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
Excel
When you set up your billing and payment methods, each time your orders are successfully received by FinerWorks, the payment method you set up within your FinerWorks account will be billed.
You can submit multiple items within the same order by simply including the same PO for that row.
For instance, if you had an 8×10 print and a 16×20 print going to the same customer, you would duplicate the row of the first item (let’s say it is for the 8×10 print), and then change the product code or SKU in the duplicated row to reflect the 16×20 print.
If you don’t have Excel, we recommend using Google Docs’ spreadsheet or even Apple’s Numbers. There are also other free spreadsheet programs out there. You would populate the spreadsheet the same way, but then export it as an .xlsx document.
We recommend .xlsx or .xls files, which are the two types of Excel file extensions. Also supported are .csv files; however, be careful with .csv files since formatting issues can easily occur.
Most columns are required. Our Excel module documentation shows which ones are required.
You will have the opportunity to map your Excel document to the appropriate fields prior to submitting your orders if they do not match. In some cases, you may need to modify your Excel document prior to uploading it if the column formatting is too different.
The current limit is up to 50 orders at a time. This number may change in the future. If you have more than 50 orders, you will need to split them up into more than one submission.
Order Fulfillment App
The plugin allows you to sync your WooCommerce store with FinerWorks, enabling automated order fulfillment for your print-on-demand products. When a customer places an order on your site, it can be automatically submitted to FinerWorks for printing and dropshipping.
You’ll need the following:
- An active WooCommerce store on a WordPress site
- A FinerWorks account
- Access credentials (web api key and app key available via your FinerWorks account)
When you set up your billing and payment methods, each time your orders are successfully received by FinerWorks, the payment method you set up within your FinerWorks account will be billed.
You can configure your shipping preferences (how you want us to ship orders to your customers) within the Order Fulfillment App or your WooCommerce Integration. When doing so, we will attempt to ship the order via the method you prefer.
If you have Auto Export configured within the FinerWorks plugin, and your products are synced with your virtual inventory, any new orders will be retrieved based on the schedule you set.
After the order is placed, FinerWorks will update the order with pertinent status information as well as update the order with appropriate shipping information.
Yes, you can choose not to use the Auto Export tool within the FinerWorks plugin and choose the orders you want to export. Alternatively, you can utilize the FinerWorks Order Fulfillment App to retrieve orders from your WooCommerce store.
Only if you want to use the Auto Export tool will syncing your products to your virtual inventory be necessary. Without that, we will not know what products to print and ship. Syncing involved making sure that your Virtual Inventory sku, matches your WooCommerce product sku.
A product code can come in handy when it comes to speeding up the process however, you will need to manually export your orders or use the Order Fulfillment App to select the orders you want us to process.
The plugin is free to download and install. You will only be charged for orders placed for fulfillment.
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 you will be billed for any orders you submit using the app.
Billing information is part of the launch wizard and necessary before you can submit any orders with the app.
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.
Platforms that are grayed out are currently in the development phase. Over time, we will likely be adding new platforms not listed as well.
The Order Fulfillment App is not meant to be a bridge between two separate stores. For instance, you cannot use it to manage listings on one platform (i.e., Shopify) and expect it to update a similar listing on Etsy. There are other apps that specialize in that.
Instead, the Order Fulfillment App is meant to be a dashboard in which to bring over orders from various platforms for fulfillment.
If you discover something does not appear to be working as it should, please submit this to our customer service team via our contact page. They will be able to forward any issues to our development team.
You can submit multiple items within the same order by simply including the same PO for that row.
For instance, if you had an 8×10 print and a 16×20 print going to the same customer, you would duplicate the row of the first item (let’s say it is for the 8×10 print), and then change the product code or SKU in the duplicated row to reflect the 16×20 print.
If you don’t have Excel, we recommend using Google Docs’ spreadsheet or even Apple’s Numbers. There are also other free spreadsheet programs out there. You would populate the spreadsheet the same way, but then export it as an .xlsx document.
We recommend .xlsx or .xls files, which are the two types of Excel file extensions. Also supported are .csv files; however, be careful with .csv files since formatting issues can easily occur.
Most columns are required. Our Excel module documentation shows which ones are required.
You will have the opportunity to map your Excel document to the appropriate fields prior to submitting your orders if they do not match. In some cases, you may need to modify your Excel document prior to uploading it if the column formatting is too different.
The current limit is up to 50 orders at a time. This number may change in the future. If you have more than 50 orders, you will need to split them up into more than one submission.
Depending on the modules (Etsy, Shopify, WooCommerce, et) you are using and the settings you configured within those modules. Some modules will allow for this while others may not. Consult the FAQs for each module.
If you are testing your connection via the plugin and you get a connection failed message, check the logs in the FinerWorks plugin menu. It will usually provide some sort of insight as to why you cannot connect your plugin to FinerWorks.
Here are the most likely reasons:
- Incorrect / missing web api or app key
- Business profile incomplete*
- Billing & payment profile incomplete*
- Shipping preferences incomplete*
The last three should be completed via the Order Fulfillment App.
If you still have issues connecting, reach out to our customer service team.
WooCommerce
The plugin allows you to sync your WooCommerce store with FinerWorks, enabling automated order fulfillment for your print-on-demand products. When a customer places an order on your site, it can be automatically submitted to FinerWorks for printing and dropshipping.
You’ll need the following:
- An active WooCommerce store on a WordPress site
- A FinerWorks account
- Access credentials (web api key and app key available via your FinerWorks account)
When you set up your billing and payment methods, each time your orders are successfully received by FinerWorks, the payment method you set up within your FinerWorks account will be billed.
You can configure your shipping preferences (how you want us to ship orders to your customers) within the Order Fulfillment App or your WooCommerce Integration. When doing so, we will attempt to ship the order via the method you prefer.
If you have Auto Export configured within the FinerWorks plugin, and your products are synced with your virtual inventory, any new orders will be retrieved based on the schedule you set.
After the order is placed, FinerWorks will update the order with pertinent status information as well as update the order with appropriate shipping information.
Yes, you can choose not to use the Auto Export tool within the FinerWorks plugin and choose the orders you want to export. Alternatively, you can utilize the FinerWorks Order Fulfillment App to retrieve orders from your WooCommerce store.
Only if you want to use the Auto Export tool will syncing your products to your virtual inventory be necessary. Without that, we will not know what products to print and ship. Syncing involved making sure that your Virtual Inventory sku, matches your WooCommerce product sku.
A product code can come in handy when it comes to speeding up the process however, you will need to manually export your orders or use the Order Fulfillment App to select the orders you want us to process.
The plugin is free to download and install. You will only be charged for orders placed for fulfillment.
If you are testing your connection via the plugin and you get a connection failed message, check the logs in the FinerWorks plugin menu. It will usually provide some sort of insight as to why you cannot connect your plugin to FinerWorks.
Here are the most likely reasons:
- Incorrect / missing web api or app key
- Business profile incomplete*
- Billing & payment profile incomplete*
- Shipping preferences incomplete*
The last three should be completed via the Order Fulfillment App.
If you still have issues connecting, reach out to our customer service team.
Order HD Chromaluxe® Metal Prints
Print your artwork or photography as custom-size metal prints. Using the dye-sublimation process, your image is fused to the surface of rigid aluminum panels. These provide a modern look when decorating your home or office. Choose from multiple metal surface options. Order it framed, with a float wall mounting or even with a tabletop easel back.