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Products and Services FAQ |
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What Binding
Options are available? |
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Perfect Bound |
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Saddle Stitch |
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Wire 0 |
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What Trim
Sizes are available? |
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5.5" x 8.5" |
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6" x 9" |
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7" x 10" |
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8.5" x 11" |
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Do you offer other trim sizes not listed here? |
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Yes, however there may be additional cost. Please ask your Sales Representative
when you place your order for information on trim sizes not listed here. |
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What kind of quantities do you handle? |
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Fidlar Doubleday is a short-run book manufacturer. We print quantities ranging from
25 - 1000. |
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Do you print 4-color? |
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We routinely print 4-color covers, dust jackets, and text. |
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Do you print Galleys? |
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Yes, our short run digital printing is the perfect solution. Digital printing perfect
bound galleys for your case bound books can prove to be very cost effective as well. |
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Do you print Collateral Material? |
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Yes, we print a variety of collateral material to aid in the marketing of your book.
Posters, bookmarks, business cards, and postcards. |
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Ordering FAQ |
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How do I get a Quote? |
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Visit our web site
www.fidlardoubleday.com and click on
Quick Quote. Or call your
Sales Representative and they will take the specs over the
phone.
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What forms of payment does Fidlar Doubleday accept? |
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We accept Visa, MasterCard, debit/check cards, personal checks, PayPal and money
orders. Cash in advance orders will not be processed until the monies are received
and checks have cleared.
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What is your average turnaround time for orders? |
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Upon receiving files, standard turnaround time for a new job is 7-10 business days
after proof approval and 5 business days for exact reprints.
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How will I know that you received my order? |
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Once your order is entered into our system a Project Manager will contact you via
telephone and guide you through the printing process. |
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Can I get a CD made of my files? |
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Yes, we are more than happy to create a CD of your files. There is a $20 charge
per title, plus shipping.
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How do I handle quality concerns regarding my recent order? |
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Please report your quality concerns to your Project Manager 800.248.0888 within
three business days after receiving your order. Quality concerns are resolved on
a case by case basis.
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Book Layout FAQ |
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At what distance do my text margins need to be set? |
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Margins vary from book to book, but generally a half inch on every side and an extra
quarter inch for the binding edge is a safe distance. See
Book Guidelines.
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What if all I have is a hard copy of my book and I do not have
it in an electronic file format? |
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We can scan existing texts and covers. During the process of scanning a book the
cover and binding are destroyed. The final quality of the books that are subsequently
printed is directly influenced by the shape of the original. There will be degradation
in quality in some cases (e.g. photographs) due to the process. We recommend seeing
a proof of the text and cover before printing.
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Where can I find guidelines for book submissions? |
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Visit our Book Guidelines
section of the website. |
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What do you mean by trim size? |
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The trim size refers to the actual size of the finished book.
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What is Bleed? |
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Bleed is a term for the extra amount of printed image that extends beyond the trim
of a text page or cover. Printed pieces that have a white border or white around
the edges, DO NOT bleed. If you have images or backgrounds that you want to print
(bleed) off the edge of the paper, then you must design your job larger than the
final CUT SIZE. Usually 1/8 inch all the way around the document is adequate.
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Cover FAQ |
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Does Fidlar Doubleday design book covers? |
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Currently we do not design book covers, however, we would be more than happy to
refer you to a reputable cover designer. Please contact your
Sales Representative or
Project Manager for more information. |
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How do I calculate the spine width for my cover? |
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Number of pages divided by 2 -- multiplied by the paper stock weight -- plus .034
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Stock weight: 20# (50#) = .0041 |
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24# (60#) = .0046 |
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How do I upload my book cover? |
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Covers should be submitted at 300 dpi using CMYK colors. Using RGB or Pantone colors
can produce color shifts when printed. Covers need to have .125 inch bleed on each
side. We prefer to receive the cover as a single file, be we can assemble it if
needed. Color matching to a hard copy is possible, by may incur an additional charge.
See File Submission FAQs
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Should I upload my book cover and book layout (text) as one file? |
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No, the cover should be submitted as one file and your text file should be submitted
as a separate file.
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In what format should I upload my book cover? |
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PDF is the best and least expensive. However, we can take your application files
in the event you are unable to convert to a PDF.
