Hey all,

Love WHCC, but lately delivery seems to be taking a while. Could be a postal issue, just curious if anyone else if having turnaround time lags. Usually, the order is processed on the same day I submit it, and even shipped the same day or next. But then it's been taking at least 7-10 days to get the package. My last one from a 4/9 order has yet to arrive to the client. I've been using Print Fulfillment, regular $5 mail option. Maybe I need to bump up to the $7 option.

Just curious...

I haven't been having any problems but I mostly order press printed things from them and get the 2-Day UPS shipping. I haven't done any photo printing yet so I'm not sure how it differs. Hope this helps in some way

so you're just talking about drop shipping? because all of my normal orders are to me (in california) within 2 days of shipping, and when i drop ship i usually use 2nd day air UPS which is only like $9.50

kyle, to answer your question, photo print orders ship the same as press orders - your photo prints will get to you just as fast as press prints.

I don't drop ship so I can't speak to that. I want the contact with my client, and the packaging that represents my business, not WHCC's. I get my orders in 2 days everytime.

same here, i completely agree. i actually just drop shipped my first order EVER - 3 bridal prints for my client in texas whose wedding im shooting next weekend.

no problems either to me or to clients - Lightning fast -

After you log in to your account at WHCC Check your panel and you can track orders...

(I didn't know they even used the Post Office...)

Thanks for the replies everyone. Generally, I have prints sent to me first so I can review them, but do the occasional drop ship to a client if out of state. Those that replied here, I think all of your experiences have been in regard to drop shipping using either Thrifty Proofing or Thrifty Prints services -- because when you drop ship to a client using one of those two services, shipping is 2 day UPS or Priority. With Print Fulfillment (which is what I used, pg 25 of their price sheet PDF), it's a bit different. WHCC prints the images just as fast, it's just that the shipping options with Print Fulfillment differ.

To help others for future reference, here's the breakdown of WHCC services:

"Print Fulfillment" -- I use anytime I place small orders or orders of mixed sized prints, regardless if I am having the prints shipped directly to me or drop shipped to the client. I'm open to ideas, but "Print Fulfillment" seems to be the most economical way (.27 per 4x6) to place an order of mixed sizes (example, a client wants 10 4x6, 8 5x7, 1 8x10). "Print Fulfillment" charges $5 for shipping, regardless if the package drop ships to client or is mailed directly to me. They use regular USPS. I've been told this can take 7-10 days for delivery, and I'm discovering it does take that long. For $7, I've discovered they will use Priority mail, which seems like a better option, and with tracking.

"Thrifty Proofing" -- my understanding is orders can only be one print size, no mixing. $12 minimum order, free shipping when sent to you and they use 2 day UPS. I've used this service before as well and agree, it's fast. You can drop ship these orders as well to the client for a fee, and they'll use Priority, UPS, or Two Day Air, but I've never tried this.

"Thrifty Prints" -- allows for mixed sizes I believe, but with a higher cost on 4x6 prints (.70) compared to Print Fulfillment. $12 minimum order, free shipping when sent to you and they use 2 day UPS. You can drop ship these orders as well to the client for a fee, and they'll use Priority, UPS, or Two Day Air, but I've never tried this.

What are you all using for mixed sized print orders generally?

We use Thrifty Prints almost all the time. The only other one we use for prints is occasionally Thrifty Proofing, if we have a large order of all the same size. We have everything sent to us, so we don't really need to drop ship to the client. The only time we used drop shipping was when we were having some stuff sent to a friend, and I really didn't care if we saw it first. There is rarely a time when our order is less than $12, so the minimum is not an issue for us. I have never used Print Fullfillment.

Lynn

Thanks for the input... very helpful.

Thanks for the info

My suggestion to those who use WHCC Print Fulfillment and drop ship to either a client or to yourself, is to decline Print Fulfillment's default $5 standard USPS shipping option, and upgrade to their $7 guaranteed Priority Mail option with delivery confirmation.

An order shipped USPS on 4/10 has yet to be received and I suspect a mishap with USPS. WHCC's policy, however, with USPS shipments is to wait up to 10 business days before they will reprint and reship.... (not including Saturdays even though mail is delivered)... which would mean a reprint on 4/25. Pretty long wait. I've had good luck before with Print Fulfillment and prompt USPS shipping, so no fault to WHCC -- just a potential pitfall to remember when considering shipping.

At this point, to expedite things, I would probably be better off resubmitting the order, and perhaps request an account credit if the original order fails to arrive after the 10th day.

I'm totally confused here.

I drop ship to my clients all the time from WHCC. Open Roes -
Upload Pics -
Enter Address -
Send
Check shipment online with WHCC tracking.

How the heck do you even choose that shipping option? I know it says it in the book - but whenever I actually DO it, I get a tracking number. Do you use ROES, or FTP images?

In 3+ years with WHCC - never ever had a problem. PM me and I can give you someone to call at WHCC who has helped me personally.

Eric have you ever used print fufillment. It is like a seperate Roes. I think to first get started with it you select it from the drop down catalog list and have to click on that page and download that Roes program.

I use the US postal option alot because some times people can't or don't want to get UPS because of either not being home or not wanting the UPS man to leave it on their door step. Something to think about. On my release form I have a place to put there addres and then they check a box if they can get UPS there, sometimes people give me alternate address to ups too.

I have been drop shipping like crazy lately because honestly I just don't have time to deal with it myself. I am soooo glad I decided to do this. Of course you could make the argument about not wanting to come from whcc, but at this point in my life/business I don't care about fancy packaging, I just want them to get good prints in a timely matter, which wasn't always happening when I had them first sent to me.

Eric

I understand your confusion! It took me a while as well to understand the WHCC option. On my Mac, I have 2 distinct pieces of software I downloaded from WHCC: 1) software to launch when ordering through their Thrifty services 2) software to launch when ordering through their Print Fulfillment services. The "pros" of Print Fulfillment to me are: great for small orders, ability to mix sizes in one order, and no minimum order charge. Print Fulfillment and drop shipping to a client need not go hand in hand. With Print Fulfillment, you can either drop ship to a client or have the prints shipped to you, and then you mail them to the client yourself. Print Fulfillment shipping options are $5 USPS or $7 Priority. For each order, I use an Excel spreadsheet created by OSP user SteveG to calculate which service (Thrifty, Thrifty Proofing, or Print Fulfillment) will generate the most profit. Almost always, Print Fulfillment generates the most, even taking into account shipping. Here's a screengrab of the bottom of my Print Fulfillment software:

http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=...elAOuhOigSBjZN0

I like WHCC and have no reservations to continue using them. And I understand their need for a policy (waiting 10 M-F business days with USPS shipments before considering it lost and doing a reprint) when dealing with something outside of their control, the post office. But, as we all know, when a client contacts us with an issue, it's never a sound approach to direct the responsibility onto a third party, even if it is out of your hands. A client emails me that they haven't yet received prints ordered on 4/10, but there's never a great way to say it's the fault of the post office or the policy of my lab, even if it's a reasonable excuse. If I can take responsibility for the situation and somehow rectify it, I will.... which is why I told my client I would place the order again and pay for it now, rather than waiting for the reprint to be approved. I've used Print Fulfillment before with USPS shipping and it's generally taken 4-5 days at most. My gut says it got lost.

I'll PM you Eric, perhaps I can chat with your WHCC contact to see if we can find a more prompt solution to the problem

ok, you learn something new every day.

I guess I just keep it simple.

e