from you. Items with different production time frames may be shipped separately.To view our product delivery timelines, click here.
- What shipping speeds do you offer?
We offer 1-day (express), 2- to 3-day (priority), and 4- to 5-day (ground) shipping. This shipping time frame begins after your order's production has completed.
- Can I track my order?
Track your order by logging into your account and clicking “Account” and then “Order History.” Once your order has shipped, a tracking number will be listed by the end of the business day.
- What shipping carriers do you use?
We use UPS, USPS and FedEx for shipping. Shipping carriers may change at any time without prior announcement to our customers.
- Will I get a refund if my shipment arrives late?
We will refund the item's shipping cost to you if a product arrives outside of the production and shipping timeline following your final proof approval.
- How can I expedite processing and shipping?
Manufacturing and shipping timelines vary by product. If you need rush delivery, please call a customer service representative at 800-345-0908. Rush delivery is available on some of our products, and usually takes 3 business days if an order is placed before 3 PM EST.
- My order was damaged in transit. What do I do?
Email a photo of the damaged product and box to support@sparkprint.com within 14 days of delivery, and we will replace it for you. Please keep the box on hand until we provide confirmation that the re-shipment has been completed.
Credit card problems and password resets
- Why am I unable to login?
Verify your user name and password, ensuring that Caps Lock is not enabled. In most cases, the username or password entered does not precisely match the account's record.
- I have forgotten my password; what do I do?
Click “Forgot Password” in the upper right, provide your email, and answer your security question to set a new password. If you do not remember the answer to your security question, click near the bottom of the pop-up window and a new password will be generated and emailed to you, overwriting your existing password. If you do not receive this email, please check your spam folder. You may also call a customer service representative at 800-345-0908 to get a temporary password.
- I keep getting an error message that my credit card payment has been declined.
Credit cards may not go through for several reasons:
1. The most common cause is that the credit card information such as name, billing address and credit card number do not precisely match what your bank has on file.
2. The issuing bank may be declining the transaction. To determine if this is the case, call the bank that issued the credit card and verify that this transaction was received, and if so, why it is being declined.
3. Your billing zip code may not match the one your issuing bank has on file for this credit card.
- Do you keep my credit card information once I have ordered from your website?
We do not keep any credit card information on our systems. Credit card transactions are sent directly to the credit card processor using an encrypted and secure connection.
- What are the different types of payment you accept?
We accept VISA, MASTERCARD, AMERICAN EXPRESS, DISCOVER and PAYPAL. We do not accept any other form of payment.
- Do you accept checks or money orders?
We do not accept checks or money orders.
Designing products online
- Can I save my design?
You can save your design by clicking the blue “Save Design” button at the bottom center of our Design Center and entering a unique design name. Access saved designs by clicking the orange “Saved Designs” button in the upper right. When you place an order, that design is automatically saved in your account under “Order History.”
- If I increase the font size, why may some fields overlap?
There is a fixed height allotted to each field on our designs, and increasing that font size can cause the text to appear atop adjacent fields. To move a field, click that field and use the arrow buttons in the toolbar at the top of the Design Center.
- Can I change the color of the text?
Yes, you can select a field and use the color wheel in the Design Center toolbar on most products, excluding promotional products.
- Will my product print exactly as I see it on my computer?
No! There will be some difference in the way the photo will appear in print. Some reasons for this are:
1. color calibration of LCD monitors varies from one monitor to another.
2. our printing uses a CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow and black) color-combination process, whereas most monitor displays use a RGB (red, green and blue) color-combination.
3. temperature and moisture conditions also affect the print.
We do not guarantee that your print will exactly match what you see on a computer screen. However, if you place an order using our templates for a real estate company, we will do our best to match the colors that company has approved.
- Can I add new fields or move my text fields?
You cannot add or delete text fields, although you can move text by selecting that field and using the arrow buttons in the toolbar at the top of the Design Center.
- How can I use a custom logo?
After approving the design, click “Notes” on the page where you will select product quantity, and state in the text-entry box that you will provide us with a custom logo. Place the order and immediately email the logo and order number to support@sparkprint.com, and we will insert the new logo and provide you with a proof for your approval. and we will insert the new logo and provide you with a proof for your approval. Please make sure that your logo is of print quality. There is no additional fee for this customization.
