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Do we need to have our ceremony information finalized before we can order a package?
You will need a date for the diplomas, so that much information should be determined before placing the orders. Our diploma order forms do offer the option of using just a month and year (for example, "dated this month of May, Two thousand eleven") but unless you want to use just the month and year, you will need to finalize the date before ordering packages or diplomas. If you have a custom announcement (one that is designed by your group) on your ordering page, we CAN take orders for the announcements without having complete information, because they are not printed immediately. SO -- if you know the date of your ceremony, but not the location, you can go ahead and order. We print the diplomas as the orders come in, but group announcements are not printed until after everyone has ordered and the quantity (and final ceremony information) is known. If families want to order their own, individual announcements from the site along with their products, the ceremony should be determined first, since we print those items as they are ordered.
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What do we pay for shipping, and is there sales tax?
If your deadline is in October, November or December, your shipping is free as long as we can ship everything to one person for distribution. If your deadline is one of the dates after the first of the year, shipping is a "flat rate" charge determined by the chart on this page. The flat rate shipping is a "per graduate" charge, and it covers not only the shipping of the packages, but also of any announcements or accessories ordered from our main web site before the group's deadline. For example, if you have a group of 10 graduates and have chosen the mid-January deadline, your shipping cost is $1.75 per graduate, regardless of whether the package is the only item ordered, or whether announcements and accessories are also ordered. (Because this flat rate shipping is based on the number of graduates, we ask families that have more than one graduate in the group to place the orders for each student separately.) Unless you are located in Wisconsin, sales tax is not collected.
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What if we need items not shown on your web site?
If you are looking for a special item like a stole or honor cord color that we don't stock, just give us a call. We are able to get special items for you and have them shipped right along with order, and we can also add that item to the group's page so that each person can order and pay for it themselves. We usually do need a minimum number of special items, but it depends on what it is, so give us a call and we'll do our best to accommodate any special needs!
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How do we place the order for our packages?
There are two methods for ordering. The first is the easiest for most groups, since no money or information needs to be collected or handled by the leadership. The second is available for those whose members are not able to order on line, but requires the group leader to collect both information and money.
A. Individual Ordering: You give us the information about your group using the form found on this page, and we put up a private ordering page for your group. The page tells the deadline, gives specific directions, explains WHAT the group has planned as far as the colors of the items, and contains the group's coupon. The coupon, when added to the cart, controls the shipping cost and also tell us what group the order belongs to. Each family orders the items from our web site, and when the group is finished, we ship everything in one shipment to the contact person. (If you prefer, we CAN ship to each family individually, but if we do so, the shipping cost would be higher than what is shown on our chart.) View a sample group ordering page here.
B. Ordering by One Person on Behalf of the Group: If the group's needs are fairly uniform and members do not want to order online, one person may place the order for the whole group. The order must be simplified by using the Standard Diploma only (or setting up a template that is used for all of the orders), and agreeing on one selection for the paper, seal and diploma cover. We have a paper order form that can be used to collect the information and payment from the families, and once you are ready to place the order, we will direct you to a special order form that allows you to give just the basic information for each diploma.
See our page of ordering information for more details about the two ordering methods.
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When should I request the ordering page?
The chart with the discounts shows the LAST date you can set up the order, and it gives the order deadline, which is the date by which all of the individual orders need to be placed. You can set up the ordering page at any time - you do not need to wait until the "set up by" date shown on the chart. Our experience has shown that if you set up the page two months in advance, no one will order until two weeks before the deadline, and by that time, most will have lost the email you sent them with the ordering instructions! So -- yes, it is possible to give out the information too early. It seems that the best time frame for setting up the page is two to three weeks ahead of the deadline, but this is completely up to you. Give us the information any time, as long as it is done by the date listed on the chart (ten days before the deadline).
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What if someone already has a gown (or a diploma) and wants to purchase only part of the package?
If there are some who need just a part of the package, the group's coupon will subtract a fixed percentage off the items that make up the package, if they are ordered from the 'public' pages of our site. Check with us to find out what the discount is for partial packages; it depends on your group size and order deadline. Keep in mind that the group's discount is based on the number of FULL packages.
Those that want the full package must place their order from the group's page to get the correct package pricing, but any who need a "partial package" place their order by putting the same group coupon into their cart, and then ordering from the "Categories" section intended for the public. This allows them to take advantage of the group's shipping rate and get a discount, but it is slightly less than the discount for those getting the whole package. We are flexible and can count one person's diploma order and another person's apparel order as a 'full package" for the purpose of reaching your quantity for the discount.
