PrintNinja - online printing made easy for creators
Turnaround Times
Standard Turnaround Times
Check out our guide on calculating your turnaround time for inernational orders here:
For turnaround time estimates for international orders, please see the below graphic:
Prepress Time Detail
Proofing, production, and shipping are three separate processes. Once you have paid and uploaded your files and we receive them, you will get a digital proof the next business day before we close. Files sent after hours or over the weekend are received on the following business day. We will work with you until your proof is right; sometimes this takes several times back and forth. We recommend you budget a week to make sure your files are correct and ready for press, but this can vary based on your experience and ability to make fixes to your files. Once digital proofing is complete we will create any physical proofs or press hardcopy proof sheets you have ordered. (Book hardcopy proof sheets take two weeks to produce and ship, and game and board book hardcopy proof sheets take 3 weeks.) Once proofing is complete and you approve the proofs we proceed to production.
Production Time Detail
Production turnaround times start from the day you go to press, which is usually one to two days after you approve your final proof. Production varies based on project type, project complexity, binding type, and project size. The timeline estimates above are for modest sized orders (fewer than 2000 units) with average complexity. While we are usually well inside these timeline estimates, getting your book right is the main priority. If you have a large order, many specialty options, or a high page count please anticipate a longer production timeline.
Once your order is printed and bound our Quality Control staff inspect a random sampling of your order and confirm it matches your proofs. We then pack them and ship them according to the method or methods you have paid for.
Shipping Time Detail
Shipping is where you have control. Domestic orders ship via UPS; we can offer Ground shipping, 2nd Day Air shipping and Next Day Air shipping. For international orders, we offer budget shipping via ocean container and that takes 6-8 weeks after your book is finished printing. We also offer expedited shipping via air freight that takes 7-10 days after production. You can ship via one or both of these methods, and our international book and card calculators can give you an instant price for splitting your shipment in this way. These timelines are also estimates, and PrintNinja does not have control of customs, port strikes, ocean currents, and other rare occurrences that can extend your shipping time.
PrintNinja always recommends padding your timeline and ordering as early as you are able. While we will do all we can to meet a requested timeline, we cannot offer guarantees, and we never want to sacrifice the quality of your project. Our estimates are just that, estimates, and while the majority of our projects fall within those listed turnaround times, delays are possible when custom manufacturing your unique book or game.
Requested Deliver-By Date
For situations when you have a hard date that you need to have the project in hand for an expedited shipment, we can offer a service that will help coordinate the production and shipping time to ensure that your order arrives by the requested date. Ask your Account Manager about a “Requested Deliver-By Date” and they will coordinate with the production team in China and set a proof approval date for you that will ensure the project is completed in time. This will be combined with our premium expedited shipping service and deliver the fastest shipping option we offer for International orders.
Domestic Orders
For turnaround time estimates for domestic orders, please see the following graphic:
Holidays
For information on PrintNinja Holiday office closures, please see here.