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Will the color of my digital cover be exactly the same as the
image on my monitor or the output from my printer? |
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The colors will generally look the same but there can be differences. The printed
cover will approximate that of your monitor or printer but it will not be exactly
alike. Displays (monitors) use a different imaging technology to display colors
and characters. Desk top printers use different chemicals and can have different
resolutions. We make every effort to match what is sent to us. If you are concerned
about this we will be happy to supply you with a printed cover proof prior to printing
your order.
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File Submission FAQ |
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How do I submit my files? |
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You can submit your files via our FTP site, email, or hardcopy sent in the mail.
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What is your address? |
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Our offices are located at: 1515 E. Kimberly Rd. Davenport, Iowa 52807 |
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What file submission methods are the best? |
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We prefer our customers upload their files to our FTP site. However, we also accept
files via email (attachment must be less than 5 Meg) and on CD's.
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What file formats can you accept? |
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We prefer a PDF. However, we do accept other file formats, visit our
Book Guidelines for more information.
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Are you compatible with both PC and Mac? |
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Yes, we accept files done on both platforms.
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How do I upload files to your FTP site? |
If using a web browser log onto ftp://ftpguest@fidlardoubleday.com. When prompted enter the
user name and password. For security purposes please contact your Project Manager
or Sales Representative for a User Name and Password.
If using an FTP program such as Fetch or WSFTP enter ftp.fidlardoubleday.com as the Host
ID, enter your username and password. Create a folder to contain all of your files
and upload. E-mail your sales representative or customer service representative
to let them know you have uploaded the files and the name it is saved under. Please
note the files should not contain spaces or symbols such as / ? & using these symbols
may make us unable to download your files.
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How do I know that you have received my files? How do I know
thay have uploaded properly? |
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After you have uploaded your files, you should contact your Sales Representative
and let them know that you would like to place your order and your files have been
uploaded. They will need to know what the folder/file name is so they can locate
them on our FTP site. The sales rep will check to verify they are there and acknowledge
they have gotten them. They will then enter your job and send it to our preflight
department where your files will be checked for any problems. If there are any problems
our preflight department will contact you to get the problem resolved. If there
are no problems preflight will forward the job onto pre-billing where they will
confirm all specs, prices and schedule and send you a confirmation. Once you get
the confirmation you know that your job is moving and all is OK.
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Graphics and Illustrations FAQ |
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What is a PDF file? |
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PDF stands for Portable Document Format. This is the preferred format for digital
printers. A PDF format allows a document to be opened and printed by a Mac or a
PC without changing the appearance of the document. When creating a PDF it is important
to make sure that you embed all the fonts. See Book Guidelines. |
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What does embedding fonts mean? |
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Embedding fonts means that the fonts are contained within the file and do not need
to be sent as separate files. This is done when the PDF is created.
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What does dpi mean? |
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Dots per Inch
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What does ppi mean? |
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Pages per Inch. It is a means to measure the thickness of a sheet of paper so you
can determine how thick a book will be.
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How many DPIs do graphics and illustrations need to be? |
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At least 300 dpi
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Will you scan photos or grapics for my book? |
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Yes, however, there is an extra fee associated with this service.
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What do you mean when you say a graphic should be in "high-resolution"? |
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300 dpi or higher
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Do I need to include all fonts and graphics that are being utilized
when sending my digital files to Fidlar Doubleday? |
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Yes, when sending digital files in any format other than PDF, all fonts and graphics
must be included.
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What color format should my graphics/illustrations be in? |
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Colors should be in CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black-ink colors that are used
in digital printing).
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For Black and White books - your images should be in grayscale mode.
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For full color books - images should be inserted in their original color space.
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Do I need a separate back-up file for each graphic that I use
in my book? |
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No. When submitting a file your graphics should be embedded into your file and there
is no need for a separate copy.
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Is there a limit to how many illustrations I can use in my book? |
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No, there is no limit.
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What if I have tables, charts, and/or diagram drawings in my
book? What resolution do they need to be? |
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If it is a bitmapped line art image then it will need to be at 600 dpi and if it
is done as a grayscale then it needs to be at 300 dpi.
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Proof FAQ |
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Will you send me a proof or do I have to request one? |
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We do not automatically send a proof. If you would like to see a proof of your book
please request one when you place your order and we will be more than happy to send
it to you.
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Do I need a proof? |
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Requesting a proof is at your discretion, however, we encourage you to ask for a
printed proof, especially on new jobs or scanned jobs.
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How long does it take to get a proof? |
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It takes 48 hours to produce a PDF or printed proof and approximately 4 days for
a bound proof?
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How are my proofs shipped? |
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All proofs are shipped UPS Next Day Air unless otherwise specified by the customer.
