FAQ

Q: What is your turnaround time?
A: Depending on the model of stand and banner options selected, if any, most jobs take from 2-5 days to complete once we receive your order and your files, with rush service available for 1-2 day turnaround needs. Jobs that require design will take longer. Hardware only orders will generally ship the same day or the next day, depending on the time of day the order is received.

Q: Why do you have so many different models of banner stands?
A: Because we are distributors of many top brands, as well as offering exclusive models manufactured specifically for us, it's like being able to shop for car at a dealer that carries every major brand of vehicle. So whether you are in the market for a Ford or a Lexus, a Kia or a Saab, we have you covered. While there is some overlap between the models, each brand and style has unique characteristics that will appeal to different customers. So, rather than choose one or two brands like most companies, we offer them all to you at discount prices so that you can choose the features and price range that works for you.

Q: What are retractable banner stands?
A: Retractable banner stands, sometimes called roll up banner stands, are a type of banner stand that has a roller mechanism that retracts the graphic into the base when it's not in use. They are very popular because they are simple to use, easy to set up, and protect the graphic inside the base when traveling or shipping the stand. We sell more retractable banner stands than any other style because of these convenient features.

Q: What other types of banner stands are available?
A: Besides retractable banner stands, we also sell various styles of non retractable banner stands as well as retail banner stands, outdoor banner stands, and banner stand accessories for all these types of banner stands. Most non retractable banner stands have a top and bottom rail that attaches to the graphic, a foot of some kind that attaches to the bottom rail which provides weight and stability, and a pole that attaches to the top rail and inserts into the foot. Depending on the type of support pole used, they are also called spring back banner stands, tension back banner stands, or telescopic banner stands. This design is simple, lightweight and relatively inexpensive. They are very reliable and difficult to damage because there are no moving parts. The only down sides to non retractable banner stands is that they must be assembled and disassembled with each use, and the banner must be rolled up by hand. This takes a little more time and effort, and it increases the chance of the banner getting damaged during all this handling, as well as during transit compared with retractable banner stands. Non retractable banner stands also tend to be lighter weight, which can be an advantage or a disadvantage depending on your needs.

Retail banner stands are generally designed with larger, heavier bases for increased stability in high traffic areas. The base usually has a straight pole with some kind of attachment to hold the graphic at the top and bottom, and with many of these, the graphic attachments can adjust up and down to vary the size of the graphic and it's distance from the floor. Since they are not designed to be packed up and moved, they don't tend to come with carry bags or cases. Many of the retail banner stands we carry can optionally be configured with a different base to that they can be used for trade shows and exhibits, and have optional carry bags that can be purchased when the stand is configured for travel.

Q: How can I view the status of my order?
A: Go to the Customer Service, Account Information page. This page lists all your orders. Click the date of the order whose status you wish to view.

Q: What are your shipping costs?
A: Shipping costs are based on the size and weight of each item. You can view an estimate of shipping costs by viewing your cart. However, final shipping costs will be displayed on the Invoice you see before confirming your order.

Q: How long will it take to receive my order?
A: All orders that include banners typically take 3-5 days to produce and ship. if you need your order sooner, be sure to indicate that on your order and we will do our best to complete your order by your deadline. Rush orders are also available for an extra charge. If we have the banner stands in stock, rush orders can be processed in a single day, sometimes even the same day. Banner stand only orders will generally ship within one business day, but in some cases it may take longer so if you need a banner stand by a particular date, be sure to check with us so can verify that it's possible to get it to you on time. Shipping time is dependent on the shipping method you choose. Standard ground shipping times can be estimated from the map shown below. For hardware only banner stand orders, we may have the stands shipped directly from the manufacturer to save on shipping time and cost, so ground shipping times will be different from what is shown on the map. For manufacturers that have multiple offices, we will try to ship from whatever location is closest to minimize the time and cost.
 

shipping

 

Q: What types of files can I send?
A: Our preference is to have bitmap images submitted in TIFF format, vector images as Illustrator or EPS files, and layouts in InDesign 2 or later or QuarkXPress 4 or later, but we can accept documents created in almost any popular Mac graphics or layout program and most PC graphics programs as well. When sending CorelDraw files, be sure to convert all fonts to curves and send an eps version as well, if possible. In all cases, be sure to include any placed images that are part of your layout along with the main file to give us as much ability as possible to troubleshoot your files, if necessary. If saved properly, PDF files are also a great way to submit your layouts. We have a great deal of expertise in converting and trouble-shooting files, so there is little we can't handle. Files from office programs such as Word, Publisher and PowerPoint can be difficult to output properly, so we recommend against them. If you can, convert them to pdf files. If not, there is a $25 charge for us to work with these files.

We require that you include your document fonts, convert them to outlines, or embed them in your file, and we also recommend some kind of proof so that we can verify that no problems have occurred in transferring your file to our system. If you decide to send us a PDF file be sure you save the file properly because we will have limited ability to change what you give us. In general, you want to save a pdf file that contains all the resolution of your original and doesn't downsample the images. If available, choose the format PDF/X-1a:2001 or later. Contact us for questions regarding how to properly create these types of files.

