FAQ with Answers!
How do I get a quote / what will my print job cost?
It seems like almost every order is different than the one before! There are several options for getting a quote from Dave. Fill out the form on our quote page, call us at 214-630-4017 or email us at service@davetheprinter.com. One of our customer service reps will be happy to put together the pricing!
What is the turnaround time for a printing order?
Turnaround time varies by product, artwork provided and the finishing services needed. For many jobs the turnaround may only be 1 to 3 working days. More involved print orders may take 7 to 14 working days. It is best to call or email us so we can learn more about what you need produced to better determine a completion date. Plan ahead!
What’s the minimum order quantity?
The minimum order quantity varies by product. Business cards come in quantities of 250, 500, and 1000. Most print items like flyers, brochures or postcards come in quantities of 250, 500, 1000, 2,500, 5,000, 10,000 and up. We can print just about any quantity but there are price breaks that will help with the cost. For example: you need 3500 brochures but the cost may be close to the 5000 price break quantity. So in this case, if you could use more, upping the quantity to the price break count of 5,000 might make more sense and be a better way to go giving you a lower per piece cost.
Are there templates for me to use, or guidelines that I should follow?
We have templates for many of the print items we produce. Give us a call and if we have a template we can email that over. These templates will give you a head start on creating your final print project and can help ensure it has proper dimensions, bleed, margins, etc. Our templates are easy to use and in most cases are self explanatory. Our graphics team is available to help if you have questions. For guidelines, please reference our Preparing Files page for more information.
How do I send my file?
There are several options to get us your file. We have this link to send us your files or you may email smaller size files (under 15 meg) to service@davetheprinter.com or email your CSR directly. Dropbox also works well especially for larger files. Remember if using Dropbox, you need to approve your CSR to open and download the files.
How do I prepare my files for printing and what kind of file should I send?
High Resolution, press quality PDFs are the industry standard file format for printing. We ask for crop marks and if an image runs to the edge of the sheet (bleeds) we require an additional ⅛” of that image beyond the edge of the paper. Make sure that all artwork is embedded, the fonts are saved as outlines and the size is the same as the printed size. (8.5 x 11 pages don’t resize to 4 x 6 well). Find more info on files and graphic design on our Graphic Design page.
Will I get to see a proof?
Yes, we will send you a pdf proof after we preflight your files. We also send proofs if our graphics team creates the file or makes any changes to your supplied file. Proof everything very carefully as your approval is final. In many instances we can print a hard copy proof for your inspection. On short run digital print jobs we will try to print that proof on the exact paper as the finished product will be on so… What you see / proof is what you will be getting in the end product.
Can you fix my artwork or make changes for me?
At Dave the Printer we have Graphic Designers as well as Production Graphics people who can alter artwork based on the type of file you provide. If the design requires multiple alterations that require more than a few minutes, our Design Services team can help for an additional fee.
How long does shipping or delivery take?
Shipping time varies by destination. We can courier out local deliveries and can ship via UPS shipments as well. Almost all items ship out within 1 working day. Transit time is based on the number of business days in transit and does not include weekends, holidays or the day the package is picked up from our office. Multiple shipments can be arranged by your CSR. If your order is COD, Payment will need to be received before the shipment goes out.
Do you save my specs and files for future orders?
Yes. We save orders by the invoice number and can usually retrieve the files from our backup system. If the invoice number isn’t available, we can also search by your company name or the name of the person who ordered the job last. We also keep at least one sample in the job jacket so we know exactly what we did on the last order.
Why use Dave the Printer?
As a family owned business, Dave the Printer has been bending over backwards for over 50 years to make sure we provide both quality printing and great customer service. We will not leave you waiting, we understand that time is money. Our team at Dave’s would be happy to meet you in person at our office in the Design District, via email at service@davetheprinter.com or you can simply give us a call at 214-630-4017.