FAQ

Q: I would like to order a set of cards, but am I able to see what the final outcome will look like first? A: Yes, when you sign up on inkblot.co.nz as a customer, you can receive a free digital proof of the design of your choice before placing your order. There is no purchase necessary, simply reply to your "Welcome to Inkblot" email upon registering with your card design request and you will be emailed a proof within 24 hours. Q: Are envelopes included in my order? A: All of our custom greeting card orders include standard white envelopes free of charge except Wedding Invitations. Q: What about privacy and security? A: The last thing you want to worry about during this exciting time in your life is privacy and security. That is why here at Inkblot we have taken every measure to ensure your payment and personal information is secure. Inkblot.co.nz is protected by 256 bit Instant SSL Certificate. This certificate is trusted by over 99.3% of current Internet users. Please visit our Privacy Policy page to read more. Q: How does the design progress work and how long does it take to create my custom photo cards? A: Inkblot is full design service. Nothing about the design process is automated and each order is completed by a professional graphic artist to ensure the highest possible standards are met. The templates on the website are there to make your ordering process is easy as possible. The templates are not set in stone. For example, adjustments can be made to allow for more pictures, different colour themes or customised wording and font choice. If you have in mind a design that you cant quite find on the website, feel free to contact us and we will customise a greeting card according to your needs and specifications. Once you order the template of your choice, you will be requested to upload your digital photos. You may also email your photo(s) to inkblot@inkblot.co.nz. Once payment is received, the customisation of your photo card will begin. We guarantee you will receive an e-proof of your custom greeting card no later than 1 business day later. Typically after the final proof approval is completed you will receive your photo cards in the mail anywhere from 4-6 business days. Q: What type of pen can I use to write inside my folded card or on the flat thank you card styles? A: If you would like to write on your cards, we recommend using a ball point stick pen or a Sharpie. Please be careful when using a gel pen, roller-ball pen, felt-tip pen, or any other liquid-ink based pens as there is a tendency for the ink to smudge if it is not completely dry. Q: What does the back of the photo cards look like? A: All of the photo cards have a corresponding design printed on the back of the card along with a small Inkblot logo. The back designs are not available for viewing yet but will be included in your e-proof if ordered. Additional photos may be added to the back of the card free of charge as well. Q: Can I have a personal message or photo printed inside the card? A: Yes, when ordering your design, simply choose the Folded Card with black & white or colour inside when selecting your design choice. All you need to do then is include your message in the "Add personal details here to customise your card" section when you are completing your order or email us the custom message and photo(s). Q: What photo formats do you support? A: You can currently email photos in the following formats: .jpg, .gif, .png, .bmp and .tiff. Q: Is there a size limit for photos? A: Yes, photos must be 10 MB or less. Q: I see a thank you card design I like, but I need a birth announcement, can you design it for me? A: We would love to. We are here to cater to your taste and style. In fact each product you see on Inkblot is completely customisable. Not only can all designs be transformed into a card for every occasion, we will customise fonts and colours to your desire as well. For example, say you love the Bubbles Birthday Party Invitation, but your little boys favourite colours are red and blue - send us an email or just let us know in the specials instruction part of the ordering process and we will take the customisation one step further. Q: How do I order a card? A: It is really simple, all you have to do is browse through our designs and add to your shopping cart the card(s) you wish purchase. When finalising your shipping and payment details simply add any specific instruction and personal details to customise your order, upload the photos you would like to use and we will take care of the rest! Q: How long does it take to receive my order? A: Unfortunately we cannot give you an exact date, but what we can tell you is exactly how the process works so you know what to expect. Since we offer unlimited edits to your chosen design, and we turn around each edit within one business day. We cannot know in advance how many edits you will request, if any at all! We can be sure of the variables on our end - once we receive your order and your high resolution pictures, your initial e-proof will be available within one business day. Each edit request will be completed within one business day. Once you approve your proof for printing - we will turn the order over to the printers who will have it processed, printed, packed and shipped within 2 two days at the max, sometimes sooner. Courier Post then takes over and in most cases has your package to you within 1-2 days depending on your location (rural address can take longer). So, to answer the question, it is not an exact science, but in most cases you will have your cards within 6-7 days. For more information on the shipping process click here. Q: How do I send my photos to you? A: We have recently added a uploading function to our website. During the ordering process, you will be asked to upload your photo files. We also accept photos emailed to us. After you have placed your order, simply shoot us an email to inkblot@inkblot.co.nz with your contact details and your photos attached and we will take care of the rest. Q: What format should my photograph be in? A: Always send the original photo from your digital camera, shot in the highest resolution your camera will support. Remember nothing can be done to make a small photo larger without distorting the quality. Our preference is a photo in the .jpg format, but we also accept .gif, .png, .bmp, and .tiff. 300 dpi with no compression is optimal. For more information on taking great digital photos please visit our Inkblog section. Q: Can I use photos that were taken professionally? A: All photos that were taken professionally require a release from the photographer granting us permission to reproduce the images. Q: Will I receive a proof before the order is processed? A: Of course! A digital proof will be emailed to you for approval before the order is processed and within one business day. If you would like to see any changes made to your proof, simply reply to the email with the changes and we will send you a revised proof. Please look over your proof very carefully. Once a proof is approved for print, you are responsible for the printed order. If any changes need to be made AFTER a proof has already been approved, there will be a reprint fee that is the customers responsibility. Q: Do you require a minimum order? A: Our minimum order is 20 cards. All cards are sold in packs of 20. Q: Do you have a cancellation policy? A: Yes. It depends on what stage you are in when you cancel. If we have not started on your order, then there is no charge. If we have put together your proof, there is a charge of $20. If we have already received your final approval on the proof and it has been sent to print, you will be responsible for the total order cost. Q: If I am unhappy with my order, can I get a refund? A: Since our products are custom printed, we do not offer a refund unless there is a problem with the order due to our error. If you like more information, please visit our returns section. Q: What forms of payment do you accept? A: Our online shopping cart accepts all major credit cards. Q: My pictures are in colour. Can you convert them to black and white? A: Yes! In fact, we prefer to do it ourselves. We have a special process for doing the conversion and we prefer to receive your unedited file from your camera or scanner. We will take care of colour conversion, cropping, and any other editing. Q: Do I have to use a digital camera? A: You can use whatever camera you have available. We do love digital cameras because you can take so many pictures and immediately see if they are coming out well or if you need to re-shoot. If you are using a film camera, the image will have to be scanned in at 600 dpi to make sure you get the best possible quality. Q: Do your designs work for twins, triplets, or special births? A: Yes! Since every order is custom designed just for you, we can make it perfect for your unique situation. Check out the twins/multiples section in the birth announcements and thank you card section for some options. If you see another design on our site that you love but it does not work for your baby or babies, send us an email and we would love to work with you on designing the perfect card. Q: I have a lot of pictures and I am not sure which would work best -- can I send over some extras? A: Yes! We love having a selection of pictures to choose from. If there are any in particular that you especially want included, just let us know. Q: My baby is already 3 months old - is it too late to send a birth announcement? A: Everyone knows how time flies when you have a new baby. You are not alone!!! Whether your little one is 3 days, 3 weeks, or 3 months, everyone will love to receive an announcement featuring your babys sweet face. Q: Can I make changes once I see the e-proof? A: Of course! We offer unlimited changes to your chosen design - we are happy to work with you until it is just perfect. We have a fast, one business day turnaround time for all change requests. Q: What are the shipping and handling charges? A: The flat rate charge for all orders is $6.00 for shipment via Courier Post. For more information on the shipping process click here. Q: What currencies and payment methods are currently accepted? A: Currently the New Zealand Dollar, the Australian Dollar and the U.S. Dollar are accepted. We accept Mastercard - Visa (Credit/Debit)