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Internet-T-Shirts.com
Chicago, IL 60630
Phone: (888) 686-5879
in IL: (773) 283-6000
Fax: (773) 283-3570
email
Frequently asked questions
Q: WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THESE FAQS? A: We receive a lot of questions. Almost all of the questions fall into the same general categories. Here, we do our best to provide concise and easy answers to your questions. If your question is not answered here, please do not hesitate to call or e-mail. Q: WHY ORDER OVER THE INTERNET? A: Convenience, time-saving and ease of use. The technology is such that you can get custom printed shirts from the convenience of your desk or home. There is no need to go back and forth to a physical store. In fact, you can specify exactly what you want more easily over a computer than any other way. You can get exactly what you want by e-mail and phone conversations. A: All pricing is based on the same formula. First, is the number of screens. Each print location and color requires its own screen. Second, is the number of shirts. Since the set up (screens) is the same for one shirt or 10,000 shirts, the more you print, the lower the per shirt cost. We do have set price breaks at 12, 24, 50, 100, 150, 250, 500, 1,0000.... The type of shirt is another factor. The color of the shirt is also a cost factor: White shirts are the least expensive. Next, are light colors, such as Athletic Heather (gray)-these generally cost about 50 cents more than white shirts. Dark shirts are about one dollar more than white. Delivery charges are usually less than you would expect. Shipping by regular UPS Ground is dirt cheap and generally takes from one to three days from Chicago. There might be additional charges for graphic preparations, screen cleaning, rush charges and a few other things. We do not charge sales tax for out of state sales. If you are in the State of Illinois, or the state in which the shirts are printed, you will need to provide us with an exemption number. Q: WHAT ARE HEAT TRANSFER SHIRTS? A: A special paper is printed on and then applied by heat to shirts or other apparel. Heat transfer is similar to the iron on process used by Cub Scouts, etc., except that when done with professional equipment and professional materials, the quality is markedly superior over what you can do with your home computer using transfer paper purchased retail. Useful when there are a lot of Colors and when only doing a few shirts as no screen is necessary. We only print heat transfer on white or light shirts. We do not do this on dark shirts. The Quality is not as good as screen printed shirts. They do not last as long and can crack. The transfer paper is not air permeable; this means the shirts are less comfortable and may make some people sweat. Heat transfer shirts are good for a souvenir shirt or special occasion such as a birthday. Q: WHAT GRAPHIC FORMATS DO WE USE? A: We are able to open almost any known graphic. However, graphic transmittal and conversion doesn't always work as well as advertised. We will make an initial review as to practicality and quality for printing. We do not necessarily need a high quality image for this initial review. We work in Corel v8. We also use Adobe PhotoShop and Illustrator. We may also ask you for a tiff file; the main purpose is to make sure that there have been no undetected automatic font substitutions. We would prefer a vector image. For the initial review, almost any format and quality is fine, including the well known jpeg and GIF formats used on the web. Additional major formats are found here. Sometimes there are difficulties when using the absolute newest version of a program. Problems also arise in the conversion from PC to MAC. We use both PC and MAC formats. A: Usually, you can send us your graphic as an attachment by e-mail. If the file size(s) exceeds three megabytes, we prefer that you use FTP. It's amazing how large file sizes can get. Please e-mail us for the FTP username and password. A: FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol. There are two very popular shareware programs for PC users, Cute FTP and WS-FTP. MAC users use a program call Fetch. You need three bits of information: host name, username and password. You must download an appropriate FTP program, install it and then log on to our FTP site. Q: GRAPHIC CONSIDERATIONS AND QUALTITY A: T-shirts
demand the very best in graphic qualities. It's amazing how little
imperfections are magnified when size is changed. While we can work
with just about anything, usually the best possible image quality
should be a goal. We do prefer vector images. The images you see
on the Web are bitmap images; this means that the image consists
of many pixels. This is, of course, expressed as DPI (Dots Per Inch).
