Feedback on Poster Shipping (Box Causes Dents in Paper)

AugieDoggyStore
Contributor

I've recently placed several orders for prints using Zazzle's Archival Heavyweight Paper (Matte). The paper is beautiful and the printing is truly spectacular. Couldn't be more pleased. However, they are shipped in triangular cardboard boxes instead of mailing tubes like Zazzle used to use, and every poster has had creases along one side from the rolled up poster banging around in a too-big box.  Kind of hard to photograph but maybe this will do:

 

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These creases don't flatten out. I've put them in frames anyway, and the dents aren't too noticeable because of light reflection on the glass, but I'm disappointed that they're there. I haven't asked to have them reprinted because the problem is with the shipping container, not the prints themselves.

Hope Zazzle will consider going back to traditional mailing tubes, thanks!

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AugieDoggy.com
9 REPLIES 9

Jadendreamer13
Valued Contributor III

I don’t know if this will work on Zazzle’s poster paper, but it works on watercolor paper. Place the paper on a dry flat surface, with the back of the poster facing up. Cover it with a thick towel, and iron over the towel starting with a low setting and moving to a medium setting if necessary.

Thanks! I’m not sure if I’d chance it and potentially ruin the whole thing. I think circular tubes would be a lot better to ship (that’s why everyone uses them). Even better would be mailing posters in a flat package between stiff cardboard. I’ve gotten prints from Etsy sellers that arrived that way and were ready to put into frames. Rolled up prints, even if not dented, still have to be flattened because they’re very “curly.” 

Etsy seller:

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AugieDoggy.com

Jesus, no. Flat packages are literally Russian roulette with 3/6 bullets. Can tell by experience, both as a customer and as a seller. Nothing beats a postal employee folding such a package in half trying to fit it in a mailbox, got such lovely experiences in the past when ordering LPs. And when I tried these to send CDs and DVDs, my returns and replacements rose exponentially. For posters there is only one safe option, and this is the good old sturdy tube.

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FX GRAPHICA Art & Design | PET’S DREAMLANDS » Store - Facebook | CONTACT: fio@fxgraphica.com

Hey @AugieDoggyStore,

I'm very sorry to hear that your print arrived like this. Thanks for providing an image of the damaged caused to the print. I'll pass this along to our team for you to see if we can improve on this. I also invite you to contact our Support Team via the link below who may be able to assist you further with your order.

https://www.zazzle.com/about/ask

Thanks again,

Pádraig

Thanks! It wasn’t one order. It was four separate orders (5 posters total). Every poster was “crunched” along the sides because of the packaging. I’m not sure how support can help, but I’ll reach out. 

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AugieDoggy.com

The flat box I’m talking about (and pictured above) is not bendable and would not fit in anyone’s mailbox. The prints were also in their own cellophane package with an additional layer of cardboard. I was impressed!

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AugieDoggy.com

AugieDoggyStore
Contributor

UPDATE

I contacted (the very nice!) Zazzle customer service, and asked them to reprint one of the most dented posters. I got it yesterday and it arrived all smashed inside the box again! 😠 This is my fourth or fifth poster order in a row and every single poster is like this. I'm really annoyed and now I'll have to look for a different company to print my art.

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And to top it all off, the poster arrived with a stain on it. I give up.

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AugieDoggy.com

Marcia
Valued Contributor III

I had that happen to me when a friend ordered graduation invites last year. Twice they sent her dented & smeared products. She ended up having enough good ones from the original & the reprinted ones. She also complained after the 2nd batch & Zazzle ended up refunding her money. I lost both the referral & the royalty. (And I also spent a lot of time helping her fix her subpar quality photos beforehand.) Not a happy camper.

I just wonder how anyone is getting nice posters since all of my orders have had the same problem. Never had this happen back when Zazzle used mailing tubes. 

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AugieDoggy.com