Here are some frequently asked questions and common terms used for shipping. Feel free to contact us with any other questions

FAQ and TERMS

What are the advantages of working with World Touch Media?

• World Touch Media takes advantage of economies of scale through our comprehensive network of international print partners. This process provides our clients access to exclusive rates normally reserved for larger orders.

How can World Touch Media help me achieve my organization’s goals?

• World Touch Media can give access to discount print pricing that ensures projects stays on and under budget.
• With over 30 years of experience and networks of contacts, World Touch Media partners with multiple printers worldwide. We have the connections to provide the most cost-effective, highest quality production along with the most effective delivery methods available.
• WTM works to negotiate favorable payment terms, working with international governments and customs authorities to acquire any available tax exemptions, along with filing all the required paper work to make sure orders are delivered without costly delays.

What services does World Touch Media provide?

• Pre-press and Print production, consulting, delivery and fulfillment
• Design (web and print), copy-editing, type-setting and more.
• POD (Print on Demand)

Who handles press checks?

• World Touch Media will often travel directly to the press to perform on-sight press checks and quality control.

How can you ensure the quality of the final product?

• We have a team of quality controllers dedicated to ensuring that the finished production pleases our clients expectations and meets our own very high standards.

What file formats are workable?

• World Touch Media works with standard PDFs, InDesign, QuarkXpress, Illustrator, Pagemaker, and Photoshop file formats.
• Preferred file formats often change, depending on the project. Please consult with WTM early in the process to find out what will work best for each project.

How do you go about scheduling a project?

• We make note of the client’s delivery deadline, evaluate the challenges that the project may present, and work with the client on devising a solution.
• We identify the vendor that best suits the needs of the project and devise a realistic, practical schedule.
• We monitor progress of the project at every stage of production, providing the client with continual updates on the schedule status.

What happens if problems develop?

• If problems arise, we communicate with the client immediately and work to resolve these with the client and the vendor, including being on-site as and when necessary to ensure successful completion.

Shipping Terms

Shipping containers internationally can seem like a daunting task, one that comes complete with an intimidating set of shipping term to learn, as well as customs regulations, taxes, and protocol for the country you are shipping goods to.

The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) define and publish a set of standardized terms known as the Incoterms in order to make sure all parties are always clearly aware of the delivery terms of any shipment.

FOB - Free On Board

This term means that the seller delivers when the goods pass the ship's rail at the named port of shipment. This means the buyer has to bear all costs & risks to the goods from that point. The seller must clear the goods for export. This term can only be used for sea transport. If the parties do not intend to deliver the goods across the ship's rail, the FCA term should be used.

CIF - Cost, Insurance, Freight

The seller delivers when the goods pass the ship's rail in the port of shipment. Seller must pay the cost & freight necessary to bring goods to named port of destination.  The seller also has to procure marine insurance against buyer's risk of loss/damage during the carriage. Seller must clear the goods for export from the country of origin, but is not responsible for any destination customs duties or clearance. This term can only be used for sea transport, but can apply to both full container shipments, or smaller, consolidated “LCL” (Less Than Container Load) shipments.

If the consignee is able to handle the process of hiring a local customs agent to arrange for the clearance, as well as final local inland delivery, then CIF often results in the lowest final cost.

DDP - Delivered Duty Paid

This term is identical to the term DDU term with the added exception that the seller also pays all costs & risks of carrying out customs formalities including the payment of duties, taxes & customs fees.  It is typically better and cheaper (for both the buyer and seller) to book shipments CIF or DAP instead of DDP (with all the duties and taxes included), and often many shipping agents will not offer DDP terms to countries that have ambiguous, or constantly changing customs procedures and import duty costs.

Because of the potentially immense and unknown liability of local taxes/import duties in a DDP shipment, the freight forwarding companies add extra margin on top of the expected duties and taxes for handling the paperwork. Often if they are international companies, local governments try to charge them more because they are not local.  Therefore, it is almost always cheaper in the end to book a CIF or DAP shipment, and have the consignee pay whatever import duties or customs clearance fees on their end.

Ex-Works

Ex Works (EXW is used when a buyer would like to arrange their own transportation.  Under ex-works terms, the seller is only responsible for packing the goods and making them available for pickup at a designated location, such as the seller's warehouse/factory.