Terms and Policies

We dislike spam as much as you do. We will never share your information with third parties unless required to do so by law or requested by you. The information we collect from you will be used to maintain your services with us and to represent the quality of our work to others, such as in our online portfolio.

All text and images used in a print and/or web design must be provided by the client (unless the client has hired Smart Design for content development). The client must have ownership or written permission to use all content he/she provides for use. It is up to each client to ensure his/her design and/or content does not infringe on any trademark, service mark, or copyright. Smart Design cannot be and is not responsible for intellectual property infringements on behalf of clients. Additionally, Smart Design cannot be and is not responsible for submitted content. Clients should not mail irreplaceable photos or documents or send content that must be returned.

1. Print and Web design
   All text and images used in a print and/or web design must be provided by the client (unless the client has hired Smart Design for content development). The client must have ownership or written permission to use all content he/she provides for use. It is up to each client to ensure his/her design and/or content does not infringe on any trademark, service mark, or copyright. Smart Design cannot be and is not responsible for intellectual property infringements on behalf of clients. Additionally, Smart Design cannot be and is not responsible for submitted content. Clients should not mail irreplaceable photos or documents or send content that must be returned.
2. Printing and Custom Apparel
   All invoices for printing services are due upon receipt, and the order will only be sent to production once the full amount has been received unless any arrangement has been made and agreed upon prior to beginning the work.
3. Payment Method
   Smart Design accepts the following payment methods: Credit Cards, Email Money Transfers and Cash Payments. By submitting a credit card number to Smart Design you are representing and warranting that the credit card information you provide is valid, authentic, current, and one that you are authorized to use it. You agree that in the event the credit card information you have provided becomes invalid, out of date or that you are no longer authorized to use the card, you will immediately provide another credit card number that is valid, authentic and current, and which you are authorized to use.
4. Late Fees
   Payment not received within 30 days of due date will be considered a closed account, thus nullifying the work agreement, entitling the client to no rights to said work(s) and no refunds. Balances that are not paid within 30 days will be subjected to a monthly interest of 5% and reported to a credit bureau.

Projects can be hindered if the client does not provide feedback or required elements in a timely manner, such as feedback on a design mockup, requested sitemaps, text to be used as content on the print or web pages, images for either the design or for the content, the client’s logo, etc. For that reason, if Smart Design is waiting for content or other pieces of information, the client will be notified. If the client fails to handle the requests within ten business days, then Smart Design will take any or all of the following steps to keep the project moving forward in a timely manner:

1. Mockup and Feedback
   If the client does not give feedback on the design mockup within ten business days, by default, the mockup is approved. Later, if the client wishes to change the design, additional charges may apply.
2. Client Logo
   If the client fails to provide a copy of an existing logo within ten business days, a substitute logo or company name graphic may be used. If the client later wishes to change the substitute logo or company name graphic, additional charges may apply.
3. Photo/image to use in design
   If the client has requested the design include a particular photo, and the client fails to provide the required photo within ten business days, a substitute photo may be used. If the client later wishes to change the substitute photo additional charges may apply.
4. Any other delays
   If more than 30 days have passed since the client approved the initial project agreement and there has been no communication from the client, Smart Design will consider the project complete in its entirety and bill for the completed project.

All content must be submitted electronically via email at info@smart-design.ca. Text must be selectable as actual text rather than as flattened images. Content may not be submitted via fax or paper copies. Exceptions to this policy must be approved in advance and will incur a surcharge.

Design preferences and specifications, such as look, color scheme, functionality, etc., should be specified at the beginning of the project. All design projects come with two (2) revision sessions. Should the client require additional modifications following the completion of work and two (2) revision sessions, all adjustments will be billed at $35.00 an hour.

A print order can be cancelled at any time prior to it entering into production. If you cancel an order prior to it entering into production, we will refund the full amount within 10 business days. A print order cannot be cancelled and no refund will be given once it has entered into production or any process thereafter. No refunds are issued for Logo and Graphic design services.

In terms of printed products and customer service, we set the quality bar high! So, what happens if your order does not meet our standards? It should not happen, but if it does, our goal is to get it fixed quickly.

If you believe your print job is defective or has not otherwise met your requirements please contact Smart Design via e-mail at info@smart-design.ca, within five (5) business days of receiving your order. If you do not contact us within this time frame we will assume that your job was satisfactory upon receipt and will be under no obligation to provide a refund or reprint.

Typically, you can expect a reprint or a coupon for a future print job. In the rare instance where a reprint or coupon will not fix the problem, just send the order back to us and we will refund the original order price.

Please note that we reserve the right to request samples or any sort of proof of any defective merchandise prior to any of the above resolutions being agreed to. We will determine according to the given proofs if the job is in fact defective, and if we have the obligation to reprint or refund.

