On this page 7 sections
Ordering printing online takes about ten minutes, and half of that is getting three things ready before you open a product page: the size, the exact wording and your deadline with the delivery postcode. After that it is a straight run: choose the product and options, pick a speed, choose how the artwork gets to us, then pay by card. The problems people hit almost always trace back to skipping the prep, so start there.
The prep: three things to have in front of you #
- A measurement, not a guess. Tape-measure the fence, wall, window or noticeboard. For banners, choosing a banner size explains reading distances.
- The words, typed out. Every phone number, email and web address checked against the source, and names spelled the way their owners spell them.
- The date and the postcode. The date decides which speed you can use. The postcode decides the delivery charge and whether the area is quoted.
If you are uploading your own design, have the file to hand as well, ideally a PDF at the finished size.
Ordering printing online, step by step #
The steps are the same for a banner, a stack of business cards or a set of Foamex boards. Only the options differ.
- Open the right product. Browse the menu or use search. If you are torn between materials, the buying guides compare them, such as Foamex, Dibond or Correx for rigid signs.
- Set the options. Choose size, material, finishing and quantity: hems and eyelets on a PVC banner, for instance. The price updates with each change, so try a few combinations.
- Choose a speed. Where offered, Saver, Standard and Express each show their price and working days to dispatch side by side.
- Pick your artwork route. Design on screen, upload your own file, or choose the paid artwork service. The table below compares them.
- Add to basket. Any artwork fee appears as a separate line, so you can see exactly what it adds.
- Enter the delivery address. The charge is worked out from the postcode and what is in the basket, and shown before you pay.
- Pay by card. Payments go through Stripe, and we never see or store your full card number.
- Check your inbox. An order confirmation arrives straight away, and a dispatch email with tracking follows when the order leaves.
Your artwork choices #
| Route | Cost | What happens next |
|---|---|---|
| Online designer | Free | You build the design on screen, check it carefully, and what you see is what gets printed. |
| Upload a print-ready file | Free | A person checks size, bleed and resolution and tells you if anything needs fixing. |
| Typesetting | Paid | We set out your words and logo neatly, with 1 design and 2 rounds of changes. |
| Design from your brief | Paid | A full layout from your notes, logo and photos, with 1 design and 2 rounds of changes. |
| Logo redraw or new logo | Paid | Supplied as vector files that you keep. |
Designer previews show a small watermark; the printed item never does, and the print-ready PDF is attached to your order. Uploading? Read the artwork guidelines first, because a file at the right size with bleed clears the check fastest.
One design across several items
Ordering a banner and a matching Correx board? On the second product, choose “same artwork as another item in my basket”. One design fee then covers both.
What gets added at checkout #
The product price you saw is the goods price. The basket can add:
- Delivery: £7.95 per order to UK mainland addresses, free on goods of £100 or more after any discount code. Artwork fees do not count towards the £100.
- Oversize: £15 once per order for banners over 3 m on any side or boards bigger than A0. The oversize delivery charge page has examples.
- Mainland Scottish Highlands: £10 once per order, even if delivery is otherwise free.
Northern Ireland, the Scottish islands, the Isle of Man, the Channel Islands, the Isles of Scilly and the Isle of Wight are quoted before you order. We only deliver within the UK.
Snags to avoid when ordering printing online #
- Saver on a tight date. It is the cheapest speed and also the slowest. Count working days back from your event before choosing it.
- Forgetting the courier. The speed covers making the item. Delivery usually adds another 1 to 3 working days.
- A typo in the designer. Whatever is on screen is what we print. Read it out loud, slowly, before you add it to the basket.
- A tiny logo file. Something crisp on a phone can print fuzzy across 6 ft × 3 ft (1829 × 914 mm). The file check will catch it, but sending the original first time saves a day.
- Three baskets instead of one. Ordering a banner today and signs tomorrow means paying delivery twice. Put everything in one order where the dates allow.
A 30-second look before you pay
Scroll through the basket once more and read each line against your prep notes. Is the size the one you measured? Is the quantity right, and is it the speed your date needs? Is the artwork route the one you meant, and is the postcode correct? Catching a slip here costs nothing. Catching it once the order is being made is a different story.
After you pay #
The working-day count starts once the order and its artwork are both confirmed. Uploaded files are checked first; designer orders go straight on. Weekends and bank holidays do not count. Our print order stages guide walks through the rest, from confirmation to tracking.
Changed your mind? Tell us before production starts and we cancel and refund in full. Once an item has been printed to your specification it cannot be returned for a change of mind, which is normal for personalised goods; the gov.uk consumer protection rights page explains the general rules.
When a product page does not fit #
Ordering printing online works for the vast majority of jobs. For an odd size, a very big run or a quoted delivery area, use get a quote and a person will price it for you. Ordering printing online a second time is quicker still, because you will already know your sizes.