ALL-IN PRICING 
By using the Internet's power for managing information to decrease the costs associated with order processing, manufacturing and fulfillment, CustomInk.com is able to offer prices that are 5% - 30% lower than other providers. In addition, you can save even more money by using the "Get Sponsored" feature. We believe in all-in pricing, and display an up to date price quote in the design lab. The price you see on the screen is the price you pay. CustomInk.com wants you to have the power to make an educated buying decision.
If you are looking to keep your costs down, here are some tips...
- Quantity matters - the more you order, the more you save.
- Each color printed on each side adds to the cost, so the fewer colors, the less expensive.
- White blanks are generally less expensive than colored blanks.
- Some brands of T-shirts are more affordable than others (check out Gildan).
- Sponsorship can save you a $.50 a piece on T-shirts (potentially hundreds of dollars in savings).
Now get back to designing...
PLEASE NOTE: Currently, embroidery pricing includes 5,000 stitches per side. In the rare case that a design exceeds this limit, customers will be informed of any additional expense that may be incurred.
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MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE
We realize that for some of you, creating custom products online may be a new concept. With that in mind, we have rigorously tested our fulfillment systems and found the best balance of automation and human supervision. Customized goods are generally not accompanied by guarantees, but CustomInk.com is changing that:
We deliver high-quality products - products that look just like what you created on our site - and we do so with a full money back guarantee. If the custom products you receive differ materially from what you created at CustomInk.com., or if the goods are otherwise flawed, then you may return the custom goods for a full refund, within 15 days of receiving your custom order.
All we ask is that you notify CustomInk.com before returning any goods to ensure that your return is handled quickly and accurately.
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HOW TO
Give me the basics... How do I use the site?
Use design tools ("swap item", "add art", "add text", “names/numbers”, and"add notes") to create a customized product. You can use these tools in any order and return to any one of them at any time. As you go, watch your custom item take shape in the view box on the right. To move or edit any element of your design (such as a line of text or an image), click on that element in the view box and either drag it to the desired position or alter it by adjusting the settings that appear on the left hand side of the screen.
At anytime, enter or change the quantities using the “Get Quote” button (green with a dollar symbol) in the bottom right corner. Once you have updated your sizes/totals, click “submit” to get the all-in price (no additional setup or shipping charges within the contiguous 48 states). In addition to quantities, the price per item also depends on the blank good you've chosen, the number of colors in your design (for screen-printing) or the amount of decoration you've added (for embroidery), and any sponsorship offer you've accepted. As you create your order and change these variables, the price will update automatically. (Make sure to press the "Submit" button each time you alter quantities.)
Don't forget to use the "rotate" button located above the view box to access the various designable areas of your item. The "zoom" button (also located above the view box) will let you take a closer look at your item, and the Add Notes feature allows you to pass on any special requests or concerns to the Production Staff. When you're pleased with the custom item you've created, click the "Buy Now" button and follow the instructions to complete your purchase.
At any point in the design process, you may click the "Save/Send" button to save your design or the "show friends" button to email your design to others. You can also click the "Printer Friendly" button to get a hard copy of your design that includes pricing information, as well as a description of your creation. Once you place your order, it is reviewed by a Production Artist, who double checks to make sure that the final product will be exactly what you had envisioned. Your custom creation will then arrive at your door in fourteen days or less.
Good luck, enjoy, and please call us if you have any problems. (800) 293-4232
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: How accurate is the preview I see?
A: CustomInk.com's technology lets you get a good look at how your item will actually turn out, but computers can't perfectly simulate the real world. First of all, every computer monitor displays colors a little differently, so the colors of your actual merchandise (both the colors of the blanks and the colors of your designs) may not match perfectly what you view on your screen. Secondly, embroidery and printing on non-paper surfaces are physical processes that inherently vary, so slight variations from item to item inevitably exist. But please don't worry! Trust the names of the various colors you use on the site and trust that we will produce merchandise that looks great and doesn't disappoint! Also, please feel free to use the Notes feature to pass on any special requests or concerns to the Production Staff.
