Requests from inquiring business owners … questions from customers … even my husband’s confused look on his face. There are a plethora of terms that we use in the promo products industry and I am constantly being asked to clarify. So, in order to help out everyone a bit, I’ve decided to post a glossary of terms. Check out these key words and phrases to keep up with your ordering process!
4CP – 4-color process: uses magenta, cyan, yellow, and black in order to create a full color imprint
Artwork – file of your name or logo that will be printed on an item
Imprint Color – color(s) of your artwork that will be printed
In Hands Date – the date that you need the order at your facility
Personalization – individual names printed on an item (typically used for awards or personalized calendars)
PMS Color Match – Pantone Matching System (PMS); matching a color in your artwork exactly to a Pantone color
PO Number – Purchase Order (PO); individual number for your order
Production Time – the time it takes to build the product and imprint the entire order (begins after proof approval)
Promotional Product – any item that is imprinted, typically used for marketing purposes
Proof – an image sent to the customer to show what the final product will look like (requires approval before beginning order)
Random Sample – a physical sample of the imprinted item that was an overrun of another customer’s order
Run Charge – a charge for each item if an additional color or side are requested on the product (1 color and 1 side are included in original pricing)
Set up Charge – a charge for the order in order to print the items; additional set up charge for each side being printed
Spec Sample – a physical sample of the imprinted product created with your artwork; sent to customer before printing the entire order
Tracking – tracking number from the shipping company in order to track the progress of the shipment
Transit Time – the number of days needed for shipping, starting from pick up at the original location and ending on the delivery date
UV Printing – a form of digital printing that uses UV lights immediately after the specialty ink is placed, giving it faster dry time and a more vibrant look
Vector – a type of artwork file that allows clarity when printing on products; files ending in .AI or .EPS
