Our new line of metal prints is here, and they rock! Now metal is available in 4 different metal surface finishes and multiple ready to display styles. Use our online ordering tool to create custom sizes as small as 8×8 up to 30×40. The “panel only” option can even be ordered with a frame! Metal prints are one of the most remarkable and easiest ways to display your work. And it is not just for photographers anymore. Every day see artists now offering their illustrations and reproductions as metal prints as well.
So, you may know that we have been offering metal prints for a while now. But last year we saw we needed to make some major changes as part of our efforts to become one of the premier locations to go to for metal prints.
Centralized Production
First, we recognized (and not just with metal) that we needed to move our metal print production to us headquarter facility so that we improve average transit time, speed up production and have better quality control. This was made possible when late last year we expanded our facility to allow us to move the production to from the East coast to San Antonio. Early this month we also we finalized the installation of the equipment need to make the manufacturing possible and the volume and size requirements needed. Most important is by being at our headquarter production facility allowed our Auxiliary Operations Manager to personally oversee the training of staff and production process for these metal prints meaning greater consistency levels.
More Surface Finishes
Second, many of our customers wanted more surface finish options so they could match metal prints they had produced elsewhere. When we studied this closer we found most other color labs have been limited to offering a white gloss like we used to do but some color labs were using other finishes. Some were using a silver gloss. Others using a white matte and others offering a silver matte. A few even offered semi-gloss versions in both the white and silver. As you can imagine, this has the potential to cause some problems if you try to order from a different lab that does not have your preferred finish, We decided based on the choices people were used to we needed to offer all the finishes.
Custom Sizes
Third, custom sizes. One of the most frustrating things for artists and fine art photographers is the lack of size options so many labs have. A few out there do a good job of offering a wide range of sizes but fewer do custom sizes. I saw this as a big problem. One of the reasons our fine art paper prints and canvas prints are so popular is we have the capability and offer custom sizes. For artists and fine art photographers which many times rely like to compose their images in uncommon aspect ratios, the custom size option is an incredible help for them, so they can minimize cropping. For photographers it also allows for popular things like panoramic on metal and square sizes. Not you can easily create a cluster of metal prints for a wall or even split a very large image across multiple metal prints.
We are extremely excited about out new line of metal prints and the options we have for them. If you want to learn more about our metal prints, checkout our metal prints page.
Metal Prints FAQs
Drop Shipping & Order Fulfillment
You will need to place a separate order for each shipping destination since only one shipping destination can be entered per order.
Use our Order Status and Tracking page or refer to your shipment confirmation. If you were logged in at the time the order was placed, you can also check your Order History.
When an order is shipped, we will send you an email indicating your order has been successfully processed and is on its way. There will also be a link to view your order status and get the tracking number for your order.
Paper prints will many times be grouped and placed in a single clear plastic sleeve. Prints are not individually sleeved each print unless it is ordered as an add-on.
These print sleeves are intended solely to add protection during transport. If you wish to obtain additional print sleeves for your inventory, you can order print sleeves here.
They are ideal for protecting your work from fingerprints, smudging, dust, and scratches as a result of casual handling or storage while also increasing the perceived value of the print.
Depending on the product type, they may be boxed, rolled in a shipping tube, or in some cases, placed on a pallet (huge orders). We use multiple carriers and multiple shipping methods, broken down as either Economy, Standard, or Express shipping. The primary carriers we use are UPS, FedEx, and USPS.
Orders shipped overseas that are sent via USPS will ultimately be turned over to the destination country’s shipping carrier.
International orders tracking sometimes relies on the destination country and shipping method. In many cases, for small orders, tracking might end once it reaches its last stop before leaving the U.S.
No. This is free. You will not pay more to use our order fulfillment services. Just order as usual, and don’t forget to mark your order “Drop ship” at the end of your order.
If you are unable to locate a recent order in your order history, it is likely you may not have been logged into your accounbt prior to placing your order. To fix this, simply contact us and we will be happy to add the unassigned order to your account for you.
If you plan on using Finerworks to fulfill your order, you should check the shipping page for shipping rates to determine the shipping cost and then charge accordingly. Also consider reviewing our blog post titled What to Charge Your Customers for Shipping.
FinerWorks offers free drop shipping services to all customers. It can be selected at checkout or it is selected automatically if you have a business registered within your account and have uploaded a logo.
Finerworks offers some retail-ready packaging options for primarily paper prints. These are available within P.O.S.T., our online ordering tool.
Because this can be disruptive to our normal workflow of processing and shipping orders, the addition of inserts such as flyers or other promotional materials is typically only available for Level 3 accounts.
Yes. When checking out, you would enter your friend or family’s address information as the “Ship To” destination. You can also request drop shipping on the final review page. With the drop ship option selected, a generic packing slip is included, which does not reflect the price. In addition, we will print your billing address on the return address label and not include any mention of FinerWorks.