Q: I'm a member of an organization that has licensed CustomInk.com to print its trademarks. How do I access those trademarks to use them in my designs?
A: Licensed trademarks are available in our artwork gallery. You can locate them by clicking on the “add art” button. You will then need to click on “browse gallery” which then allows you to enter a keyword, such as the name of your organization.
Q: What images can I upload for use in designs, and how do I properly prepare those images?
A: We hope the information below will give you the guidance you need to successfully upload images for use in your designs, but please feel free to call us if you have questions or need assistance. Similarly, we'll contact you if there are problems pertaining to the artwork submitted with your order.
First of all, please make sure your image is suitable for the decoration method you're using.
- For screen-printing, we can work with black and white photographs or illustrations with clear, distinct areas of color as opposed to multiple shades and tones. You can also submit images for screen-printing that contain half tones (also known as gradients). We are able to print full color photos as well, but special quantity requirements and pricing may apply.
- For embroidery, images must only contain clear, distinct areas of color. Subtle tones and fades can't be embroidered.
Secondly, ensure that you have properly prepared the image you're uploading.
- The best types of images for our service are vector illustrations created in programs such as Adobe Illustrator. These images should be saved or exported and then uploaded in *.eps format. Before saving or exporting as *.eps, please (1) flatten the image, (2) outline fonts, and (3) convert to Pantone or RGB colors.
- Raster images, such as those created in Adobe Photoshop should be saved or exported as *.gif, *.tif, or *.jpg files. You're best off using *.gif with a transparent background (if that is, in fact, what you want). Most importantly, such images should be high-resolution. The final product won't look good unless your image is at least 200 dots per inch (DPI) at the actual size you want it printed. That means that if you want to print a *.gif image at a size of 5" x 5" on a T-shirt, it should be about 15" x 15" on your 72 DPI computer monitor.
Finally, to upload a file to our system, the filename may not contain spaces. Please be sure to rename the file accordingly before uploading.
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COMPANY INFO
Introduction to CustomInk.com
We operate CustomInk.com, an innovative website that enables people to design and order custom decorated products such as printed t-shirts and embroidered caps for their groups and events including student groups, bands, small businesses, corporations, family reunions, and more. Our custom t-shirt printing operations accommodate orders of all sizes, ranging from a single t-shirt to quantities in the thousands. Operating since 2000, we are a dynamic and forward-thinking company and our business is growing rapidly. We strive to treat our customers, vendors, and co-workers as we would want to be treated and have a strong sense of innovation and individual responsibility. In 2005 and 2006, we were named to Inc. Magazine's "Inc500" list of America's fastest-growing private companies, and we were also included in Washingtonian Magazine's last list of "Great Places to Work" in the DC area.
Board of Directors
Management Director
Marc Katz, Chairman, President and CEO. Before co-founding CustomInk.com, Marc worked as a financial analyst at a Wall Street firm. Before that, he earned a B.A. in Physics from Harvard University and graduated in 1998. While there, Marc led and supervised public service programs through the Phillips Brooks House Association.
Non-Management Directors
Dave Christensen, Secretary. Dave co-founded CustomInk.com and served as COO through December 2006 and is now pursuing a career in social entrepreneurship. Prior to CustomInk, he held technical positions with three high-tech startups. Dave has also worked as a site-supervisor and carpenter for Habitat For Humanity and various commercial construction projects. Dave graduated from Harvard in 1998 with a degree in Computer Science.
Michael Driscoll, Director. A CustomInk.com co-founder, Mike works in computational biology and the emerging field of bioinformatics. He has held research positions with the National Center for Biotechnology Information and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. At present, he is a PHD candidate at Boston University. Mike graduated from Harvard in 1998 with a B.A. in Government.
