(FAQ) Ordering and what to expect

Our process

When an order is placed, an order form is generated and printed in our shop. This makes it easy for us to identify orders with various products and services to unsure a problem free service. For example, when receiving films or disposable cameras, and providing an order number is included with the films/disposables, this then gets tallied up with the relevant order form which tells us all the information we need including delivery address.

How do I identify my order number?

Each order is given a unique order number which can be found at the top of your invoice or in your order history on your account.

I didn't receive an email confirmation

If you haven't received an order confirmation email then this will happen due to one of 2 factors. Either our order confirmation email has landed in your junk/spam folder or your email provider has blocked our confirmation email altogether. To avoid this if this happens, simply add us to your trusted email or whitelist.

How long does it take to receive an order?

The time it takes to receive your order can vary. Our normal processing time is 3-5 working days for standard services and 7-21 days for film developing from the date of the order or receiving films/disposables. This is all down to delivery and dispatch times which we are unfortunately governed by. Due to restrictions, this can cause severe delays with delivery times of up to 2-3 weeks. and in worse cases up to 6-8 weeks. But under normal circumstances we endeavour to ship all orders as soon as we can within our advised timeframes and Royal Mail deliveries are normally 2-4 days.

I have sent my films off for developing, how long does it take?

Once we receive the films/disposables. It can take up to 7-14 days for us to fully process and dispatch the order. When we receive films (every couple of days) this can take a couple days for us to unpack and put into processing. If your order has been updated to processing it means we have your films and they have joined our developing queuing system. After it has been developed it is then sent to our scanning department. This is where we require the 7-14 day window as we have thousands of films all awaiting scanning. Once it has been scanned it is then printed, and prepared for film cutting and sleeving. So your order should be ready for dispatch 7-14 days from the date your order gets updated to processing. This is the same when we send customers WeTransfer links as this follows the same process.

We are unable to prioritise any orders above others and we work on a first come first served basis.

I sent a disposable/film for developing and didn't receive all the photos back.

Please be advised that not all disposables or films contain the exact amount of photos as advised on the disposable or film. This can be down to a number of factors including camera error's when taking the picture, an aged film, poor lighting, fogging, wind issues and so on. Our system will reject any pictures which are deemed completely unrecognisable. So for example if a 24 or 36 film is sent to us for development, you may receive 20 or 30 photos back. It is also possible to receive more than the advised exposure size. 

I received my 35mm/disposable camera order but the quality is not great or some photos are very dark.

If you have received your order and the quality of the photos you have received are either dark, misty, off colour or have spots than this can be down to a number of factors. Poor lighting conditions, fogging, light leaks, light flares, camera advance malfunction, shutter speed errors and scratched lenses or even old or aged films etc. Darkening of films, decolourising or spots occurring when developing and scanning are simply not possible during the developing and scanning process. We also like to ensure that we eliminate any other threat to quality that could happen on our side by taking the following actions. Chemicals are replenished often, racks are cleaned daily and our scanner is cleaned and checked for any dust on a daily basis. During scanning (pre printing) All of the photos are checked by eye and although we will do our upmost to ensure we adjust colours, remove reddening and increase/decrease brightness and contrasts etc, on some photos it is just not possible to make these adjustments.

What happens if I send an un exposed film/disposable?

If you send us a film or disposable camera that has not been exposed, We will refund the printing difference. We will however need to deduct a small developing fee as there simply is no way to know if a film has been exposed or not without developing it first. 

What happens if my film goes missing in the post or you don't receive it?

If we do not receive your films and your film is lost in the post when sending to us, we will refund your order. If you believe the order has been delivered and have proof of delivery, then there's a high chance your order has landed in our lost and found section of the site here https://speedy-prints.co.uk/lost-and-found If you see your package, please make sure it is the correct one and email either gary@speedy-prints.co.uk or becky@speedy-prints.co.uk

What if I don't pay enough postage when sending to Speedy Prints?

If incorrect postage is paid then this can significantly delay your order. Your films can in some cases be returned if we are unable to collect your post. If we collect your post and pay the fees, the fees will need to be paid to us before we dispatch your order. All customers are responsible for paying their own postage when sending to us.

Why is my order taking so long, I thought you were Speedy?

Sometimes delays do unintentionally happen and is normally caused by machine breakdown or staff shortage. Machine breakdown tends to happen with the film processing side of things. There are many processes involved when developing, scanning and printing films. And machine breakdown can happen without warning. If this does happen it can set us back a good few weeks. As we receive thousands of films each week. So please bare with us, we will get to your order as soon as we can. And please contact us before leaving a bad review. Bad reviews have a massive impact on small family run businesses such as ours, so please consider this before hand.

There seems to be a slight sizing issue?

Please be aware that there could be a very slight sizing difference on our prints which is generally an industry standard and is caused by the manufacturer during paper roll production and cutting. For example a 6x8 inch photo which would measure 152.4mm by 203.2mm may vary by 0.5-1.0mm of a difference. Please factor this in when purchasing mounts. Professional mounts are normally cut to allow for this variation.

Why has my photo been cropped?

When ordering squared photos and sending a portrait or landscape image there will be cropping. For example if you are ordering a 2x2 or 4x4 or 6x6 inch sized photograph and the original image is either a portrait or landscape layout. We can either add white borders to compensate so that no cropping of the image will occur, or if the image is required to fill the entire size of the photo then the top or bottom of the original will be cropped. The same goes for a landscape photo which is required to be a portrait photo or vice versa. As this is not the native layout for the original photo there will have to be cropping to allow a full fit of the printed area. If requested we will add white borders to allow the entire image to fit the printable layout.

What if I am not happy, should I leave a bad review?

We will always go above and beyond to assist our customers in the best way possible. Before leaving a bad review, please consider contacting us to see where we could help if you are not happy with our service. If it is evident that we are at fault we will always do our best to put things right. We cannot and will not be held to ransom on bad review threats if it is found we are not at fault. We also reserve the right to ban accounts that will use bad reviews as idle threats for beneficial personal gain.

What happens if I forget to include my order number?