The following are some guidelines and examples of issues that do not constitute grounds for a refund, or a return or reprint of a product:

• An order that is refused at time of delivery or undeliverable orders. (We will reship the product at the customer’s expense if requested).
• The product is lost, delayed or returned to Smart Design due to an error made by the customer in submitting the proper shipping address. (For product that is later found or that is returned to us we will reship the package with a corrected address and charge an additional shipping fee for the shipment).
• Product that is delayed in production and/or shipping as a result of shipping company delays, weather conditions, environmental or dangerous goods incidents, perils of the air, public enemies, public authorities acting with actual or apparent authority, acts or omissions of customs officials, authority of law, quarantine, riots, strikes, work stoppages or slowdowns, or other labor disputes or disturbances, civil commotions or hazards incident to a state of war, local or national disruptions in ground or air transportation networks or systems due to events beyond our control, disruption or failure of communication and information systems, disruption or failure of utilities, international customs issues, and any other circumstances that are beyond our direct control.
• Product that has experienced a color shift during the conversion to CMYK format, for example as a result of having been submitted by the customer in RGB or PMS Pantone colors.
• Errors that are contained in a ready-to-print file sent or approved by the customer, e.g., misspelling, graphics, bleeds, grammar, damaged fonts, punctuation, wrong cuts, incorrect or missing folds, die lines, crop marks, transparency, overprint, and finished product size.
• Product that experiences print or images that are fuzzy, pixelated or otherwise distorted as a result of the customer providing artwork that is not at a minimum of 300 DPI at 1:1 ratio (or 100%) and/or in CMYK mode.
• Products that do not exactly match color or ink density. Smart Design does not color match or match customer specified ink density.
• An inability to print or write on the product, unless the product description states otherwise. A typical UV coated product cannot be printed or written upon.
• Orders that are duplicated as a result of customer error.
• Orders that are cancelled after the order has entered into production (or any process thereafter).
• Orders that contain dated materials that arrive after the relevant date or with insufficient time to use the material as intended. It is a customer’s responsibility to allow sufficient time when placing an order for time sensitive materials.
• The release of an order by the shipper without obtaining a signature.

Our standard shipping level is UPS Ground, but you may elect to use an alternative method of UPS shipping during the ordering process.

The estimated delivery time for any given shipment will vary according to the method of shipping you choose and/or by your location. Please note that although we make an effort to meet the estimated delivery times, because we use a third party shipping service we are not able to guaranty a specific delivery date or time. If you have time sensitive materials, please make sure you allow sufficient time to receive your order. Holidays may affect and delay your shipping times. Please take holidays into account when estimating your package delivery time.

If the address supplied is not valid or complete, UPS will make an effort to find the correct address and deliver the shipment. An additional address correction fee will be charged for this service. Please ensure that the address you provide to us is up-to-date and includes ALL the necessary information such as the correct Street address, APT/Suite/Other number, City, Province and Zip Code.

If a package is not delivered due to a customer refusal, you will continue to be responsible for the product cost, original shipping and any additional fees incurred as a result of the product being returned, and you consent to these fees being charged against the credit card used for the transaction.

We are not responsible for any delays, losses or increased delivery charges caused by mistaken or incorrect delivery addresses. We are not responsible for any delays or losses of product once the product is delivered to the carrier for shipment.

If, after placing an order, you wish to change the shipping address you may do so before we create the shipping label for UPS. Each time that you request that we intercept and transport an order to a new shipping address (i.e., other than the one currently chosen) you will incur an administrative fee, as well as any increases in the shipping fees and other charges UPS may impose.

We will make every effort to adhere to the estimated shipping schedule and delivery date for your order. However, equipment failures, technical problems, shipping delays and other problems beyond our control may delay the printing and delivery process. Under such circumstances rush charges and other production fees may be waived or refunded as applicable, however, such delays are not grounds for cancellation of an order. By placing an order with Smart Design you are agreeing that we are not responsible or liable for, and no refund, cancellation or credit will be due as a result of shipping company delays, weather conditions, environmental or dangerous goods incidents, perils of the air, public enemies, public authorities acting with actual or apparent authority, acts or omissions of customs officials, authority of law, quarantine, riots, strikes, work stoppages or slowdowns, or other labour disputes or disturbances, civil commotions or hazards incident to a state of war, local or national disruptions in ground or air transportation networks or systems due to events beyond our control, disruption or failure of communication and information systems, disruption or failure of utilities, international customs issues, any other circumstances that are beyond our direct control.

Please note that if UPS delivers to a residential address, they do not require a signature to leave the package at you door. If you require a signature for UPS to deliver the package, let us know before placing the order.

Smart Design does not accept projects that promote hate, intolerance, abuse, discrimination, pornography, animal exploitation, or any other unethical practice. Smart Design reserves the right to decline to do business with any client for any reason.

Smart Design reserves the rights to change these terms of service at any time.