One thing to keep in mind is that any special promotions offered for group packages don't apply to someone who doesn't need the full package. For example, if someone needs only the diploma, they would receive a discount on their diploma, but wouldn't be able to take advantage of any promotions the rest of the group is getting, such as a free upgrade to a different diploma style or seal.
The form you will use to set up your group order asks if any group members will need "partial" packages. If so, we will send you separate ordering instructions that you can forward to those people.
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When and where are the items delivered?
In 2012 we will be shipping your apparel and diplomas 1-3 weeks after the group's deadline. (If there are gown colors ordered that we don't stock, the order may take a week or two longer). In the 2011 season, most of the group orders went out within a week after the group's page was closed. In most cases, we ship directly to the group leader so that the families can take advantage of the lowest price on the shipping. For example, if your group's deadline is mid-January, everyone's packages would be shipped to you between January 23rd and February 6th, along with any accessories or "individual" announcements ordered from our site. If you have ordered Distinctive Announcements as a group, the announcements and envelopes will come separately about 3 weeks after the order deadline.
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How are the items packaged within our shipment?
We will send your order to the person you designate -- usually the group leader or the person who has set up the order with us. Each individual family's order is packed in a clear plastic bag with their name and address visible. The group leader only needs to pass out the bags. We ask that all orders be checked by the families within 2 weeks. If there is a problem with the order, the family should contact us directly -- our phone number is on their receipt.
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What about families that want to join our group after we've ordered our packages?
The package plan does not exclude your group from adding graduates after the deadline. With the exception of the group's own announcement or special-order tassels, everything your group purchases can also be purchased at the regular price from the "public pages" of our site. If you have a handful of people who seem to be interested in participating in your group order, but don't get their order in by the deadline, this does not exclude them from getting their items directly from us at the regular web price and paying for their own shipping on it.
Those who ARE able to commit to participation and order by the deadline will get the best prices. Those who want to add-in later (subject, of course, to your group's approval and deadlines for participation) can still get their items from us, but at a higher cost.
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Some people will not want to give their credit card information when they place their orders. Can they pay by mail?
It is not necessary for families to use a credit card. Our shopping cart offers three options for payment: mailing a money order, using a credit or debit card online, and calling in a credit or debit card. If they plan to mail us a postal money order, it needs to be sent immediately. If we do not have the payment within 1 week after the group's ordering deadline, it will hold up the shipping of the group's order.
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If we order the package "add-on" to get our own announcements, what will they say and what do they look like?
The Announcement "Add-on" Package that includes 30 announcements, 30 year-date envelope seals and 50 name cards features some of the nicest announcements available anywhere. The announcements are from our Distinctive line which are offered in 6 different designs and a wide variety of color combinations, for a total of 35 different cards. They have two colors of foil, an embossed or engraved crest, and are printed in thermography (raised ink). They come with both inner and outer envelopes, and best of all, they are folded and then trimmed, for a professional fold.
Your group selects the style and color of the card, the lettering style for the text, and the details of what they want printed on them. They are completely customizable, with etchings, verses or mottos, and all the information you want to include about your ceremony. There is no additional charge for etchings or additional areas of text. All of the cards in your group's package order will be exactly the same, and each student adds a name card to personalize the announcement. The 50 name cards included in the package match the announcements in paper color and lettering style, and the student's name is printed in gold or silver foil to match the foil color on the announcement. We have a page called "Setting up a Group Announcement Order" which answers a lot of questions about adding announcements to your ordering page. The group's ordering page offers additional quantities of the announcements at the price listed on the chart. They are sold in multiples of ten. We are always happy to send samples and answer questions about the announcements!
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Half of our group wants to go together to get a custom announcement and the other half does not want any. What can we do?
You can get the Announcement "Add-on" Package even if everyone in your group does not want them -- you'd just need to have at least 10 people who DO.
However, if fewer than 10 members of your group want announcements (or if some do not want to buy 30 of them), then the "add-on" package is not an option. We can add customized announcements to your group's ordering page for the families that want them if we have a commitment from you that the total number ordered will be at least 300. We call this "a la carte" ordering, and we have a page with "a la carte" pricing and information here.
For "a la carte" ordering, there is no minimum - cards are sold in packages of 10 and name cards are sold separately. We suggest that you choose from our selection of Distinctive announcements - or the "Christian Education" line - they are very high quality products with great saving in the larger quantities. Because prices on any of these cards varies with the quantity, we'd need to know approximately how many you'd be ordering. If you are considering this option, you'll need to poll your group members to get an idea of whether you have enough to meet the 300 minimum, and what price category you'd be in. We need this information in order to price them and set up the group's ordering page.
