HOW DO I PLACE AN ONLINE PROMOTIONAL PRODUCT ORDER? Once you select the product you want from the Texas Branders website, simply add it to the cart, follow the prompts to fill in all required information, and then SUBMIT the order. When you "submit" your order to Texas Branders, it is just the first step in actually creating your custom promotional product. SUBMITTING" YOUR ORDER DOES NOT OBLIGATE YOU IN ANY WAY TO MAKE A PURCHASE. You should receive an email response letting you know the order has been submitted and that a Customer Service Representative (CSR) will contact you shortly. Please note the automated response will not necessarily show the final price due to variable setup charges and shipping costs that may occur. The CSR will confirm these with you.
If you do not received a response within four to six hours, please call Customer Service at 1-866-897-9111.
Once the details are confirmed, an Acknowledgement will be emailed to you itemizing all charges - including setup charges, shipping, and sales tax - as well as showing the shipping information. You will also be receiving a FREE virtual proof of your order prior to production for your approval. Once approved, we can enter the order into production and will charge the credit card supplied by you.
Although we always attempt to confirm our inventory of items being ordered, any lag time from our confirmation of inventory levels to the final approval of the order may allow a change that could affect your order, so please approve all required paperwork as quickly as possible to avoid this possibility.
To recap, no order will be produced without your approval of all charges and your approval of the virtual proof. All orders must be paid in full prior to production. You will receive written a FREE VIRTUAL PROOF, acknowledgement, shipping updates, credit card terminal receipts, and "paid" invoice.
HOW DO I SUBMIT ARTWORK? Art files under 10 mb can be emailed directly to csr@txbranderspromo.com . For larger files, contact Customer Service at 1-866-897-9111 to discuss the best way to submit your art.
WHAT KIND OF ARTWORK DO YOU NEED? Most 1 and 2 color projects require vector art to avoid additional time and setup charges. AI files, EPS files, and PDF files are all suitable, but make sure all type is converted to outlines or curves prior to outputting.
For full color reproduction we prefer high resolution JPG files, or, PDFs created from the native file and saved for high quality printing. The minimum resolution should be 300 dpi, but no higher than 600.
If you are uncertain, send whatever file you have for a free evaluation. We can almost always find a way to use whatever you have or can recreate it for a nominal fee if you are unable to provide artwork that meets production requirements, which vary from product to product.
WHAT COLORS ARE AVAILABLE FOR IMPRINTING? Colors available for imprinting vary from product to product. Some products have only standard colors from which to select. However, many allow "Pantone Matching System" colors to be used ("PMS" colors) for an additional charge. If you require a PMS color, contact Customer Service for help at 1-866-897-9111.
WILL I BE CHARGED FOR ARTWORK? You may be charged an art preparation fee if you do not have any artwork. Typically this is a minimum of 15.00, and from there it just depends on the amount of time required to produce the approved art for you. Rarely does this exceed 60.00. Our graphic design services will give a FREE WRITTEN ESTIMATE prior to producing artwork for you.
DO YOU STORE ARTWORK FOR REPEAT ORDERS? Most of our manufacturing facilities store art files for one to two years. Hence, you may incur a new setup charge if an order is placed 2 1/2 years after the original order. However, Texas Branders maintains artwork files for about five years within our offices, so orders can be reordered using the same art even if the manufacturing setup is a new.
WHAT IS A REVERSE IMPRINT? A reverse imprint is taking some text, for instance, and placing it within a box or circle that is colored, but there is no ink on the lettering - it becomes the color of the material upon which the imprint is being placed. For instance, putting a red box on a black koozie, with text in the box that also appears black because the material of the koozie shows through. Same thing can be done using an image instead of text.
WHAT IS A FLOOD FILL? A flood fill is when a an item is imprinted entirely with a solid layer of ink, then has some text and/or images imprinted on top of it. For instance, a white sheet of paper is printed with a flood fill of blue so it appears to be a blue sheet of paper, and then has black text imprinted on top of it.
WHAT IS TONE-ON-TONE PRINTING? Tone-on-tone refers to printing a color on top of the same or very similar color (i.e. the same "tone"). For example, silver ink on an aluminum tumbler. It is very subtle and has a contemporary look but may not be suitable for all products.
WHAT IS YOU MINIMUM ORDER? Minimum order quantities vary from item to item. Please refer to the individual product detail pages. In some cases, we can produce less than the minimum quantity shown for an additional expense. Please call Customer Service for more information at 1-866-897-9111.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SETUP CHARGE AND ART CHARGE? A setup charge is assessed to make the plate from the artwork and set up the machine for imprinting. An art preparation charge is to prepare artwork to be used to make the plate. Even on reorders with the same art and setup, there may be a machine setup charge which is for the time involved in setting up the machinery and getting it adjusted correctly for your order.
