Shipping Information

At West Coast Imaging, most of our clients live outside of our area. This means we are well versed in shipping your orders to withstand the tortures of transportation!

How we package your prints
After inspecting your prints thoroughly, we package them carefully using archival bags, archival sheets, and a variety of materials that are necessary to protect your print. We have custom boxes and cardboard pads for prints up to 20x30 in size. We roll larger prints around the OUTSIDE of a sturdy cardboard tube, wrap the tube with bubble wrap, then place it in a large rectangular box.

How we package your scans
We sandwich your originals between two pieces of thick cardboard. The CDs are attached to the cardboard sandwich with rubber bands, and the entire package is slipped into a plastic sleeve and sealed with an "originals enclosed" sticker. Small scan orders are shipped in a Fedex envelope. Larger orders are wrapped in bubble wrap and slipped into a Fedex box.

We charge a $7.50 handling fee on each box
All of the cardboard we use costs quite a bit. That's why we charge a $7.50 handling fee per box. This fee is charged whether you have one print in the box, or five prints. We do not charge this fee if we are using envelopes or boxes provided by FedEx (such as their standard small, medium and large boxes). We do not charge a $7.50 handling fee for scan-only orders, unless we need to use an excessive amount of cardboard (if the order is very large, or requires special packaging). This fee is charged IN ADDITION to the cost of shipping your prints to you.

We can insure your package at your request
Our default policy is to ship your package without any special insurance. If you would like us to insure your package for a certain amount (such as the amount of your invoice), please let us know when you place your order.

Our default shipping method is FedEx Second Day
FedEx is our carrier of choice, and we can ship using any of their express or ground services. If you do not specify a service in the "shipping preference" section of your order form, we will ship by FedEx Second Day delivery. Shipping charges are billed with your invoice. We can also bill shipping directly to your FedEx account.

For an additional fee, we can ship your package so a signature is required for delivery. Please boldly write "signature required" in the shipping preference area of your order form to request this service, or contact us to request it on an order already in-house.

If you are ordering prints larger than 24x30, or if your prints are rolled, you will be charged by dimensional weight, which increases shipping costs with most services. You can usually reduce your shipping costs for these large prints by choosing to ship them FedEx Ground.

When shipping film, we highly recommend shipping using FedEx
We highly recommend shipping film using FedEx (Overnight, Two-Day, or Express Saver).

FedEx Ground is the least expensive way to ship prints and scans
FedEx Ground can take anywhere from a day (in California) to a week (to the East Coast) rates range from $4 on up, depending on your ZIP code and the package weight. If you would like to ship using FedEx Ground, please write this on your order form.

Why we recommend shipping with FedEx
While FedEx may cost a few dollars more per package, they tend to be more careful with box handling than other couriers we've used. Since they provide a tracking number with every shipment, we can see where your package is at any time. If you're interested in saving money on shipping, we can ship using FedEx Ground, which usually costs less than the post office, but is trackable. UPS also tends to be a reliable courier.

Why we don't recommend shipping with the USPS
They lose packages. When you're shipping original film, what other reason do you need? How about slow delivery? In our area, a Priority Mail shipment can take 5 or 6 days to get to West Coast Imaging. This, plus the fact that we regularly receive our mail wet or damaged, makes us a bit weary of the USPS. The only time we recommend using the post office is with international shipments where FedEx or UPS won't deliver.

We ship internationally
We ship overseas frequently. Since each country has different postal regulations, please tell us if we should ship using FedEx, UPS or the USPS. Please also give us instructions on how to fill out the carriage value forms, and any other information we need for customs.