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CONTACT US
Service & Sales
If you need assistance using CustomInk.com, or if you need to communicate with CustomInk.com, telephone a Service/Sales Representative at 1-800-293-4232, e-mail service@customink.com.
Payments
Please mail all payments to:
Customink.com
PO BOX 198399
Atlanta, GA 30384-8399
Attn: Accounts Receivable
Please fax all purchase orders to 703-935-0080.
Marketing & Partnerships
For any marketing or partnership opportunities, please contact:
Mark Wunder
Marketing Manager
mwunder@customink.com
Vendors
CustomInk.com is always on the lookout for first rate vendors to help “wow” our customers. To inquire about working with customink.com as a screen printer, embroiderer or a supplier of some other kind, please contact:
Marc Ronick
Vendor Network Manager
mronick@customink.com
Directions
CustomInk.com is located approximately fifteen minutes outside of Washington DC in McLean, Virginia. For driving directions please use the link listed below.
Mapquest Driving Directions
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USER AGREEMENT & POLICIES
What this Agreement Covers
This Agreement governs your use of the Site and the CustomInk.com service (the "Service"). The Service permits customers that have an appropriate relationship either with: (i) institutions of higher learning, fraternal organizations, honor societies and other collegiate groups (collectively, "Institutions"); (ii) corporations and small businesses; (iii) elementary and secondary schools; or (iv) other organizations, to design and purchase custom merchandise properly describing that relationship. You understand that by using the Site and the Service, you have agreed to the terms and conditions of this Agreement and you agree to use the Site and the Service solely as provided in this Agreement.
Intellectual Property Rights of CustomInk.com and Third Parties
CustomInk.com is committed to the appropriate and legal use of the intellectual property of others, and we require our users to behave similarly. Unless otherwise noted, all materials, including images, illustrations, designs, icons, photographs and written and other materials that appear on the CustomInk.com Site (collectively the "Contents") are copyrights, trademarks, trade dress and/or other intellectual properties owned, controlled or licensed by CustomInk.com.
CustomInk.com is the owner of the CUSTOMINK trademark; other trademarks made available through this Site, including logos, slogans, color schemes and design trademarks, are licensed for use by CustomInk.com from Institutions and other third parties (the "Licensed Marks"). By using the CustomInk.com Site, you agree to limit your use of Licensed Marks to uses that are directly related to such third parties and to comply with any restrictions or conditions imposed on the use and access of the Licensed Marks by the third parties. CustomInk.com will notify you of such terms if your usage is in violation of such terms.
Generally, products created using images available on the site should not be resold commercially. In the event that you wish to resell such products, you agree to contact CustomInk.com and verify the legality of reselling such products prior to doing so. Designs created using the text tools and images available through the site are in no way the exclusive property of the customers who assemble such designs. CustomInk.com retains the right to display such designs or offer them (or variations of such designs) to other customers.
Additionally, CustomInk.com has the sole discretion to reject any order that it considers libelous, defamatory, obscene, profane (according to standards established by the FCC), portraying irresponsible use of alcohol or other substances, advocating persecution based on gender, age, race, disability or national origin, containing explicit sexual content or is otherwise inappropriate for CustomInk.com production.
You agree to not use CustomInk.com's Service to create any material that is unlawful, harmful, threatening, abusive, harassing, tortuous, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, libelous, invasive of another's privacy, hateful, or racially, ethnically or otherwise objectionable, or that infringes on any patent, trademark, trade secret, copyright or other proprietary rights of any third party.
Privacy Policy
CustomInk recognizes that you have a right to privacy, and we will not give or sell anyone specific information about you or any orders you have placed through the CustomInk Service except that: (i) CustomInk may share information about you or an order that you have placed with a relevant Institution in order to allow such Institution to review the use of the Licensed Marks as necessary; (ii) CustomInk may provide information about you and your order to its subcontractors; and (iii) CustomInk may share information about you with its marketing partners and affiliates for purposes of marketing CustomInk. CustomInk employs third party cookies which are used to target customers for advertising purposes. CustomInk collects information (including email addresses) that allows us, among other things, to: process and fill your order; contact you regarding the processing of your order; share your design with those whom you request; improve our website and service; and send informative and promotional emails that may be of interest to you. While this information may be used by us for marketing purposes, it is never shared or sold to other organizations for commercial purposes.
