Holy smokes!

The past month and a half has been nothing but disasters with ordering things for my selling opportunity and residency in Italy.

It started with the custom printed boxes that I ordered for the larger items. The website had a technical issue and I had to update the design. I thought the change went through but when it finally did, it ended up showing an old design. I emailed customer service right away and provided them with the correct update. All was well.

A week later I receive my boxes, everything was great. The color pay off was passable even though it was a bit lighter than expected, BUT the back of the box the phrase was cut off. They refunded me half of the cost.

Then, I go and order my postcards for the selling op. Everything goes fine until I notice a typo (my fault) but had no idea that the company had a hold option. This was on a Sunday night, so they weren’t in office. I emailed them the correct version and thought it was taken care of, but it had gone to print before it could be corrected. However, the customer service person responded 3 days later saying they had reprinted in courtesy despite the customer service person I spoke to through their website said otherwise! Phew. I had ordered more than wanted, but I feel like they’ll sell, so it should be okay.

Next I order the bags for the shanty. They come and it is a deeper color teal than originally pictured. I knew that color is hard to be accurate on the internet. But it was significantly darker in person. I return the bags no problem.

Next, I order transparent stickers for the print bags. Everything seems to go through OK. But with everything that’s happened so far I panic since it was hard for me to see the transparency went through on the preview on their website. Customer service said it was OK.

After, I order the chemicals for the residency from a place in Europe (to save on shipping). The payment went through but the connection broke and I didn’t get a confirmation order (crap). So I emailed the company right away and they took care of my order the following day.

NOW, I unroll a print I ordered from fedex copy and print a few weeks ago to prepare for an exhibition in NH. I inspect the print and noticed it was streaky (not pixelated)… as well as the width being an inch off. Called fedex and they gave me attitude about my complaints. I sent the file in at 18×25.5 and it printed 17×24. I wanted 18×24. Yeah, I get constraining proportions will get you the 17×24. But you don’t give a customer 17×24 if they ordered 18×24. 17×24 is a TOTALLY different size. Now it won’t fit my frame, and it’s streaky so I can’t exhibit it. They will reprint it. Normally if a file is a bit longer, they print longer. You don’t change the size completely – you stretch it to fill the gap. 17×24 is a TOTALLY DIFFERENT SIZE!!! As a photo this is a big deal!

I’m nervous about traveling after all I went through with ordering things.