Some of the prints are only available in small/medium sizes because the original photo might not be of high enough resolution to support printing on a large surface. Really large prints require very high resolutions and I'm very picky about the print quality. I always test and order samples to make sure that the photo resolution can support large prints, and if that is not the case then I only make smaller sizes available.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why is print X not available in a large size?
- Where do these prints get manufactured and how do you ensure the quality?
- I'd like to buy a print for our non-profit (or school or other good cause). Can I get a discount?
- Are these prints environmentally friendly? What about the shipping?
- What is your return/refund policy?
- How are the shipping rates determined?
- Will I have to pay international duties, customs fees or similar?
- Oops, I ordered the wrong items!
- Oops, I entered the wrong address!
- Why am I being charged tax? Am I now paying more?
- Uh oh, I can't find an answer to my question here
- How long does it take for my awesome aluminum print to arrive?
Why is print X not available in a large size?
Where do these prints get manufactured and how do you ensure the quality?
This is an excellent question and one of my primary concerns. I spent a large amount of time testing different print materials and providers until I ended up with the current solution.
The prints are manufactured and shipped from EU, UK, USA and Australia. The beauty of this is that it lets me offer high-quality prints at a reasonable price and with reasonable shipping rates to the whole world. But I have to be more meticulous about quality control.
Before I release a new print, I order a sample from a couple of these locations and check its quality and I also want to make sure that the picture generally works well as a print. I then make slight color corrections to the actual image file and so on. It is only after this that I release the print for sale.
These are high-quality prints and the print processes between the different locations are uniform. Sometimes there are slight variations in colors between different print locations, but I have only been able to detect these if the prints are held side-by-side.
You should not consider the prints as ultra-photorealistic representations of reality. Some of the pictures have a naturally hazy or eternal look to them.
I'd like to buy a print for our non-profit (or school or other good cause). Can I get a discount?
Yes! I'll give you a discount or a free print. Please email me at juho@alluringarctic.com
Are these prints environmentally friendly? What about the shipping?
The real answer is "yes and no". I could give you some kind of a corporate lecture about how I strive towards sustainability and blah blah blah. But let's look at the facts.
The good:
- The prints are very high quality and printing onto an aluminum surface is one of the best archival print methods. A print should last for decades, making the footprint per day or year of "use" low. And if you eventually get tired of looking at the print, it should find a new life somewhere else.
- The DIBOND® panel compromises of polyethylene (plastic) sandwiched between aluminum. The good thing is that the polyethylene used is 100% out of recycled sources.
- Since the prints are manufactured in several locations around the world (EU, UK, USA, Australia), the shipping distances and thus the carbon footprint of the shipping remains as low as possible.
- Since the prints are made on demand, there are no extra prints or extra stock that might be wasted.
- The backside of the panel is pure white, so the panel can be reused or upcycled for another purpose.
The neutral/bad:
- According to the company that produces the panels, the aluminum material used is are "partly recycled". They provide no precise number.
- You can read the DIBOND® material's corporate sustainability statement here. As usual for such statements, aside from the fact that the polyethylene is made out of 100% recycled materials, it is hard to decipher the real impact of the other sustainability points they make.
- As noted, the panels are made of aluminum with polyethylene sandwiched in between. The materials can be separated and then recycled, but it is not as easy as if the panel was pure aluminum.
The most important thing in creating a sustainable product is having a hiqh-quality product that has a long lifespan. I believe that the prints fulfill those requirements. But a print like this is after all one more material thing into an already material world. So please only order it if you are going to display it and enjoy it. In the end I hope that the prints bring appreciation towards the sea, outdoors and nature.
What is your return/refund policy?
I really want to make sure you're completely happy with your purchase! Whatever the issue, just email me at juho@alluringarctic.com and we'll work it out. Having said that, if you are not satisfied with the print, please also check the "official" refund and exchange policy below.
Refunds, Exchanges & Cancellations
I don't carry any prints in stock and your product gets custom-printed individually for you. Therefore I officially only offer refunds due to a product defect, such as an error in the print itself, or damage caused by shipping.
But once again, I want to make sure you're satisfied, so if you have any concerns about the print, please email me at juho@alluringarctic.com and I will do my best to make it right!
Refund & Exchange Process
If the print was damaged during shipping, email me at juho@alluringarctic.com with photos of the damaged print. If the packaging also shows signs of damage then please include photos of the packaging as well. I will then arrange a replacement to be shipped to you.
In other cases the item has to be returned in order get an exchange/refund.
In order to initiate the refund/exchange process, please email me at juho@alluringarctic.com. I will provide you with instructions on where to send your return. Please don't send the print back to the manufacturer.
Once I receive and check your returned print, I'll send you an email to confirm its receipt and notify you about the approval or rejection of your refund/exchange.
If approved, you can get a refund or an exchange for the same product. If you choose the refund, it will be processed and applied to your original payment method within 14 days. In both of these cases, all your shipping fees will also be covered.
Return Window
You must initiate the refund & exchange process within 14 days of receiving the order.
How are the shipping rates determined?
Different shipping partners provide their best rates for the services that they offer at the exact time of your order. Due to these so called "live rates" the shipping rates do occasionally change.
I do not take any profit from the shipping.
Most other online stores charge a flat fee and put the difference of the rate and the actual cost in their own pockets.
Most of the time you will find that the shipping rates are very reasonable, especially for such large prints.
The prints can be shipped to most countries in the world. If your country is not on the list in the checkout and you would like to order, email me at juho@alluringarctic.com and I can probably make it happen!
Will I have to pay international duties, customs fees or similar?
In most of the cases no. The prints are manufactured and shipped from EU, UK, USA and Australia. But if you live outside these areas, the print will be shipped from the location that has the fastest delivery to you. In this case, you might have to pay duties or customs fees. I'm not an expert in international customs and duties, so yep, as you might have guessed it already, you are responsible for such potential fees.
Oops, I ordered the wrong items!
Your products are printed individually for you. If you need to change your order, I will do my best to help! But please note that after an order gets printed it is then not possible to change the items. In many cases, the order gets printed within just 1-2 hours! So if you want to make any changes, please email me at juho@alluringarctic.com as soon as possible.
Oops, I entered the wrong address!
Uh oh, I will do my best to help, send me an email to juho@alluringarctic.com as soon as possible. After an order has been printed the address most often can not be changed anymore, and often the orders get printed within just 1 or 2 hours!
Why am I being charged tax? Am I now paying more?
The price of the prints always remains the same. A value-added-tax or sales tax is included in the price, if so required. Most notably, if are in the EU, the price includes 24% Finnish VAT. Under EU jurisdiction I am operating a "micro business", and that is why you get charged the Finnish VAT (and not your own country's VAT).
The store backend that I am using takes care of all the taxes and makes sure that any applicable taxes are charged. So depending on your location, the price might or might not include tax. But this does not affect the final price of the print. (It only affects my profit margin... unfortunately😉).
Uh oh, I can't find an answer to my question here
Just email me at juho@alluringarctic.com :)
How long does it take for my awesome aluminum print to arrive?
This depends on your location. Please proceed to the checkout and check your shipping options, which will indicate the delivery timeframe.
"Standard shipping", which often does not have a timeframe indication, takes around 2 weeks (but often less) from ordering until delivery.
Orders get shipped to almost all the countries in the world. If you live close to the north pole or on an awesome exotic island somewhere in the middle of nowhere and choose "Standard shipping", then the delivery might take a bit longer.
Once an order gets shipped, you will receive an email with a tracking number.