We contract with a company called Coremetrics to collect and analyze data regarding visitors' usage of our web site. The information collected will be used exclusively for the purpose of understanding and improving our customers' experience with our web site and service. For more information, including how to opt out, please go to: http://www.coremetrics.com/info_eluminate2.html
Anti-Sweat Shop Policy
CustomInk.com supports high standards for manufacturing labor conditions. Accordingly, we seek to work with suppliers who promote such standards within their operations. CustomInk.com relies upon referrals, reputation and, in some cases, personal inspections to identify such vendors.
Payment Policies
CustomInk.com accepts online payment via credit card or debit card. All payments sent electronically shall be securely transmitted using Secure Socket Layer ("SSL") technology.
CustomInk.com may also accept payment via check or purchase order. Qualified Institutions (such as Purchasing Offices) wishing to establish group accounts and utilize purchase orders may set up special payment options by contacting CustomInk.com.
CustomInk.com will begin processing orders immediately upon verification that payment has been received.
Shipment/Delivery Times
Custom Ink’s orders are generally delivered within 14 days. Customers who are concerned about meeting deadlines should contact a Service/Sales Representative. Rush orders on screen-printed apparel items are available for a 25% rush charge. Rush orders are delivered within 7 days. Delivery times may vary during the holiday seasons.
Returns Policy
CustomInk.com goes to great lengths to ensure that all orders are filled accurately and on time and are of the highest quality. Accordingly, CustomInk.com accepts returns and will refund payment if and when customers are disappointed by CustomInk.com merchandise for one of the following reasons: (a) the blank items themselves are materially flawed; (b) the quality of the decorating (i.e., the printing or embroidery) is below a reasonable range of expectations; or (c) the design of the final product is materially different from the final design submitted by the customer.
Limit of CustomInk.com's Responsibility
CustomInk.com will be responsible for acting only on those instructions sent to CustomInk.com that actually are received and does not assume responsibility for malfunctions in communications facilities not under its control that may affect the accuracy or timeliness of any orders you send. CustomInk.com is not responsible for any losses or delays in transmission of orders arising out of the use of any Internet Access Service Provider or caused by any browser software or any computer virus or related problem that may be attributable to services provided by any Internet Access Service Provider. CustomInk.com is not responsible should you give incorrect instructions or if your credit-card payment is not processed by your credit-card company.
The information and materials contained in this Site, including text, graphics, links or other items, are provided "as is", "as available". CustomInk.com does not warrant the accuracy, adequacy or completeness of the information and materials on the Site and expressly disclaims liability for errors or omissions in this information and materials. No warranty of any kind, implied, express or statutory, including but not limited to the warranties of non-infringement of third party rights, title, merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose or freedom from computer virus, is given in conjunction with the information and materials.
In no event will CustomInk.com be liable for any damages, including without limitation, direct or indirect, special, incidental, or consequential damages, losses or expenses arising in connection with this site or use thereof or inability to use by any party, or in connection with any failure of performance, error, omission, interruption, defect, delay in operation or transmission, computer virus or line or system failure, even if CustomInk.com, or representatives thereof, are advised of the possibility of such damages, losses or expenses.
Indemnity
You agree to defend, indemnify and hold CustomInk.com and its affiliates harmless from and against any and all claims, damages, costs and expenses, including reasonable attorneys' fees, arising from or relating to your use of CustomInk.com's Site and the Service, your violation of this Agreement, or your violation of any rights of another.
Governing Law
This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia and, where applicable, by federal law.
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