DO YOU CHARGE A SETUP CHARGE FOR REPEAT ORDERS? In many cases, no, you will not be charged a setup charge for an exact repeat order. However, some manufacturers do charge a nominal reset charge to put your job onto the equipment and get it adjusted correctly.
WHAT IS A SCREEN CHARGE? To make a silk screen, your art has to have a negative made, and then it is imaged onto the screen used in silk-screening. Every color requires it's own screen.
WHAT IS DIGITIZING? Digitizing is the process of converting printed artwork to an electronic format that can be used in an embroidery machine.
CAN I USE MORE THAN ONE COLOR FOR IMPRINTING OR EMBROIDERY? Frequently, yes, you can imprint 1-4 (or more) colors per location. One to two color screen printing is most typical. You can typically embroider up to 9 colors per location. Full Color process imprinting is available on some products for photos and full color artwork. Texas Branders can help you determine the best imprint method for your objective and budget. The product detail page shows the most popular imprinting options; contact Customer Service at 1-866-897-9111 if you require more options than shown on the product detail page.
WHAT IS A RUN CHARGE? A run charge to imprint a single color on any item is normally included in the price. If an additional color or position is required, there may be an additional run charge as well as an additional setup charge.
CAN I CHANGE OR CANCEL AN ORDER? Yes, you change or cancel an order prior to it being produced. You will only be responsible for any costs incurred up to the time of cancellation or alteration. However, once production has started, you will be responsible for the full purchase amount.
CAN I GET A SAMPLE OF THE ITEM BEING ORDERED? Yes, you can get a sample. While the samples themselves are usually free, we may require the shipping to be prepaid with a FedEx or UPS account number. Please note that samples are intended for clients evaluating a product for a planned future purchase. They are not intended for personal use. Therefore, some samples will have a random imprint; others will be imprint-free. Some samples are for review only, and are thus non-functioning, such as USB drives.
Samples may not be available for all products. More costly samples may require a refundable deposit. If you are already working with a Texas Branders CSR, your request may be forwarded to him or her for fulfillment. If you have questions about our free sample program, please contact Customer Service.
HOW CAN I SEE WHAT MY IMPRINT WILL LOOK LIKE BEFORE ORDERING? You will receive a FREE VIRTUAL PROOF via email prior to the order being produced. We will require your approval via email or fax before putting your order into production.
CAN I SEE AN ACTUAL IMPRINTED SAMPLE OF MY ORDER BEFORE ORDERING? Usually we can provide a pre-production sample printed with your artwork before you get the entire order produced. You will be charged for any setups required, as well as the item with the imprint and shipping. This delays the order so you will have to allow a considerable amount of time. Contact Customer Service for pre-production sample fees and timelines.
WHY IS THERE A VARIATION IN THE QUANTITY SHIPPED? While we make every effort to fill your order with the exact quantity ordered, due to the imprinting processes, this is not always possible. We reserve the right to ship and bill up to 10% over or under the quantity ordered. Plastic bags are especially susceptible to overruns/underruns. If you have concerns about potential overruns or underruns on your order, contact Customer Service.
WHAT ARE MY PAYMENT OPTIONS? Texas Branders accepts all major credit cards, company checks, and payment through PayPal. Company checks will cause an order to be held until the payment is processed. Credit card payments are the fastest way to get your order into production. Texas Branders can extend credit to qualified companies who have established an ongoing order history with Texas Branders. The initial order for credit terms must exceed 1000.00. Contact Customer Service if you wish to pay by check or money order. All pricing reflects U.S. dollars, and all billing is processed in U.S. dollars.
HOW CAN I GET A CREDIT ACCOUNT? Texas Branders may extend credit to qualified companies who have established an ongoing order history with Texas Branders. The initial order for credit terms must exceed 1000.00. Any company applying for credit must have been in business a minimum of 18 months. We will not extend credit to individuals, independent agents (such as insurance and real estate agents), non-commercial customers (such as non-profit organizations, churches, reunions, political candidates) or international customers (billing address outside U.S.).
Please note it may take five to seven days to obtain approval for an open account, so, to receive an order by a specific date, we suggest using a credit card.
WHEN DO YOU CHARGE MY CARD? We will run your credit card as soon as all approvals are received and the order is placed into production. Any over-runs or under-runs will be adjusted upon shipping.
WHAT IF I ONLY HAVE A DEBIT CARD? We will run the card as if it were a credit card, as soon as the final approvals are received for the order.
