Ordering Help

How it Works | Delivery | Payment | Proofs, Reprints & Refunds


How it Works

After placing your order and uploading your artwork, your order will be processed and logged in our system. Orders placed before 10:30am, will be processed and logged same day. Orders placed after 10:30am will be logged the next working day. You will receive an email notification once your order is logged - If you do not receive a notification email that your order has been logged within 48 hours of placing your order, please contact us immediately on 1300 668 675 to ensure your order has not been missed.

Once logged, your order is allocated to one of our designers for proofing. If you’ve supplied Print Ready Artwork, please allow up to 24 hours for an initial digital proof. If we will be typesetting or designing the artwork for you, please allow up to 48 hours for an initial digital proof of your design.

You will receive an email notification from us when your digital proof is ready for viewing. The email will include a link to our online proofing system, along with your proofing system login credentials.
You can log in to our proofing system here proof.darkhorse.com.au

After viewing the digital proof online, you can either approve the proof for printing, or decline the proof and add comments with your alterations. If you have declined the proof for alteration, you must allow up to 24 hours for a revised proof to be sent back to you. If you have revised artwork for your order, please email this to your Dark Horse representative noted on your digital proof and include your job number in the subject.

Approving the proof will take you to the Payment & Delivery section. From there you will be able to make payment for your order online, enter the shipping address for your order as well as any additional delivery instructions, you’ll also have the option to opt in for ordering tracking notification emails - You’ll be notified each time your order reaches a different stage throughout the production process.

After we’ve received your approval, a paid invoice will be emailed to you within 24 hours of approving. If you’ve not paid in full upfront, an unpaid invoice will be emailed to you with the outstanding amount. If you have not received any correspondence from us within 48 hours of approving your proof, please contact us immediately on 1300 668 675 to ensure we have received your approval.

From here your order is sent into Pre-Press where it is set up for print and sent into Production. Production time on average is within our 3-5 working day turn-around, however some products can take up to 5 working days in Production and more. We’ve put together a timetable you can use to work out roughly how long your order will take in Production, you can download it here.

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Delivery

Once you have approved our digital or hard copy proof, your order has been paid for (or an account has been provided to you), your delivery details are supplied to us and your order has been printed, we will despatch your printed goods for delivery to your door!

We utilise a network of courier companies including Couriers Please, Direct Freight Express, Toll Priority Express and Australia Post - depending on the size, weight and priority of an order. You're also more than welcome to pick up your order from our office in Mornington, Victoria.

The delivery date of your order is approximately 3-5 working days from proof approval.
However, production time can vary depending on your order (i.e large quantity orders, additional finishing) which can extend the estimated delivery date. Delivery time can also vary based on the delivery address you provide. A metro address will ensure a faster delivery time than a rural address.

You can download our estimated transit time to your location pdf here.

Where a delivery has not been received by you, please contact our office for further information on 1300 668 675 and we will do our very best to help!

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Payment

Upfront payment is required on all orders. This does not apply to our Customers on a 30 Day Account - you can apply for a 30 Day Account by contacting our Accounts Department on 1300 668 675.

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Proofs, Reprints & Refunds

Digital Proofs
The digital proofs we send to you to view are low resolution for proofing and email purposes only.
If the artwork you’ve given us is low resolution it will be noted on your digital proof. The colours displayed on the proofs are not guaranteed to be accurate. This is because colours vary from on-screen (RGB) to the final printed product (CMYK/PMS/DIC).

If you’re concerned about way your proof looks, feel free to contact us via phone or email. We are more than happy to discuss any concerns you might have regarding your proof, or arrange for a hard copy sample to be posted to you.

Hard Copy Proofs
We offer FREE hard copy proofs, express posted to your door!
A hard copy is available upon your request and it is recommended that if we’ve noted any errors on your digital proof that take a look at one to ensure you’re happy with the printed result.
With any booklet order, we recommend you request a hard copy prior to approving the digital proof.

If your digital proof is approved prior to sighting a hard copy, your order will be printed as per the approved digital proof. Dark Hose does not take any responsibility for any errors with your artwork on the final printed product if the digital proof has been approved without sighting a hard copy first.

Returns and Refunds
If there is a problem with your printed goods, you must notify us within 7 days of receiving the goods of any defects discovered with the order or the claim will be denied.

In order to receive a replacement, you must return 100% of the received product within 14 days from the time when the order was received.

All charges related to expedited printing (Urgent Printing or Shipping) are non-refundable, including orders that are returned for any reason. Please contact us with as much time prior to your expected delivery date as possible to avoid disappointment.

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