If you have enough group members to make an "a la carte" order together, all of the cards will be exactly the same, and each student adds a name card to personalize the announcement.
If there is not enough consensus in the group to purchase the minimum of 300 announcements, we will put our "Semi-personalized" announcements on the group's page as an option. Because these are "pre-printed" cards which do not have details of your ceremony, we offer free insert cards (with your group's ceremony information) for those that purchase the Semi-Personalized announcements along with a name card. There is no minimum purchase from the individual or from the group, which makes these ideal for a group where each person is "doing their own thing" as far as the announcements.
We also have a wide selection of announcements on our site which are printed-to-order and can be shipped along with the packages with no additional shipping costs, for those who want to order their own.
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Can I get samples to show others in my group?
Yes, we'll be happy to send you one of our sample kits if it is a group of 8 or more. The sample kit includes a Standard Diploma, a Personalized Diploma, deluxe cover, several different announcements, and samples of some of our accessories. We are glad to send any announcements you are interested in -- if you know the colors you're looking for, we can send a few suggestions! Call us toll-free at 877-466-2563 to request samples for your group, or contact us by e-mail.
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Our group wants to pay a pre-determined amount toward each person's package. How does this work?
This is a common scenario with groups that do fundraising to help cover the graduation expenses! We can deduct the amount the group will pay from the package price. Families will pay any amount OVER this group contribution. (For example, if the group is paying the base price of the package, families pay for any extras they would like, such as an honors seal, a personalized cover, etc.) Once the deadline has passed and everyone has finished ordering, we send you an itemized invoice for the group's contribution toward what has been ordered. The shipment is sent once all funds have been received. Since the deadline is part of the determination for your pricing, we ask that the invoice be paid by credit card or postal money order within ten days of the time you receive it.
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What if we get our order and there is a problem or something is damaged?
We stand behind our products! We are a family-run business and have been in existence since 2002. We have an A+ rating by the Better Business Bureau. We are not a "phantom" business that will drop-ship items to you from foreign factories and then not return calls when you discover problems or don't get the items on time. The graduation industry has its share of businesses that promise things they can't deliver, and we've been around long enough to have heard the stories. We select our vendors very carefully and we stock almost everything we sell here at our facility in Southern Wisconsin. We do not outsource our customer service! If you see a problem with your order when it arrives (shipping damage, for example), call us and we'll correct it immediately. We've been doing just that for nine years and our customer service is one of the primary reasons for our success.
If you pass out the orders to your group and someone discovers a problem with their diploma or their gown does not fit, they should call us directly and we will work with them to solve the problem. If they GAVE us wrong information, there may be a charge to redo something, but if it is our mistake, we will correct it by shipping the new item directly to them. We work very hard to be sure we're carrying quality items and that the orders go out correctly. We have very, very few issues and we quickly correct any problems that show up.
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What do we do if someone backs out of our group before they order?
When you sign up for a package and plan on meeting a specific quantity discount, we assume you'd have the minimum number for that pricing. However, if you lose enough people to change the price category, then we would have to charge a higher price for the other packages. We work with you as much as possible to extend your deadline a few days if we need to, to help you reach that quantity/discount level. If you aren't able to come up with the number needed, you may be able to find a few people who need a diploma for an older sibling, or there may be someone who isn't planning to participate in your ceremony, but they need a package for their own use. We understand the difficulty of trying to pin down fellow homeschoolers and make plans based on a verbal commitment, so our suggestion is that each family provide a deposit to the group when they commit to being part of it. This would mean that if a family backs out and forces the group to incur additional costs (such as a higher package price), there would be some funds available instead of forcing the remaining families to pay more. Make it clear to people that the group as a whole is counting on them to follow through on their commitment. In the rare event that we DO have to change the pricing on your packages, we will provide the group leader with a list of those that have ordered and the additional amount owed so that we can collect it from the group in one payment rather than each individual.
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If someone decides not to participate after we've gotten our order, can they return the package?
There is no refund for diplomas, announcements, or name cards once they have been printed.
However, the cap, gown and tassel may be returned for a refund, according to our normal company policies on refunds. HOWEVER, returns on these items are not accepted if doing so would put your group below the minimum order for your price breakdown. For example, if your group has 14 members and has ordered the package for groups with 10 to 24 graduates, a package refund is not a problem and would be handled as above. But if your group has ordered in the same category and has exactly ten members, we would not accept a refund because it would change the pricing for everyone else in the group. In this case, it would be best for that member to find someone else to take their place; we will be glad to help you exchange the apparel sizes and colors if necessary.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Ordering Packages
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