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How do I make changes after approving my book? |
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Contact your Project Manager immediately and check the status of your job. They
will let you know if it's possible to make changes or not. Please note, there may
be an additional cost associated with task depending on the production stage of
your project.
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ISBN/Barcode FAQ |
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What is an International Standard Book Number (ISBN)? |
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An ISBN is a number that uniquely identifies all the crucial data about a book,
especially the publisher. Every book in print has a unique number. This allows for
bookstores, distributors, book wholesalers, and consumers to identify the publisher.
If you are self-publishing, that will be you. ISBN numbers do NOT identify titles
as such; they are used to identify publishers for returns.
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Who needs an ISBN number? |
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Anyone who sells or distributes a book (even on Amazon) needs an ISBN number. The
only time you don't need one is if you plan to sell it exclusively from your own
website, home or business.
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How do I get an ISBN number? |
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The US ISBN Agency known as Bowker is responsible for the assignment of ISBNs to
publishers. ISBN's are normally sold in blocks of 10 for just under $300, but you
may obtain a single ISBN from Bowker for $75. For more information on obtaining
an ISBN visit www.isbn.org.
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Note: All books printed on or after January 1, 2007 must use a 13-digit ISBN number.
If you have already purchased a block of 10-digit ISBN numbers that you wish to
use on after January 1, 2007 (for a new book or for a reprint), you will need to
convert that number to 13-digits. Please visit www.isbn.org for more information.
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Can you convert my 10-digit ISBN to 13-digits? |
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Yes, we can convert your ISBN. Please contact your Project Manager for further details.
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What is Library of Congress Numbers? |
The Library of Congress (LOC) issues numbers that help librarians catalog the books
they purchase from publishers. These numbers are printed on the copyright page of
each book.
There are two different types of numbers, and each serves a different purpose. The
most valuable is called CIP - which stands for Cataloging-in-Publication. When a
publisher is accepted into this program, they are allowed to upload a copy of their
manuscript to the LOC. There, an LOC librarian is assigned to read it and based
on the reading, assigns the key words that identify where on the library shelves
the book should go. More importantly, every four months the LOC creates an electronic
file of all newly issued CIP numbers and transmits this data to libraries across
the country. Although the CIP is not meant to be used as a "thumbs up" for buying
decisions, the file is in fact used for this purpose, and librarians make most of
their purchase decisions based on it.
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What is an EAN Barcode? |
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Anyone who sells or distributes a book (even on Amazon) needs an EAN Barcode on
their back cover. The barcode is a scanable set of numbers comprised of your ISBN
number and the price of your book. You must have already obtained an ISBN number
from Bowker, and assigned one to your book. Please note that wholesales, bookstores
or Amazon will not accept your book without a properly created barcode on your back
cover.
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What information do you need to create a Barcode? |
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We create two types of bar codes, one with a price and one without. In both cases
we need your complete ISBN number. If you want a barcode with a price, then we will
need to know what price you want.
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Can Fidlar Doubleday create a Barcode for my book? |
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Yes, we charge a small fee for this and can create a barcode with or without your
book price.
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Shipping FAQ |
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What shipping methods do you offer? |
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Our standard shipping method is UPS. If you prefer another method please notify
your Sales Representative
when you place your order.
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How much does shipping cost? |
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Shipping is not a set price as the weight of the shipment and destination play a
huge role in determining the price. Your
Sales Representative can give you an estimated price if you wish.
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How do I check the status of an order? |
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Contact your Project Manager at 800.248.0888 for an update.
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Does Fidlar Doubleday offer shipping methods outside of North
America? |
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We can ship any method you wish. If you don’t specify we will default to UPS.
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What is the difference between Tracking Numbers and Delivery
Confirmation Numbers? |
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USPS offers Delivery Confirmation numbers. Delivery Confirmation allows you to verify
delivery. This service gives you the date, zip code and the time your article was
delivered. If delivery was attempted you will get the date and time of attempted
delivery. Packages with Delivery Confirmation do not get scanned at each checkpoint
on their journey. To view the status of your USPS package, go to
www.usps.com/shipping/trackandconfirm.htm
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UPS offers tracking numbers. Tracking numbers are used by UPS to identify and trace
every package. Packages with tracking numbers get scanned at each checkpoint on
their journey, allowing you to see the location of your package as it moves through
the UPS system to its destination. To view the status of your UPS package, go to
www.ups.com/WebTracking/track
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