Canva

[gnubler]

How is everyone handling customer-supplied files from Canva or other online designers? I'm plagued by customers sending me Canva files and 99% of them aren't production-ready. It's become an expensive problem for my business and wondering how other shops deal with this effectively, without being rude to the customer or scaring them off with design fees needed to fix or recreate their files.

Giving customers file specs or templates usually doesn't work, they may as well be written in Chinese. Not only are these junky files wasting my time, they're wasting the customer's time, who have spent hours upon hours working on their eye-watering designs to "save money", and become upset when I tell them their files won't work and I have to charge for art time.

There's a reason most auto mechanics won't allow customers to supply parts - you never know what you're getting, it's probably cheap crap, and you can't provide any warranty on it.

 

[Gino]

Mechanics receive a HUGE markup on parts by providing them. Wa-a-a-ay more than you save by buying them on-line or Auto Zone.

As for your customers artwork...... just put a sign in your shop stating, there is a 65% overall charge for all artwork not prepared properly by professionals if we cannot use it. Then, put it nice & big on your website.

 

[gnubler]

As for your customers artwork...... just put a sign in your shop stating, there is a 65% overall charge for all artwork not prepared properly by professionals if we cannot use it. Then, put it nice & big on your website.

Guess I need to make it bigger? Maybe a huge flashing banner at the top of the homepage? People would still ignore it.
Canva must be engaged in a massive advertising blitz to have this much of a following. I've had a couple customers ask me to help them use Canva. "No."

Anyone else have any language or terms regarding supplied artwork on their website or within a contract?

 

[White Haus]

I'm pretty sure it's only the premium (paid) Canva plans that allow you to download PDF versions of your crappy designs. If your customers are sending you cheap raster art they're too cheap to pony up a couple bucks to get real files.

I'd come up with a quick policy/blurb on conditions if providing Canva/cousin art.

We have a note on all our quotes along the lines of: All pricing based on print-ready PDF artwork being supplied to our specifications. Art set up billed at $125/hr for all files not meeting specifications.

 

[White Haus]

Here is ChatGPT's take on it:

For all new projects, we kindly ask that you provide us with your files in PDF format. If you are unable to provide PDF files, a minimum setup fee of $50 will apply. This helps us make sure your project is done correctly and on time. Thank you for understanding and helping us serve you better!

(Might also want to add a note along the lines of: Please don't drop crappy png files in acrobat and call it a PDF....we need VECTOR PDFs. Thank you.)

 

[Gettin'By]

So far I've been pretty lucky in this respect. The CSRs can usually at least a PDF out of them. We're a print shop that also does wide format, so I have Enfocus Pitstop Pro at my disposal as well.

 

[Zendavor Signs]

You can put a qualifier in your quote, but to most people it will be mumble jumble. I try to get art files from customers as soon as possible, so I can make the assessment early on. We don’t do a lot of small orders, so throwing in a vector conversion at my expense often isn’t a big deal. The trouble starts when it is something really messy, and converting to vector is either impossible or very complex. I have been able to walk a couple of customers through Canva to get a decent PDF file. Gnubler - if you get Canva files A LOT, it may be worth your time to get a subscription and learn it a little. Years ago, we bought a Mac for opening customer’s Quark files and other weird Mac stuff. It was a lot of money for a “file converter”, but we had so much friction with projects up until we got the Mac. Customers get frustrated with back-and-forth and just want to get crap done. I think it was well worth the investment. Talking to people directly over the phone (or in person) is the best way to communicate a necessary art charge. I have found that most are understanding. Funny story - I recently had a customer that started a new business, and he got this terrible logo in a PNG format to me. He told me that was all that he had. It was an ordeal to convert and I told him it was $75. He agreed. He emailed me a few days later (after we had already converted the art), and said “hey, we needed to make some minor changes” - and attached another crappy PNG…..along with a perfect vector file!

 

[Boudica]

First, I ask them if they can get a better quality image. "The artwork you sent won't produce well for the following reasons...."
I've actually had several people just give me their log-in so I can export what I need. I've never asked for it, but after enough back and forth, they realize they don't know what they are doing (or too lazy to figure it out) So they just have me do it.

but we all know I'm too nice.

 

[Gettin'By]

Yep, had a few do that too. Had one that wanted changes, but used a Canva font that was subsetted in the PDF. They just sent me the Canva link to make the changes and export a new PDF.

