When you buy from a large retailer, your item is already in a warehouse. Someone takes it off a shelf, puts it in a box and it leaves the same day. When you buy from Kiyo Arts, the item doesn't exist yet. It is made for you after you order. This is called print on demand, or made to order.
It is a different way of selling, with real advantages and a few trade-offs. Here is what happens, in order.
What print on demand means
We are a small art studio. We make the artwork. We don't own printing presses or a warehouse. We work with specialist print partners, who have the equipment to print on canvas, paper, fabric and other materials. When an order comes in, the right partner prints that one item and ships it straight to the customer.
Nothing is made in advance. There is no stock.
Step by step
1. You place the order
You choose a design, a product and a size, and pay. You receive an order confirmation by email.
2. The order goes to a print partner
The details are sent to the facility that makes that type of product. A canvas goes to a canvas maker. A t-shirt goes to a garment printer. Where there is a choice, the order is routed to a facility that can make and deliver it well.
3. It waits its turn
The facility has other orders ahead of yours. Yours joins the queue.
4. It is printed
The artwork file is printed at the size you chose, on the material you chose. Different products use different methods: inkjet for canvas and paper, and heat-based processes that bond ink into the fibres for fabric items such as tapestries and desk mats.
5. It is finished
A canvas is stretched over its wooden frame and fitted with hardware. A framed poster is mounted in its frame. A tapestry is cut and hemmed. A pin is pressed. A keychain is cut and fitted with its ring.
6. It is checked and packed
The item is inspected and packed for the journey: corner protection and a box for a canvas, a tube or a flat pack for a poster.
7. It is handed to the carrier
A shipping label is made and the parcel is collected. You receive a shipping email with a tracking number.
8. It travels to you
The carrier delivers it. See the inspection checklist for what to do when it arrives.
How long it takes
- Production: 2 to 7 business days. This covers steps 2 to 7.
- Delivery in the United States: 3 to 7 business days after that.
- Total: about 5 to 14 business days.
- Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and US territories: can take longer.
- International: 10 to 30 business days for delivery.
Business days are Monday to Friday, and don't include public holidays. Production takes longer in the weeks before the December holidays, when every facility is busy. See how long a made-to-order piece takes to arrive and holiday order deadlines.
Why one order may come in several parcels
This surprises people. If you order a canvas, a desk mat and a pin, they are made by different specialists in different places. Each ships when it is ready. You will get separate shipping emails and separate tracking numbers, and the parcels may arrive days apart. Nothing is missing. Shipping is calculated at checkout for the whole order.
Why we work this way
- Less waste. Traditional retail makes goods in bulk and guesses at demand. What doesn't sell is discounted, stored or thrown away. Made to order produces only what someone has bought.
- More choice. We can offer each design on many products and in many sizes: fifteen sizes of canvas, four of tapestry, three of desk mat. Holding stock of all of those would be impossible for a small studio.
- Nothing sells out. A design is always available.
- It keeps a small studio going. We don't have to pay for stock in advance or rent a warehouse. We can spend our time on the art.
- Your piece is new. It was made for you, days ago. It has not sat in a warehouse.
See made to order vs warehouse stock.
The trade-offs
We would sooner you knew these before you order.
- It is slower. You wait for the item to be made. There is no next-day delivery.
- No exchanges. An item made for one customer can't go back on a shelf. So we don't offer exchanges, but you can return any item within 30 days of delivery for a refund (you pay the return shipping). Clothing in particular is made to your order, so if the size is wrong, return it within 30 days and reorder.
- Changes are hard once production starts. If you need to change or cancel an order, contact us straight away. Once it is being made, it usually can't be stopped.
- Addresses can't be changed after shipping. Check yours at checkout.
- Small variations. Items are made one at a time, so exact size, colour and print position can vary a little from one to the next. See why colours look different on screen and in print.
If something goes wrong
If your item arrives damaged or with a fault, contact us within 30 days of delivery with your order number and photographs. We will arrange a replacement or a refund. Damaged or defective items do need to be returned, and we pay the return shipping. See what happens if my order arrives damaged and our refund policy.
How to order well from a made-to-order shop
- Measure first. The wall, the desk, yourself. See how to measure a wall for art.
- Read the size chart for clothing.
- Check the address and your email address.
- Order early for a date. Three weeks ahead for a birthday or an event in the US.
- Keep the emails. The order confirmation and each shipping notice.
- Check the item when it arrives, and keep the packaging until you have.
Is print on demand lower in quality?
Not in itself. The method says when an item is made, not how well. Quality depends on the artwork file, the materials and the print partner. Mass production and print on demand can both be good or poor. What made to order can't offer is the chance for the seller to inspect each item personally before it ships, which is why a clear policy on damaged and faulty items matters. Ours is above.
Common questions
Where is my order made? It depends on the product. Our print partners choose the facility.
Can I track it? Yes, once it ships. Tracking doesn't cover the production stage, so there may be several days between your order confirmation and your shipping email.
Why hasn't my tracking updated? A label is often created a day or two before the carrier scans the parcel.
Can you make it faster? We can't speed up production. Order early when a date matters.
More answers are on our FAQ page and in our shipping policy. For the full story of one product, see from digital file to finished canvas.