Made-to-order changes the usual rules, because at some point a person has laid out your pages and a printer has committed ink to paper. Here is exactly where each door closes.
What can change, and until when
| Change | Possible until |
|---|---|
| Which photographs are used | You approve the proof |
| Captions and any text | You approve the proof |
| The order of the pages | You approve the proof |
| The cover | You approve the proof |
| Page count and size | You approve the proof |
| The format entirely | Before design starts |
| Delivery address | Before dispatch |
| Cancelling | Before design starts, in full |
The proof is the hinge. Almost everything about the object itself is open until you approve it and closed immediately afterwards.
Changing the contents
This is not really a change, it is the process. You see a full digital proof before anything prints, and layout, captions, sequence, cover and the photographs themselves can all be revised. Revisions are included rather than counted.
The only real cost is time: each round adds a day or two to the delivery window.
Changing the format or size
Straightforward before design starts — a magazine to an album, 16 pages to 24. The price moves to the new format and we settle the difference either way.
After design has begun, a size change is usually still workable because page count follows the photo count. A format change means starting the layout again, so it depends on how far along it is. Ask early rather than at the proof.
Changing the delivery address
Possible right up until dispatch, and a common one — people order to themselves and then decide to ship straight to the recipient.
After dispatch it is between you and the courier, and redirection is not always available. Tell us before the Monday it ships.
Cancelling
Before design starts, in full. Nothing has been made and nothing has been consumed.
Once design has begun, a person has spent hours on it, so a cancellation is handled case by case rather than by a blanket rule — message us and we will be straight with you about where it stands.
Once it has printed, it cannot be cancelled. A personalised object has no second buyer, which is also why returns are not accepted after dispatch.
The one thing that never changes
The date, backwards. Every change resets some part of the sequence, and the delivery estimate moves with it. If a fixed date matters, decide the changes you want in one pass rather than three.
Frequently asked
Can I change my photos after ordering? Yes, right up until you approve the proof. Photographs, captions, order and cover are all open until then.
Can I cancel a custom order? In full before design starts. After that it is case by case, because the work has been done. Once printed, no.
Can I change the delivery address? Yes, any time before dispatch. After it ships it depends on the courier.
Will changes delay my order? Each round of revisions adds a day or two. Sending all your changes in one message rather than several is the way to keep it tight.
Can I return it if I do not like it? Not after dispatch — a personalised object cannot be resold. That is what the proof stage exists to prevent, and why it is worth reading carefully.
Part of our guide to ordering a personalised gift. See also: the design proof and why we are prepaid only.
Before you order: Photo magazines from ₹499 · Returns and refunds