How many families do we need to order as a group?
Our packages are offered for groups as small as 5. Sometimes we have families in the same church or support group purchase a basic package together just to save money, even though they may not be planning to hold a ceremony together. Back to top>>
Do we need to have our ceremony information finalized before we can order a package?
We will
need a date to put on 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 announcements are not printed until
after everyone has ordered and the quantity (and final ceremony
information) is known. .Back
to top>>
What are the deadlines for ordering packages?
We
offer 7 different deadlines for 2012, and your discount depends
on how early you are able to order. Each deadline is a Monday,
and the group's discount coupon expires at 11:59 p.m. on Monday.
You may begin ordering at any time: YOU determine the start
date and choose the deadline you want. On the Friday morning
preceding your deadline,
we will e-mail the group leader with a list of those that have
ordered so far. This gives the opportunity to send out a reminder
or call those that have not yet ordered so that they can complete
their order by Monday evening. The order deadline dates for
the Class of 2012 are:
- October
17, 2011
- November
7, 2011
- December
12, 2011
- January
16, 2012
- February
13, 2012
- March
5, 2012
- March
12, 2012
Back to top>>
What
do we pay for shipping, and is there sales tax?
If
your deadline is in October, November or December, your shipping
is free. 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. Back
to top>>
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. View a sample
group web 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 processes.
Back to top>>
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 any cap and gown set or
any diploma if 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 can take advantage of the group's
shipping rate, and can get a discount, but it is slightly less
than the discount for those getting the whole package. We maintain
a list of the group's color preferences, and orders are checked
to be sure they conform to the group's standards. The discount
coupon allows group members to choose any diploma or cap, gown
or tassel from anywhere on our site, and we make sure the items
will match the rest of the group..Back
to top>>
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 will take about three weeks, otherwise
expect it to ship in a few weeks. In the 2011 season, many of
the group orders went out within a week after the group's page
was closed. We ship directly to the group leader. For example,
if your group's deadline is mid-January, the packages would
be shipped between January 25th and February 8th, 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. Back
to top>>
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. Back
to top>>
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 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. Back to top>>
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 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. Back to top>>
If we order the package "add-on" to get our own announcements, what will they say and what do they look like?
The package "add-on"
that includes 30 announcements 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. 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.
Back
to top>>
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?
If fewer than ten members of your
group want announcements (or if some do not need 30 of them),
then the package "add-on" is not an option. However,
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 suggest that you choose from our selection of distinctive
announcements - they are very high quality products! If
you have enough group members to make an order together, all
of the cards will be exactly the same, and each student adds
a name card to personalize the announcement.The price on these
cards varies with the quantity. It is important, if you are
considering this option, 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
there is not enough consensus in the group to purchase any announcements
together, group members may want to purchase from our selection
of announcements offered for individuals. See our group
announcement overview page for other options. Back
to top>>
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 ten 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. Back
to top>>
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. Back
to top>>
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.
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. Back to top>>
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