IS MY CARD INFORMATION SECURE? Yes. We follow strict industry protocols for the protection of your personal data. See our Privacy Policy for more information.
DO YOU CHARGE SALES TAX? For sales within Texas, yes, and when shipping to those states that require sales tax to be remitted to them when shipping to a location in their state.
MY ORGANIZATION IS TAX EXEMPT. HOW DO I PLACE A TAX EXEMPT ORDER? During checkout you will have the opportunity to select "tax-exempt". However, Texas Branders must receive a current tax exempt certificate prior to production. The certificate can be emailed or faxed to 832-237-2277.
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO PRODUCE MY ORDER? Production times vary from product to product. While some items can be produced in 24 hours, most will require 5 to 7 FULL days PLUS shipping time. Additionally, keep in mind "Production Time" starts AFTER Texas Branders receives approval of your proof.
WHAT HAPPENS IF A PRODUCT IS BACK ORDERED? Customer Service will notify you in the event of a backorder and provide an estimated stock date. He or she will help you select an alternate product if you have a deadline to meet.
HOW DO I RESERVE CLOSEOUT ITEMS? You must have placed an order and Texas Branders must have confirmed with the factory that the product is available in the quantity you require. Due to the quickly changing inventory levels of closeouts, we are not able to otherwise guarantee stock availability.
CAN YOU RUSH ORDERS? You can always request a rush, but some items may not be available on a rush basis. Frequently, rush charges will apply to those that are available and the charges vary from product to product. Contact Customer Service at 1-866-897-9111 for more information.
CAN I HAVE PRODUCTS SHIPPED USING OUR SHIPPING ACCOUNT? Yes, you can usually use your shipping account if you desire. Some manufacturers charge a fee for doing so. Contact Customer Service at 1-866-897-9111 for more information.
HOW MUCH DOES SHIPPING COST? Shipping charges will be calculated based on the final weight and carton dimensions of your order. The Acknowledgement that you will received prior to payment and prodution will include the shipping cost.
CAN I HAVE MY ORDER SPLIT SHIPPED? Yes, drop shipments can be made to multiple locations for a small fee for each location. Contact Customer Service at 1-866-897-9111 for more information.
DO YOU DO INTERNATIONAL SHIPMENTS? Possibly, depending on the product, which factory is decorating it and your ship to country. Contact Customer Service at 1-866-897-9111 for more information.
DO YOU PRODUCE ANY PRODUCTS OVERSEAS FOR LESS MONEY? Yes, we can utilize sources in China, Vietnam, Mexico, and Thailand thereby providing an international network of manufacturers and logistics resources to offer lower costs, increased customization and flexible delivery options for large custom projects. Typical projects appropriate for international sourcing are for orders of $5,000 or more and typically have a 60-120 days lead time.
DOES TEXAS BRANDERS PUBLISH A CATALOG? Because Texas Branders utilizes so many manufacturers, we decided not to publish a catalog. We have a website that is devoted to catalogs of a few of our suppliers at: www.txbranderspromo.com and you can search our main site at: www.texasbranderspromotional.com
WHAT IF MY PRODUCT IS DEFECTIVE? If a product is defetive in regards to function or imprint, you MUST contact Customer Service at 1-866-897-9111 AND send an email to csr@txbranderspromo.com within ten days of merchandise receipt. Do not ship products you wish to return.
ARE TEXAS BRANDERS PRODUCTS SAFE? Every order you place with Texas Branders comes with the most comprehensive product safety and social compliance protection available in our industry. As members of ASI, SAGE, and PPAI, the manufacturers of our products must maintain extensive indemnification certification of our products. We will not put an order into production without certified compliance with all federal, state and local product safety laws. We work with the most trusted domestic and international product safety testing facilities. Product testing is available upon request, with costs absorbed by the Client. We recommend product testing where appropriate, based on the target recipients of each product, and the composition and decoration used on the product.
WHAT IS A V.A. VERIFIED VETERAN OWNED SMALL BUSINESS? A V.A. Verified Veteran Owned Small Business is a company that is owned and operated by a U.S. Military Veteran. The process to be officially certified as such is very lengthly. The Veteran's Administration reviews all the credentials of the business, not just the ownership. Tax records, bank statements, notarized forms, customer history, and business practices are all scrutinized before certifying a company as a Veteran Owned Small Business. Doing business with a Veteran Owned Small Business is an excellent opportunity to support a veteran while knowing you are purchasing from a legitimate company.
WHO DO I CONTACT WITH A COMPLAINT, CONCERN, OR EVEN A THANK YOU? Call Texas Branders at 1-866-897-9111 to speak directly to a Customer Service Representative or send an email to: dcarr@txbranderspromo.com