The higher the number, the higher the resolution. Though this is
an over simplification, web graphics are usually, as a rule of thumb,
72 DPI or so. The most basic Desk Jet prints 300 DPI. A good laser
prints 1200 DPI. A vector image is based on mathematical formulas
and objects. This means changes can be made, including changing
the size of the image, easily and without loss of quality. For example,
our clients often experiment with different fonts. A Bitmap image
would need to be completely redrawn, A Vector image font can usually
be changed with just a few mouse clicks. Q: GETTING GRAPHICS READY FOR PRINTING A: We
will request that you send us your graphic for initial review and
evaluation for feasibility for printing. We often need to re-draw
your image. If this is necessary, nothing is printed until your
approval. We may send your graphic as an attachment or we may post
it on the web (in a non-public area) for your review. A: There are many, many fonts out there. The preferred is a True Type Font. Distinctions can be between serif and sans serif; this refers to the little hooks on the end. Here is an example of a serif font (new Times Roman). Here is an example of sans serif font (Arial). There are, of course, Bold, Italic, and then Distortion Effects, etc. A serif font can give an old time athletic feel when printed on a shirt. Please click here for a listing of some fonts. We have a very large font collection. Q: I USE WINDOWS, WHERE ARE MY FONTS? A: Need to send some fonts? The default directory for Windows users is C:/windows/fonts. You can send just like any other file. Be wary that the name displayed to you can be different than the file name. Q: WHAT IS YOUR PAYMENT POLICY? A: We usually request FULL PAYMENT by credit card before the job begins. This protects you as well as us. Corporate clients and ongoing large customers can sometimes make other arrangements. A: We usually require that we speak by phone with anyone placing an Order for $50 or more. We get the credit card information by phone. We accept Visa, Master Card and American Express. We do not accept Discover Card. Q: AM I SAFE USING A CREDIT CARD TO BUY TEE SHIRTS? A: We take your security and privacy very seriously. Your personal information, certainly including you credit card information, information is shared with no one outside of our office. The information is submitted to the credit card company for payment. All documents are filed in a secure location or shredded. A: There have been no complaints about shrinkage with the cotton shirts. The cotton shirts are sold as pre-shrunk. However, they do appear to shrink slightly when washed and dried at high temperature. This is subjective, but there does appear to be a very slight but perceptible shrinkage. Generally, the cotton shirts do shrink about 5%. Q: WHAT TYPES OF SHIRTS ARE AVAIABLE? A: Our
printers have access to distributors and manufacturers of all known
types of shirts. Q: HOW LONG DO THE SHIRTS LAST? A: A screen printed t-shirt will last for many years if cared for properly. Wash and dry at reasonable temperatures and with mild detergents and no bleach. Shirt longevity depends on the care the shirt receives. I have a few cherished T-shirts that are more than 20 years old. Q: WHAT CAN AND CANNOT BE PRINTED ON T-SHIRTS? A: Screen printing, by definition, is limited to size of screen. The Dimensions are usually about 13 inches by 17 inches. In addition, fine detail, such as lines, may not show up well and very fine detail is impossible due to the weave of the fabric. Generally speaking, you should use solid colors in your drawing.
A: We will almost always have your shirts sent out for shipping within one week of when the Order is final. Final means that the graphic is ready for printing and that payment arrangements have been made. We will often ship your shirt in less than a week without a rush charge; we usually do not guarantee this without a rush charge. A: The weight and dimensions and destination are the primary factors. UPS will not guarantee their delivery dates to a residence. If the date is important, you may want to make delivery arrangements with a business, or Mail Boxes, Etc, etc. Q: WE WANT FAMILY REUNION SHIRTS A: Can truly help make your reunion special. Please note our current Family Reunion special. We can work with your graphic, make changes, or please use one of our stock designs. We understand that you are working with a limited budget and want the most bang for your buck. Q: HOW DO WE COMMUNICATE WITH YOU? A: Phone 888-686-5879 - Fax 773-283-3570 - E-Mail: tshirtbroker@yahoo.com
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