Damaged print order or wrong item: what to do

If you receive a damaged print order, or one that is not what you ordered, take photos of the item and the packaging and tell us within 48 hours with your order number. Keep everything, do not send it back yet, and we will reprint it or refund you. The steps below show how to report it so it is sorted quickly.

Check your order as soon as it arrives #

The 48-hour window starts when the parcel arrives, not when you plan to use it. A banner for a show next month still needs opening and checking this week. Damage in transit is usually easy to spot if you look straight away, and much harder to prove once the item has been fitted. Checking early is the simplest way to deal with a damaged print order.

What to check:

• The box. Crushed corners, tears or punctures. If the outer box is badly damaged, photograph it before you open it.
• The item. Unroll banners fully on a clean floor. Look along the edges of boards for dents, bent corners or cracks.
• The count. Compare quantities against your order confirmation email.
• The spec. Size, material and finishing: hems, eyelets, drilled holes or lamination, if you chose them.
• The print. Compare it with the design you approved or the file you supplied.

How to report a damaged print order #

You will need your order number and a phone that takes photos.

1. Keep everything. Do not throw away the packaging or fit the item. The box often shows how the damage happened, which helps with the courier.
2. Photograph the packaging. Take one wide photo of the whole parcel and close-ups of any dents, tears or crushed ends.
3. Photograph the item. A wide shot that shows the whole item, then close-ups of the problem. For a print fault, put the photo side by side with your approved design on screen if you can.
4. Contact us within 48 hours. Send your order number, a short description and the photos through our contact page, on WhatsApp (+44 7737 902425), or call 0161 315 1151.
5. Wait for our reply before sending anything back. We tell you what happens next, including whether we need the item back, so you do not pay to post something we do not need.
6. Agree a reprint or a refund. If the item is faulty, damaged or not what you ordered, we reprint it or refund you. If your date is tight, tell us, so we can look at the quickest way to replace it.

What counts as a fault #

These are problems we put right:

• damage in transit, such as a cracked board, a creased or torn banner, or bent corners;
• the wrong size, material, finish or quantity compared with your order;
• a print defect, such as streaks, missing areas, or artwork that does not match the design you approved or the file you supplied;
• missing finishing you paid for, such as eyelets or drilling.

What is not a fault #

Some things look like problems but come from the artwork, and we cannot treat them as a damaged print order:

• A spelling mistake or wrong number in an approved design. In the online designer you approve exactly what you see, and that is what we print.
• Something that was in your uploaded file. Our free file check looks at resolution, size and bleed. It does not check your spelling or wording.
• Small colour differences between screen and print. Screens glow and use RGB light; print uses CMYK ink on a surface. Bright greens, blues and oranges can look a little duller in print, and mesh or uncoated materials look softer than gloss. For brand colours, give us a Pantone reference when you order.
• A change of mind. Items printed to your specification cannot be returned because you no longer want them. You can cancel for a full refund before production starts.

If you are unsure, send the photos anyway. A person will look and give you a straight answer.

Your rights in plain English #

The Consumer Rights Act 2015 says goods must be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and as described. For consumers, that means:

• within 30 days of delivery you can reject a faulty item and get a full refund, or ask for a replacement instead;
• after 30 days, we reprint or repair it first, and if that fails or is not possible you can ask for a price reduction or a refund.

These rights apply whatever our own process says. The 48-hour window is how we ask you to report damage from delivery, so we can deal with the courier while the evidence is fresh. If you buy for a business, the consumer rules work differently, but we still reprint or refund anything that is faulty or not what you approved. Our returns and refunds page has the full wording.

How refunds are paid #

Refunds go back to the card you paid with, within 14 days of us agreeing the refund. Your bank may take a few more days to show it.

Preventing problems next time #

• Read the design aloud before you approve it, especially phone numbers, email addresses and prices.
• Follow our artwork guidelines so uploaded files are the right size with bleed.
• Choose a turnaround that leaves a few spare days, so a replacement is possible before your event. Our guide to print turnaround times helps you plan.
• Add a delivery note at checkout if the address has access limits, such as a site gate.
• Store items flat or rolled as delivered until you fit them. Banners such as a PVC banner should stay rolled, not folded, and boards like Correx boards should be kept flat and dry.

Keep the packaging until a damaged print order is sorted, because the courier may ask to see it.

A damaged print order is frustrating, but it is quick to fix when you report it early with clear photos. If anything is unclear, call us on 0161 315 1151.