- What product customization options do you offer, and how can I select them?
If you enter notes on the page following your online proof's approval before placing the order, you will receive a proof for your approval, and the order will not be printed until we receive that proof approval.
1. Basic Customization: $10. We will make basic changes to the card's layout according to your requests.
2. Advanced Customization: $15. We will make all requested design changes our products support.
3. Postcard customization:
1. Front-side only or reverse-side only: $15. We will customize one side of the postcard, and you will customize a template for the card's other side.
2. Both front and back: $20. We will customize both the front and back of the postcards in accordance with your requests.
4. Remove image background / silhouetting: $15. We will remove the background from your photo so your image will appear directly atop your chosen template's background.
5. Soften photo tones, airbrush photo, remove blemishes: $15. We will edit your photo in an effort to make your requested changes to the photo's appearance.We do not guarantee that the photo's print will match your desire.
6. Any other customization is billed hourly. Check with a customer service representative for more information.
Discounts and Promotions
- I did not enter a coupon code at the time of placing an order; can I get a refund?
Though we apologize for any inconvenience, we do not apply coupon codes after an order has been placed.
- Where do I enter my coupon code?
Coupon codes can be entered on same page where you enter your credit card information. This is the last step of placing an order, and follows the page where you select your shipping speed. Enter the coupon code and click the black “Update Order” button to the left of that field. The discount will appear above the “Total” field in the order summary at the top of the page.
Postcard Mailing / Direct Mail
- How do I select the geography for my mailing?
You can upload your own list, or you can get a certified list from our system using one of the following options to determine how addresses will be selected:
1. ENTER INDIVIDUAL ZIP CODES (UP TO 25) – Addresses for the number of recipients you choose will be randomly selected from the ZIP Codes you provide. You can restrict the number of recipients in each ZIP Code once the search completes.
2. CHOOSE FROM A LIST OF CITIES – Addresses for the number of recipients you choose will be randomly selected from the cities you select in the list. You may select cities from multiple states, and there is no limit to the number of cities you can select. You can restrict the number of recipients in each city once the search completes.
3. CHOOSE FROM A LIST OF COUNTIES – Addresses for the number of recipients you choose will be randomly selected from the counties you select in the list. You may select counties from multiple states, and there is no limit to the number of counties you can select. You can restrict the number of recipients in each selected county once the search completes.
4. CHOOSE FROM A LIST OF STATES – Addresses for the number of recipients you choose will be randomly selected from the states you select in the list. There is no limit to the number of states you can select. You can restrict the number of recipients in each selected state once the search completes.
5. RADIUS DISTANCE AROUND AN ADDRESS * – Addresses for the number of recipients you choose will be randomly selected from the ZIP Codes found within the radius you select around the address you provide. This may include addresses outside of the physical radius you define.
6. RADIUS DISTANCE AROUND AN ADDRESS ** – Recipients for the number of postcards you order will be randomly selected from the postal carrier routes that operate within the radius you select around the address you provide. This may include addresses outside of the physical radius you define.
7. CLOSEST RECORDS TO AN ADDRESS *** – The number of recipients you choose will be randomly selected from the ZIP+4 Codes located within the radius of the address you provide that is necessary to include the chosen number of recipients. This random selection may include addresses besides those physically closest to the address you provide.
8. SELECT FROM MAP (DRAW POLYGON) – The number of recipients you choose will be randomly selected from the postal carrier routes operating within polygon you draw. This may include addresses outside of the physical area you define.
- How do I select the demographics?
After defining the geographic area for recipients, you can choose “All Records in Chosen Geography” to refrain from filtering by available demographic data, or you can choose “Customize by Demographics, Lifestyle, Purchase Behavior” to tighten your focus.
The Demographic Selection screen will then allow you to choose to target only recipients with a certain income level, type of home, and renter/owner status. The more criteria you select, the more precise your list will be.
- What is the most commonly used search option to obtain an address list?
“Radius distance around an address *” is the most-commonly used address-selection option. In this option, addresses for the number of recipients you choose are randomly selected from the ZIP Codes found within the radius you select around the address you provide. This may include addresses outside of the physical radius you define.
- Once I get an address count result, can I still make changes?
