I’m VERY happy to finally be able to say that we have our Christmas pictures in hand!! It has been an ORDEAL! Let me break it down as short and sweet as possible. The Readers Digest version.
I ordered our Christmas cards from Vistaprint towards the end of November. Now I want to say that I really like Vistaprint! I’ve used them for Christmas pictures before, as well as invites, signs, stickers, shirts, etc. I’m a solid Vistaprint customer. Their clarity for photos isn’t 100%, but its pretty good. I love the beefy cardstock they used for invites and cards, and have always been satisfied with my results. Except this time. I ordered our pictures, and they shipped out the next day! I was thrilled. I loved the design, and the price was so good thanks to the extended Black Friday promo. I was super excited.
When they came, I was pretty disappointed. I tried to be happy, because I was super excited to have them in hand, but the color was SO washed out, and the “clarity” wasn’t clear at all. They were pixelated and green and weird. On top of that, there was what appeared to be a printing error/smudge on the front, in the beautiful stark white background. But it was December, and I wanted these cards out. So I swallowed my angst and decided to send them out anyway. However, I emailed Vistaprint and told them how disappointed I was. I sent a picture along with my complaint and showed them the smudge on the front. I said I was unhappy with them, but I didn’t have time for them to resent them to me. I wanted a refund, plain and simple.
The morning after I sent that email, I received one back. They assured me the smear was part of the template (it isn’t, I’ve looked back and zoomed in) but that they were going to be SO generous and send me out a fresh batch without the smudge. They said it should arrive mid to late December, and hopefully that would be fine. “I trust this issue is resolved” the email read. Along with that email was an order confirmation for this renewed order the Vistaprint employee had put through. So I had a big, frustrated cry. Because I didn’t want to wait for another batch! And if I did, I would’ve pointed out the horrible color and clarity issues. Instead, I’d be waiting for a batch that was minimally better, that I still wouldn’t want to send out to our loved ones. I emailed back and said that no, the issue was not resolved. I pointed out how I specifically said I didn’t have the time to wait, and that I wanted my refund. The next day, I received a standard refund email, along with a shipment confirmation of 100 envelopes… Apparently they cancelled the cards but still sent the envelopes. Don’t ask me, guys. It was SO dumb.
I took to Facebook. Some of you already know that. Was there anywhere that could get me good cards in good time?? And there was! I sought out Melissa at Green Pixel Designs & Printing, and she saved my butt. She put my order in that day!! I ordered 100 matte, double sided, 5×7 cards for almost the exact same price I received in refunds from Vistaprint. In the days to follow, I was nice and fired up and motivated to get stuff done. I took the envelopes that came with the bad Vistaprint cards and addressed every single one I planned to send out. I put in lots of work and felt SO accomplished when it was done. Such a perfect stack of white envelopes just waiting for their cards. The day I got those cards in hand, I was going to stuff those envelopes and get them ALL out my door!
Today has been the blissful day where I FINALLY have those cards in my hands, and wow. Guys, they’re SO much better than Vistaprint’s cards! SO much better! The clarity is way better, the color is way nicer, they’re matte instead of glossy (for some reason, Vistaprint wouldn’t let me switch to matte) and the writing on the back fills the card out way nicer. Its just so much better.
As planned, the moment I had them, I grabbed the box of addressed envelopes off the island where its been living, and wouldn’t you know it. Vistaprints 5×7 cards are NOT 5×7!!!!! So every single envelope that I previously addressed to save time is a loss, because the envelopes are too small. Think about how a 2×4 chunk of wood is actually about a half inch smaller in each direction. Yup. Apparently that’s how Vistaprint prints cards. I. Was. Livid. Still am, a little.
I went upstairs and had my pity party. Like a BIG one. I already have a cold today, but my throat went from sore to raw during my cry. But, I’ve gotten it out now, and its time to keep on trucking. This afternoon, I’ll drive to the city or Martensville or wherever else I have to, find myself some envelopes that fit real 5×7 cards, address the heck out of them, and get those suckers out tomorrow. Because I’m done waiting. I have the cards finally, and they’re BEAUTIFUL. I’m SO thankful to be able to send out cards this year. They’re such a small gift, but I can’t imagine how else to reach out to everyone who has rallied around us this year, so this is going to have to do!
Thank you, Green Pixel, for picking up the torch and making this happen for me! And thank you to Cher for the beautiful family pictures! My heart is happy to have such pretty cards to send out!