The packing slip will not display any prices or FinerWorks information. In addition, the return address on the shipping label has the name, company, and address you entered in the billing phase of your checkout. If you want to see how this looks for yourself, just check the drop ship option the next time you place an order (even if ordering for yourself).
If you have a registered account with FinerWorks, there is an area within your account where you can save your business information, such as the company name, department, or contact person, and address. As long as you have added your business, we will use this information as the sender in place of your order’s billing information.
Included here is the ability to upload a logo. This will serve two purposes. One, it will cause your orders to automatically have the drop ship option checked (you can always uncheck this on the order review page if you don’t want the order drop-shipped), and second, it will make any drop-shipped orders include your logo. Your logo will be displayed on the packing slip.
You can upload your logo via your Account Business Info page or the Order Fulfillment App.
When you log in to your account, visit the quick checkout page. This stores the billing and shipping information you intend to use for your orders. When it comes time to place an order, your checkout page will be populated with this information. If you do not anticipate shipping your orders to the same customer each time, you may want to leave the “Shipping” fields blank. While about 30% of our drop shippers use PayPal, you can also opt to keep a credit card on file.
Important: Beyond the expiration date and last 4 digits, we do not have access to the actual card number. Instead, a payment access Token is generated by our payment gateway service. This payment Token will only be approved for purchases on FinerWorks.
Your account offers you the ability to store a limited number of images based on your account type. You can categorize these in various custom galleries you set up. After logging in, go to the My Images link, which will take you to a batch uploading tool. Select the image files you want to upload, and they will be uploaded to your account. You can order prints from these images anytime you want. This saves a lot of time, especially if you have large image files. These uploads will be stored securely and are inaccessible to the public. Whenever you place an order for a print from one of these images, a copy of your high-resolution image will be forwarded to our production department for printing.
You can do this by creating a virtual inventory of prints or cards. Once you have uploaded images to your account, you can set up individual giclee prints or cards with different sizes and styles. These will be stored in your Virtual Inventory. When you need to have an order dropshipped to your customer, go there and add the print you need to your cart.
If you are based outside of the U.S. and want your order drop-shipped, we recommend configuring your business profile with a U.S.-based address. This prevents confusion and potential problems that can occur with the shipping service or even customs.
You can access your business profile in your account business profile or the Order Fulfillment App.
You can log in to the order status page or go to your order history (if you have an account). Toward the bottom of the copy of the order, we will post your tracking number shortly after your order has shipped.
Whenever we ship an order, we will send an email notice to the email address you provided in your billing information. This email will include a link where you can access a copy of this order, as well as tracking information when made available. Note that orders shipped from our partner lab may not always have tracking information available.
Prints being lost or damaged during shipping is rare; however, it does happen on occasion (less than 1% of orders are ever reported), and we will do everything possible to provide a replacement as soon as possible. For more information, please visit our returns and replacement page.
Yes. When you place your order, the final review page has a box where you can include comments. These will be printed on the packing slip. Please note, this box only allows for text and letters so you will not be able submit website links.
If you have a history of placing a substantial number of orders on a weekly basis at regular intervals, we would love to discuss with you the various discount programs we can offer based on the options you plan to order. We have Tier programs, plus we can also take into consideration other things such as product size, style, and volume of prints.
While we do offer a 30-day money-back or replacement guarantee in most instances, customers who use us to fulfill their orders are responsible for any third-party refunds or returns. Please visit our returns page for more details.
No. VAT (Value Added Tax) is something not currently applicable in the United States, where FinerWorks is located. If you are not based in the U.S. and are subject to paying VAT, then this would be your responsibility outside of your purchase from FinerWorks. If you have additional questions about VAT, we recommend consulting with a tax specialist.
We only charge sales tax if the recipient/shipping address is in the State of Texas. If you are outside the state of Texas but you have a customer in Texas, you will be charged sales tax unless you are registered with FinerWorks as “Tax Exempt”. Contact us for instructions on making sure your account is tax-exempt for orders being shipped to Texas.
- The account holder will need to enter their business information within their account so that we can later make it tax-exempt.
- Provide a valid Texas Sales Tax ID (apply here) or any other valid U.S. state sales tax ID.
- E-mail us a completed and signed copy of the Texas Sales and Use Tax Resale Certificate / Exemption Certification. If your Tax ID number is outside of the state of Texas, enter it in the second tax ID field below the one for the Texas field.
Please note the following: We cannot refund sales tax charges for previously placed orders. Also, we cannot accept tax-exempt forms from other states since they may not be recognized by the state of Texas.
The Order Fulfillment App is a browser-based application used to integrate various shopping cart platforms with FinerWorks for the purpose of submitting orders to be dropshipped.
Yes, however when setting up your business profile, enter you company name but use a U.S.-based address in the address fields. If you do not have an address in the U.S. to use, use FinerWorks address.
Giclee Printing at FinerWorks
One of the largest ranges of paper selections, while using the highest level of archival print technology allowing superior detail and color, you can create custom giclee prints of your artwork and photos.