Most Frequent Questions

• How To Order
• Turn-around Times
• Delivery Options
• Difficulty Placing Online Orders
• Cropping and Red-Eye Removal
• Paper Surfaces
• Archival Keeping
• iPrints Satisfaction Guarantee
• Tips For Better Digital Photography

How do I order prints and enlargements of my digital pictures?

• Order online from your digital camera at www.iPrints.com. Our simple instructions will guide you, step-by-step, when you place your order. All you need to do is to transfer the images from your camera’s memory card to a file on your computer’s hard drive. Then, just locate the file containing the pictures you want printed from the hard drive. Our program makes it easy to select the right file and choose the pictures you want for enlargements by showing all the files on your hard drive in the left portion of the Order Screen. You just have to select the correct folder to view the pictures and order. The program will walk you through each of the simple steps. Please believe us when we say it’s a lot simpler to actually order great prints and enlargements than to describe how to order them!
• Or… Burn your digital camera images to a CD-R and mail the CD to us. It is sometimes more convenient to burn your images onto a CD-R and mail the CD to our laboratory for prints. For example, if you have very big images or a large number of files you could find that transferring the images online might be difficult due to restrictions imposed by your Internet Service Provider (some ISPs restrict you to just 5 or 10 megabyte maximum uploads). If you’re submitting CDs, it will be best if you place digital images for the same print sizes and quantities sized in separate, labeled folders. (i.e. Make one folder for all images where you want 2 of each 4" x 6" glossy prints; a second for 1 of each 8" x 12" glossy, etc. Please request only one print surface…glossy or matte…per order.) This will help you organize your order in a way that our technicians can follow when they make your prints and enlargements. CDs can be mailed to Dale Laboratories, our parent laboratory, in our postage-paid mailers…or you can ship them to us in any secure package. Please protect your CDs by packing them between cardboards. For a free supply of mailers, please click here.

What is the normal turn-around time for my orders?

• iPrints.com online prints and enlargements from digital cameras – – Print sizes from 4" x 6" to 12" x 18" will normally ship within 24 hours (Monday - Friday) from the time we receive your uploaded images over the Internet. – Print sizes from 16" x 20" to 20" x 30" will usually ship within 5 - 9 business days.
• Please allow for several additional incoming days for mail-in orders. The service times listed above are estimates based upon our normal turn-around times and are provided for you to use as a guideline. They are not guaranteed since other factors, such as extremely heavy volume or the possible necessity of reprinting your order…with extra time required…may cause delays. So, it’s very important that you allow sufficient time for us to provide the high quality prints and enlargements that you deserve.

How do you ship my orders to me? How long will it take for my orders to arrive?

• Orders within the U.S. are shipped by First Class, Priority Mail or DHL – – First Class Mail usually takes from 2 - 4 days after it has left our laboratory for it to be delivered anywhere in the U.S. – Priority Mail is routinely delivered in 2 - 3 days. Please note that the U.S. Post Office advertises two to three day delivery…and nearly always delivers on time…but does not actually guarantee delivery within the two to three day time span. – DHL 2nd Day packages are delivered in two days. This is guaranteed by DHL to most …but not all…locations in the U.S. Signatures are not generally required, unless you specifically request “signature required” with your order. – Larger orders may be shipped via DHL Ground to provide computerized tracking. These packages generally are delivered in 2 - 4 days after leaving the laboratory.
• Shipments by DHL, FedEx or UPS Next Day Air – – You may request this service to be charged to your airfreight account number. Please include a note with your airfreight account number or contact our Customer Service department to make arrangements. – We can also add the shipping charges to the credit card you used for your order, billing you directly for expedited, next-day delivery. These shipments are charged at actual shipping cost.
• Shipping to Canada, Mexico and overseas – – We ship by U.S. Mail, which connects to the mail service in your country. International mail service is quick and, depending on the destination country, is usually very reliable. Shipping charges are listed on our mailers and price lists and are automatically computed for online orders on iPrints.com. – Shipping may also be arranged by DHL or FedEx at an additional cost. Please advise us if this is your preference. Be sure to provide us with an email address so that we can contact you with the shipping charges before we ship, since overseas airfreight can often be quite costly. – Our assumption, unless you advise us otherwise, is that the packages being shipped to you are for personal use. Therefore, the Customs Declaration will state “No Commercial Value.”

What paper surfaces can I order?

You may choose to have your prints made on either matte (lustre) or glossy Kodak photographic paper. Please select just one surface per order.

How long will iPrints last? Will my enlargements fade or streak?

The Kodak photographic paper we use is rated by Kodak as having a dark life…the amount of time the color on the picture will remain stable and unchanged if kept dry and out of the light (as in a pH neutral photo album)…at over 100 years. Keeping time will be less if the print is kept in bright sunlight or under fluorescent lights. There is no way to say exactly how long such an exposed print will last before a color shift. However, today’s silver halide photographic prints will last far longer than previous photographic papers. We think it’s safe to say that with normal viewing you and your family (or clients) will enjoy viewing the prints and enlargements we'll make for you for many generations. Ink jet prints you make yourselves, by comparison, may fade or streak in anywhere from a few months to several years.

What if I’m unhappy with my prints?

Your satisfaction is our #1 priority. If, for some reason, you’re unhappy with the prints or enlargements you receive please let us know by calling our Customer Service Department toll-free at (800) 327-1776 or by returning the prints to us with a note explaining the problem. We will either improve your print(s) or let you know why it cannot be improved. If you are still dissatisfied…for any reason…you may return your order for a complete refund. The following questions and their answers will give you some tips on what you can do to get better digital pictures.