Q: Should my files be in RGB or CMYK format and should I use a particular color profile?
A: Since all printing is done in the CMYK format, it's best if your files are in this format as well. This will give you a better idea of how your banners will look printed. However, either format should print well so it's not necessary for your files to be in CMYK. There are some colors that will shift when printed in RGB since the RGB color space contains colors that cannot be printed in CMYK. A pure RGB blue tends to print somewhat purple if no adjustment is made, so keep that in mind if you leave your files in RGB. If you wish to assign a profile your images, we recommend Adobe RGB for RGB images, and U.S. Web Coated (SWOP) v 2 or Matchprint for CMYK images.

Q: What resolution files should I send?
A: We print at very high resolutions, 720 to 1440 dpi, so we can take advantage of higher resolution files if you have them. In general, we find that files of 150 dpi at the actual print size will look excellent when viewed up close. For viewing from further away, lower resolution files are fine and we find that 72 dpi images will look very good when viewed from 5 feet away. Since the image size and resolution are interdependant, you can also save files that are half the print size and double the resolution. For example, if you are creating a file for a banner that is 31.5x84, your could make your file that size at 150 dpi, or you could make your file 15.75x42 at 300 dpi. This will have no effect on the file size or the print quality, but we get asked this all the time so we thought we would explain it in case anyone prefers to work at a scaled size.

Q: Can you design my banners for me?
A: Yes, we have designers who can create your designs for you, or take your idea and clean it up and make it look professional. Obviously there is an extra charge for this service, so contact us and we can discuss what you want and give you an estimate on the design work.

Q: Why do you offer multiple banner options with each stand?
A: For the same reason we offer such a large selection of banner stands. We have selected 3-4 different banner materials for each stand so that our customers have a choice of price ranges and features in the banners themselves. Be assured that every option is printed at a high quality on quality banner materials. because when it comes down to it, the banner is actually more important than the stand, since that's what your customers are looking at. But some materials are more expensive than others, so we offer different options so you can decide what price point is most appropriate for your needs.

Q: What banner material should I choose?
A: Every material we offer is very high quality and will look outstanding. All of our materials are waterproof, tear proof, and depending on the material you choose, either scratch resistant or scratch proof. None of our materials are made with paper, which does not hold up over time in this type of use. We have picked three of our most popular materials that we offer on most banner stands as the default options:

Our economy material is a 13oz blockout banner, that is completely opaque, prints very well and has a slight fabric texture to it. The edges of this material may curl inward slightly if printed with dark colors and heavy ink coverage due to the reaction of the material with the ink. If you are planning on putting banner stands together to form a seamless wall or semi-continuous image, the curling of the edges can make a gap between the banners, or make the gap that is already present much wider. We chose this material because it resists the edge curl better than any standard blockout banner material on the market, but, it can still curl somewhat.

Our standard material is the Curl Free Blockout banner. It has the beautiful upscale look of canvas, excellent color reproduction, a low glare finish and it hangs very flat without curling at the edges, even with heavy ink coverage. This is our most popular material.

Our premium material is our Trade Show Banner. This material is printed on an opaque polyester film and laminated with a polycarbonate laminate. It is the ultimate in image quality, will hang flat without curling at the edges, is the most scuff and scratch resistant product available, and has a classic low gloss polycarbonate textured finish that is the standard for trade show graphics.

Q: Do you offer other banner materials?
A:Yes, we offer a wide range of materials, but the vast majority of our customers choose one of the options we have listed, so we chose not to show more choices so as not to overwhelm our customers. If you have the need for a different material, you can choose the Other Banner option and we will contact you to discuss your choices. Some of the other banner materials most often requested are the Polyester Heavy Banner, which is a polyester fabric that is very scratch resistant and will not curl at the edges. The POS Pro material is a more rigid, plastic-like material that also won't curl on the edges and has a completely flat finish to eliminate glare. Both of these are also environmentally friendly options for those customers looking for a green alternative. We have many other materials as well so if you need something special and don't see it, give us a call.

Q: Do you offer reseller discounts?
A: We do offer reseller discounts on most of our products. Contact us for details on setting up a reseller account.

Q: What is included in the price of your banner stands?
A: Each banner stand is different, but all of them can be ordered with or without the banner. Most stands come with some kind of case or travel bag, and those that don't generally have one available as an option. A few stands, like the Alligator, include a spotlight, but for most stands that is an available option but not included.

Q: Can I make a back wall or mural out of portable banner stands or retractable banner stands? Will they connect?
A: You can make a wall or mural from most of our banner stands, but only a few models allow you to do so without any gaps between the stands. Most models that allow this are portable stands that don't retract into the base, but instead require you to detach and roll the banner up by hand. The Alligator is the only retractable stand that will allow you make a seamless display from multiple units, although the Expand MediaScreen XL is also designed so multiple units can be connected to form a back wall.