 

[2B]

Prices are valid for print-ready files ONLY

Any edits needed to become "print ready" will incur additional fees.
alterations/edits will be billed by the 1/4 hr after the initial design(s) are submitted for review.

Minimum $XXXXX for any design edit(s)

 

[DL Signs]

Dumb it down, don't try to explain file formats, resolution, colors...
The language I found best to explain it to them is that Canva is a free/ low cost option available mainly for web graphics, things you would do on a desktop printer, or for small format crafting projects on devices like Cricuts. It was never intended to be used to create files for large format printing or signage, or as a substitute for professional design software that has the advanced features required to do so.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

buy a subscription to canva

 

[Billct2]

Even if they have the "Pro" version they still can't figure out how to export as a vector pdf. I just send it to the Vectordoctor and change for any extra time

 

[Gettin'By]

Don't usually need to buy a sub. I have the free one and they send me a link which I use to download a vector PDF in CMYK. Hasn't worked exactly once. They'd used some kind of "Premium Content" in the file's design, which made Canva prompt me to sign up for a Canva Teams account. No dice, we had the CSR kick it back on them. Showed her how to set the options, and she walked custy though it. Got a good a vector PDF file in CMYK.

 

[StarSign]

but my brother in law who is a big time designer in NEW YORK CITY says my files will work.

 

[The Vector Doctor]

Even if they have the "Pro" version they still can't figure out how to export as a vector pdf. I just send it to the Vectordoctor and change for any extra time

I get about 3-5 canva files per week. As others have said on here if they cannot provide a pdf or svg from Canva then they are probably using the free version to save money. They are saving on a designer's fee but end up paying for it once it gets to you

 

[gnubler]

I have been able to walk a couple of customers through Canva to get a decent PDF file. Gnubler - if you get Canva files A LOT, it may be worth your time to get a subscription and learn it a little.

Pass. I'm not tech support or a software trainer and don't have the patience or personality to teach customers how to use their own software. If Canva is so awesome and easy to use, then the customer should be taking the time to learn how to use it properly, not me.

Thanks for all the comments, this definitely gives me some ideas on how I should be handling this. And Vector Doctor is absolutely correct. People think they're saving money but they usually end up spending more - time AND money - than if they would just let a professional handle the design from the start.

 

[gnubler]

but my brother in law who is a big time designer in NEW YORK CITY says my files will work.

Every time I hear "my _______ is a graphic designer" it's a huge red flag. LOL

To be fair, a lot of my customers who submit Canva files openly admit to not being a designer or not know what they're doing, or give me what they've started and gave up on. These are fellow business owners who must have oodles of time to waste, when a professional designer could get it done correctly in a tenth of the time.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

Every time I hear "my _______ is a graphic designer" it's a huge red flag. LOL

To be fair, a lot of my customers who submit Canva files openly admit to not being a designer or not know what they're doing, or give me what they've started and gave up on. These are fellow business owners who must have oodles of time to waste, when a professional designer could get it done correctly in a tenth of the time.

Canva is being used by a lot more than amateurs. There are quite a few professionals in the marketing and advertising world that use it and claim that it is a huge time saver. As the old adage goes, don't knock it til you try it. You might look back in 10 years and think about how clunky it used to be using ai or corel.

 

[ikarasu]

I signed up with a canva account and pay the yearly fee.... Seems like 50% of the supplied artwork is from canva... And I tell them to share the file with me, the. I edit it.

I won't even attempt to fix someone's canva file anymore if I don't have access to it.

I still get peoplemwho design a 24 x 30" sign and "need it to be 24x36" and they don't understand why I can't stretch it.


I've had 2 customers go elsewhere when I kept telling them their file doesn't work.... Out of dozens. Not worth wasting hours of time trying to explain..I simply say their file is the wrong size and they need to fix it, then they ask how, and I tell them no clue, I'm not a canva designer... And if they want to send me the design, I can give it to my designer for Xx fee..

Best advice is to not even try, if they want to save money.

Using your mechanic scenario as a sample... If you brought the wrong brakes in they wouldn't spend an hour to try and make it work, or take apart your vehicle find out it doesn't work, thenlef it sit on their lift waiting for you to come back with a modified part wasting their time... So you shouldn't let them waste your time.