Yes, you can. Click the blue “Edit Selections” or “Update” text to change the criteria for your address list, or you can click the blue “Back” button at the bottom of the addressing area to change your search type.
- Can I order just a portion of the addresses found?
Yes. Simply enter your desired order quantity in the “Qty Desired” box, and that number of addresses will be randomly selected from the available count.
- Help! My available address count is too low!
If your list count is lower than you expected, you may want to expand your geography and/or broaden your list criteria. For example, if you plan to target homeowners with middle incomes in the San Diego market defined by zip codes in that area, one option is to add neighboring ZIP Codes. Other options that can increase your available count are to change the geographic area to cover the entire San Diego metropolitan area, or to include additional income levels
- Help! My available address count is too high!
You can either narrow your geographic or demographic selection to reduce the number of address results, or you can simply reduce the number entered in the “Qty Desired” text-entry box.
- Can I download these lists?
Because the payment for list usage allows only for the use of these addresses in your mailings, lists cannot be downloaded.
- Is there a minimum quantity of addresses required?
We require at least 200 addresses for direct-mail postcard orders .
Signs and Accessories
- What materials can I have my sign printed on?
Our signs are printed on 4mm-thick corrugated plastic. These panels are light-weight panel, and are a good choice for short-term signage, and is typically used for directional signs. Corrugated plastic panels are susceptible to harsh weather conditions like extreme heat, cold and humidity.
- Will the printed product look exactly like the design proof displayed on my monitor?
Will my product print exactly as I see it on my computer?
No! There will be some difference in the way the photo will appear in print. Some reasons for this are:
1. color calibration of LCD monitors varies from one monitor to another.
2. our printing uses a CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow and black) color-combination process, whereas most monitor displays use a RGB (red, green and blue) color-combination.
3. temperature and moisture conditions also affect the print.
We do not guarantee that your print will exactly match what you see on a computer screen. However, if you place an order using our templates for a real estate company, we will do our best to match the colors that company has approved.
- If I order a double-sided sign, how do I ensure the arrows will point in the same direction?
We do this for you! We automatically adjust double-sided signs with arrows so that the arrows point people in the same direction when viewed from either side.
- How durable are the signs?
Our ink is UV-resistant for up to 3 years. The durability of inks and materials used is also dependent on weather conditions, and may vary from region to region.
- Do sign panel orders include posts, frames or stakes for hanging or display?
All signage and its accessories are sold separately or as units.
Our complete sign units are:
Corrugated Yard Sign & Stake: These units include an 18" high by 24" wide corrugated plastic sign panel that is 0.4mm thick. The included stake, made of 9-gauge wire (.148” thick), slides directly into the sign panel.
Arrow Shaped Sign Unit: These units are cut from an 18" high by 24" wide corrugated plastic sign panel that is 0.4mm thick. The included stake, made of 9-gauge wire (.148” thick), slides directly into the sign panel.
House Shaped Sign Unit: These units are cut from an 18" high by 24" wide corrugated plastic sign panel that is 0.4mm thick. The included stake, made of 9-gauge wire (.148” thick), slides directly into the sign panel.
- Do the signs come with holes so I can hang them or attach them?
Most, but not all, size/material combinations give you the option to have holes by choosing “Standard Holes” on the “Product Options” page that follows the online proof approval page. Adding these holes includes a $2 charge.
General Questions
- I placed an order through your website yesterday and I typed some information incorrectly. Is there any way you can fix this?
Printing for orders begins the same day they our customers place them, unless a customization request is included with the order. Orders may be canceled if printing has not yet begun. To find whether your order is eligible for cancellation, call one of our customer service representatives at 800-345-0908. If an order is completed using a design submitted with an error, we will offer 50% off of a reprint for a corrected version of the design on the same material at the same quantity, excluding any associated shipping and handling costs.
- I have not received an order confirmation e-mail from you. Do you send confirmation e-mails?
Our system sends confirmation e-mails when place your order and when the order ships. If you do not receive these emails, please check your spam folder and any anti-spam software or custom filters; you can also call a customer service representative at 800-345-0908 to verify your order status.
- Can I pay by check or money order?
We cannot accept checks or money orders. All payments must be made by credit card.
- Can I create tent cards or vertically-folded products?
We do not support these options on our website.
- Do you offer raised printing?
We do not offer raised printing.