Frequently Asked Questions

How do I place an order?

PrintUSA.com is a full-service print shop! Every order is special to us and we want to get it just right for you – this requires knowing more about what you need. To get started with your order click any of the Request Quote buttons or links you see on each page of our website. Fill out the form and let us know the details about what you need. You will hear back from us within 1 Business Day.



Where are your prices?

We do specialized printing. Every order is unique and based on your design choices, printing options (stock type, specialty inks, and other custom options), etc, shipping locations/pickup/delivery, hard copy proofs (if desired), layout and design work, etc. We work with you to make sure your product is exactly what you want. This type of service requires what is commonly known online as an RFQ, Request For Quote, system and is very common to the printing industry – especially with commercial printing. PrintUSA serves both individual/personal printing and also commercial printing services. RFQ means you get the best prices since we can price per the specifics of your job. Printers that use Set Pricing for all of their printing services set that number high enough to ensure they don’t lose money on higher end jobs – this means at those places you actually pay MORE than you need to for more simple jobs.



How do I pay? / When do I pay?

For online payments we accept VISA or MASTERCARD via secure online payment or over phone. You do not need to pay until after you’ve accepted a Quote from us. We can take our payment over the phone with us, or we can send you to our secure online checkout for payment. Once you’ve accepted a quote and made payment we can begin your order. We will not start your order until payment method has been authorized / placed on file with us.



Can I pay when I pick up my order In-Person?

All payment must be made or pre-authorized BEFORE any order is sent to design or production. You can pay in person before your order is started but not wait to pay when you pick up your order.



What type of file should my project be in?

For Print-Ready files that require NO additional editing or specialized effects your file should be in a printable PDF format with the proper size, margins (for projects with bleed), etc. Print-Ready files are generally not very editable. If there is additional work you want done to your file a flattened printable PDF may not be the right choice.



What is “bleed”?

Bleed is a printing term that is used to describe a document which has images or elements that touch the edge of the page, extending beyond the trim edge and leaving no white margin. When a document has bleed, it must be printed on a larger sheet of paper and then trimmed down. Without proper bleed on your document some text or images may be cut off during the trimming process. Make certain that if you have a Print-Ready PDF that the document has a proper bleed because this cannot generally be added without alterations to your design.



Why can’t my Print-Ready PDF be edited?

If your Print-Ready PDF is either flattened (to be one layer), image traced/outlined (to turn editable Text into Vector or Raster objects), Rasterized (e.g. compressed to JPG), saved in a color format other than CMYK (CMYK is the standard for printing, RGB is for web graphics), or saved from Adobe Products without “Preserve Editing Capabilities” checked, then your document is finalized in its form and cannot be easily edited. This is perfectly fine if you do not need it to be edited since it is ready for printing but it may need to be in a different format if you have more you want done to your document such as: - Changing of Graphics, Photos, Text. - Additional Layout and Design. - Specialty Inks and Effects - Metallic Foil - …or any other editing. If you DO need additional editing done to your document it is best to send us your original, WORKING DESIGN FILE, such as .AI, .PSD, .IND, etc. Please leave your Text layers as editable text, and all layers intact (do not rasterize or flatten any text or vector layers). If you have additional graphics or photos to add to your document please send them in their original size and uncompressed to get the best quality appearance, 300 dpi resolution is the standard for printing and looks best. Web graphics are generally lower resolution 72 dpi and aren’t as suitable for print.