Staples rant

[reptileink]

So I ran over to my local Staples this morning which is right next to where I go grocery shopping. I had two graphics I needed to have printed as instruction "cards" under my plexi on the control panel. I figured I'd drop them off, do my shopping, and pick them up.

So I head in, wait like 10 minutes for someone to even talk to me, and the first words out of her mouth are, "I am really backed up right now, what can I help you with?"

ME:  "I just need two graphics printed on semi-gloss paper. They are already sized, and I allowed for bleed"
Her: " Well, if they are PDF files, you can just use one of our printers"
ME: "They are PNG files, and one of them is about 20 inches wide, and I need them on semi-gloss paper
Her: "Let me see"
 * I hand her my flash drive, she walks in the back area
Her: "These are low-res images"
ME: Ok?
Her: Oh, wait, these contain copyright images, we can't print these.
ME: Hmm, that's funny, because I get stuff printed here all the time (Including my old control panel images, marquee, and bezel)

She just looks at me, ready for an argument, and I just said, "thanks anyway, have a good day"

She just stands there.

Is this something new? I remember I used to have to sign a paper at some places stating it was for personal use or whatever. I honestly think she just didn't want to bother with printing them, so was coming up with any kind of excuse to not do it.

I attached the files. Now granted, I am no expert on images, but I didn't think these were that low-res. Also, anyone out there feel like making a couple of bucks and able to print these for me?? I don't really care if they are really high res as they are just going under plexi on the CP.

[yotsuya]

Technically, they're not supposed to print anything with copyrighted images. It really depends on the employee that you get and how much they care about enforcing that.

[pbj]

Print shops are one of the few employment opportunities remaining for the functionally retarded. 

[Slippyblade]

My wife used to manage a copy center at Staples, so I've got a bit of an insight here.  Staples is a large target, so they get trolled by the copyright lawyers on a regular basis so they are often times hyper vigilant when it comes to copyrighted images. 

Sorry you got bit by that.

[vwalbridge]

100% depends on the employee. Walk in and print something one day...and get the stiff-arm the next day.

I tried doing the same thing at a FedEx Kinkos and got denied.

Make friends with a local mom & pop printer if you can.

[harveybirdman]

They made me have Opt email them because he signed the BulletReign marquee....


But for what it's worth, I think the employee was just being a ---smurfette---.

[n3wt0n]

Technically, they're not supposed to print anything with copyrighted images. It really depends on the employee that you get and how much they care about enforcing that.

It's probably mostly what Yotsuya and others have said. Combine that with the fact that they were super swamped they were likely looking for a way out of adding another rush job.

I opened one of your images in photoshop and it was 22"x4.6" at 72 PPI.  That is a bit low for most printers. Images for most places should be between 150 and 300 DPI at full size depending on the quality of the printer being used. I always send artwork at or very close to 300 PPI when I send work to my printers.

[jtslade]

Isn't their select on the Nintendo controller

[jtslade]

Start on the genesis

[BadMouth]

Find a local independent graphics place.
It won't be as cheap, but they'll print anything you come up with.

[reptileink]

JtSlade, if you look at the Nintendo buttons, under "A" there is an "S" for select. The start button for any system are the P1 and P2 buttons

[thatpurplestuff]

I can't speak on the copyright issue, but if those are the actual production files that you attached then she is right about them being low res.  To be the minimum ideal resolution (at least 300 pixels per inch), those would have to be blown up by ~400% so I can see why she would say something about it (if for no other reason than to protect her own butt if you came back unhappy because it turned out slightly pixelated).

[n3wt0n]

I can't speak on the copyright issue, but if those are the actual production files that you attached then she is right about them being low res.  To be the minimum ideal resolution (at least 300 pixels per inch), those would have to be blown up by ~400% so I can see why she would say something about it (if for no other reason than to protect her own butt if you came back unhappy because it turned out slightly pixelated).

You would actually have to print these at 25% of the size you created them to get near 300DPI. Enlarging them up another 400% would make things much much worse.

[thomas_surles]

Hit up ken
byoacrequests@gmail.com

[thatpurplestuff]

I can't speak on the copyright issue, but if those are the actual production files that you attached then she is right about them being low res.  To be the minimum ideal resolution (at least 300 pixels per inch), those would have to be blown up by ~400% so I can see why she would say something about it (if for no other reason than to protect her own butt if you came back unhappy because it turned out slightly pixelated).

You would actually have to print these at 25% of the size you created them to get near 300DPI. Enlarging them up another 400% would make things much much worse.

We're both saying the same thing in a different way.  You would have to increase the document size of these by 400% in order to be the minimum resolution for quality printing (not talking about the quality of the images, just the size of the document)... since they are raster images any enlargement is going to degrade the quality and 400% is way too much for a decent print.  I wasn't saying that simply enlarging the current raster data would create a quality print.

Basically, Staples lady was correct in warning about quality.

[n3wt0n]

To be the minimum ideal resolution (at least 300 pixels per inch), those would have to be blown up by ~400%

 You posted something that would totally confuse and possibly make sure this guys prints looked like garbage. No, we weren't saying the same thing.

[dendawg]

Print shops are one of the few employment opportunities remaining for the functionally retarded.

Sounds like you'd be perfect for the job.

[pbj]

Print shops are one of the few employment opportunities remaining for the functionally retarded.

Sounds like you'd be perfect for the job.

Lol.  Burn.

 


Lurk moar.

[dendawg]

Lurk moar.

[opt2not]

Print shops are one of the few employment opportunities remaining for the functionally retarded.

Sounds like you'd be perfect for the job.

Says the guy who can't use power tools and actually paid money for plans to make an arcade cabinet.

[dendawg]

Says the guy who can't use power tools and actually paid money for plans to make an arcade cabinet.

[dendawg]

Lurk moar.

Says the guy who can't use power tools and actually paid money for plans to make an arcade cabinet.

Hateful, elitist posts like these are the reason not a lot of people post here.  Just the same few dozen people and that's all.  How sad the admin has let things get to such a state. 

[CheffoJeffo]

Wait a minute.

Did the guy who likened pbj to a "functional retard" (horrible ---smurfing--- term, BTW) just ---smurfette--- about hateful posts? Did Xiaou get a new account or something?

[Malenko]

You jab PBJ, he takes it in stride then you call him butt hurt. You called yourself a Lurker before PBJ ever did.

Hey everybody...been a long-time lurker, so I'm kinda not a noob, but kinda still.

As for elitist, opt said you cant use power tools (can you?) and that you paid for plans (when there are tons of free plans out there) , did you not pay for plans? How is either statement elitist?

[dendawg]

you paid for plans (when there are tons of free plans out there) , did you not pay for plans?

IIRC, there weren't that many free plans in 2002, which is when I bought them.  If I'm gonna be picked on for a 14 year old action, then yes, that IS elitist.

[BadMouth]

[opt2not]

   The salt and hypocrisy levels are at an all-time high with this one.  Guy throws out a jab, gets an uppercut in return. Better luck next time, Mac.

[thomas_surles]

[Malenko]

IIRC, there weren't that many free plans in 2002, which is when I bought them.  If I'm gonna be picked on for a 14 year old action, then yes, that IS elitist.

You keep using that word but I dont think you know what it means.