Are You Using the Virtual Inventory?

Under used and overlooked is the virtual inventory system that we have at FinerWorks. When you sign up for an account you have access to a valuable time saving tool which allows you to store frequently ordered prints and products so that you don’t have to upload your files and setup your prints each time you want to order them. Below I share two examples of why it is so useful for many.

Let’s take for instance Christine, one of our users. Christine is one of our frequent customers, ordering a couple times a day to have us fulfill her Etsy and Shopify orders for her art prints. She has about 20 different images she sells in several combinations of styles and sizes for framed giclee prints on fine art papers as well as canvas prints. Overall though about 10 images were her top sellers.

Recently she said that the time to setup each print every time she needed to order was taking a toll and asked us if we had any suggestions. The first question we asked was if she had taken advantage of the virtual inventory system we have. Sadly, she had overlooked this feature and had not take advantage of it. When we explained that she could save the prints she frequently ordered, she immediately started to take advantage of it. She started by uploading the images she had us print the most often and followed up by adding the print products for those images which she had us fulfill frequently.

Now whenever she has an order she just selects the appropriate product/print in her inventory and adds it to her cart. She said that when she does not have the item in her inventory yet, she adds it there before ordering it intending to eventually have all her inventory items saved.

Another, example is the marketing department of a large home developer here in the U.S. The builder is constantly adding new neighborhoods all over the country, sometimes up to 4 a month. Each time they do so, they build a model home which is also where their realtors locate their offices.

Inside those offices they will display interior signage as canvas prints with everything from company logos and slogans to a stock images displaying happy families. Total is about a dozen large canvas prints which they have us crate and ship to the model homes.

Since their marketing department does not have time to setup 12 canvas prints each time, they set them all up only once. Now they can quickly select all the prints from their virtual inventory, add them to their cart and checkout with the delivery location.

Even if you are not like Christine or a large home developer, and only place an order occasionally, there might come a time when your order volume increases, and you become just like Christine. So, taking advantage of this tool now will help a lot.

Is the virtual inventory feature for everyone? Not at this time since many of our customers do commissioned on demand prints that might be personalized and shipped to their customers. Unless they anticipate their customer will later order additional copies there is no sense to store it as an inventoried item.

There are some limitations on inventory items. Checkout the frequently asked questions below which address some of the common questions surrounding the virtual inventory.

Acrylic Prints

The following items can be ordered ready to hang or will have hanging options available for ordering:

  • Framed Prints (Canvas or Paper)
  • Stretched & Mounted Canvas
  • Wood Prints
  • Acrylic Glass Prints
  • Acrylic Prints – Floating Framed
  • Metal Prints
  • Dibond Prints

 

No. We have found non face-mounted acrylics to be subpar in image quality therefore we have moved to the more popular face mounted acrylic print option. This allows us to take advantage of both the superior color gamut and resolution that modern inkjet offers on high quality photo papers.

Category: Acrylic Prints

Yes, we can for quantities of 5 or more of the exact same item. Contact us directly since our website does not allow for ordering all custom sizes in acrylic prints.

Category: Acrylic Prints

The method used to create the acrylic prints we offer will provide little risk in fading unless exposed to direct sunlight over a length of time. Since acrylic is a type of polycarbonate, very hot conditions such as a hot car exposed to sunlight can potentially cause it to warp. It is best to keep it indoors to prevent this from happening. A good measure to help reinforce the acrylic print is the optional die bond backing.

Category: Acrylic Prints

Some people may be surprised to see that acrylic prints look incredibly sharp when printing a high resolution, sharp and crisp image file. That is because the acrylic prints we offer are face mounted prints in which the image is printed on our satin luster paper or metallic paper. It is then face mounted to the back of the acrylic. The printers used for these papers are high resolution Canon inkjet photo printers, which is why these have the potential to look so sharp.

Category: Acrylic Prints

We have built in volume  & bulk discounts that will cover most scenarios; however, if the scope and size of the order is not listed when checking pricing, please contact us with the details of what you want to order and the time frame so that we can work out the fulfillment and pricing of the order.

Both provide a popular sleek modern appearance to your artwork and both use crystal clear panels of acrylic however there are some substantial differences between the two.

First, the HD Face Mounted Acrylics use 1/4″ panes of acrylic while the Acrylic Glass Prints use 1/8″ thick panes.  This can make the HD Face Mounted Acrylic look a little more substantial up close however it also adds extra considerable weight to the product.

Second, The HD Face HD-mounted acrylic has the image printed on either a luster or metallic photo paper. This allows high-resolution images to best take advantage of a wider color gamut and higher-resolution printing. The paper is then mounted to the acrylic glass from behind. With Acrylic Glass Prints, the image is printed directly on the back of the acrylic and finished off with a layer of white. This makes producing the print easier and less expensive. The disadvantage is the color gamut is more limited so artists and photographers who ar exceptionally particular about color accuracy and color gamut might find the HD Acrylic Prints more capable.

Ultimately the Acrylic Glass Prints are lighter, and easier to produce and ship, therefore the cost is much less. We recommend these for most home, office, and even commercial environments. But for higher-end displays and markets, such as galleries, we typically recommend the HD Face Mounted Acrylics.

When it comes to printing photography which is grayscale or meant to appear black and white, most photographers gravitate to the metallic version. With the metallic version, the image is printed on metallic paper (Moab Slickrock Metallic Pearl) before mounting it face forward to the back of the acrylic.

Category: Acrylic Prints

Most people order online via our website’s Print Online Setup Tool.  Using this method, you will upload your image file(s), select the product type, styles, and size of print you want, then add the item to your shopping cart.

Some businesses that use us may have their websites connected to us, either through our Order Fulfillment App or one of our legacy integrations, which allow for batch order submissions.

FinerWorks is unable to accept orders by phone or email.

There are 3 ways you may want to try. Since different monitors and screens can be adjusted differently, you may see variations compared to a print, especially if the device you are viewing the file on is not properly calibrated.

The following article lists 3 common ways you can proof your image files before submitting them for print.

3 Ways to Proof Your Work

Artists and photographers will have varying levels of expectations as to what is acceptable and not when it comes to accuracy.

It’s also important to understand that different printing processes can also have varying results. When it comes to color accuracy, giclee fine art prints, photo prints, and canvas will tend to be able to achieve the greatest accuracy because of the nature of the printers and inks used. Other items and surfaces may be more limited in their capacity to achieve the same level of color accuracy or even detail, so testing on varying types of print products can be key.

Canvas Prints

Order Giclee Printing on Canvas

Printed using some of the highest archival standards in the industry, your photos or artwork will last for decades to come.

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