Check the things only you can know are right: the words, the size, the cut, and the options you chose. A few minutes is enough, and it's far cheaper than a reprint.
- Read the spelling, phone numbers, web addresses, and dates letter by letter, out loud if it helps. The order prints as you approve it, so a typo on the proof is a typo on every sticker. If there's a QR code, scan it off the screen with your phone.
- Check the size. The measurements on the proof are the finished size, measured on the cut line. Hold a ruler up, because a number on a screen is hard to picture in your hand. See choosing your sticker size.
- Look at the cut line and border. Make sure the line goes where you expect, and that the border is the width and color you wanted. Thin is 0.065", Standard is 0.09", and Thick is 0.125". See what the dashed line means.
- Look at anything close to the edge. On stickers and sheet labels, keep text and fine detail at least 0.09" inside the cut. On roll labels, keep it 1/8" inside. Be wary of a thin outline running right along the edge, where even a slight wander shows. See bleed, safe area, and how close the blade gets.
- Check the white ink on Clear, Holographic, Glitter, and Chrome. White you see on the proof is white ink. A part that doesn't show the effect, or isn't see-through on Clear, has white ink behind it. Where there's no white, the material shows through the ink: darker ink covers it more, and lighter ink lets more of it through. If the proof has white ink, "Show White Ink" on the proof page lays solid white over the places it goes. See white ink and why it matters.
- Judge the color, knowing screens differ. Check whether the colors look right next to each other, not whether the screen matches the print exactly. See why screen color and printed color never quite match.
- Confirm the material, finish, and quantity. Make sure the proof shows the material, the finish (Gloss or Matte), and the number you meant to order.
- Choose between two options, if there are two. If your proof shows Option A and Option B, read the note under each and choose one. See why a proof can come with two options.
Names, numbers, and codes that change on every sticker
Your proof shows the design with the first entry from your list in place, so you can check the fit. The proof can't check every row of your list. We print what's in your spreadsheet, so read the spreadsheet before you send it. See variable data printing.
Found something?
Press "Request Changes" and say exactly what to change. Requesting changes is a normal part of the process. See requesting changes to your proof.
All good?
Approve the proof promptly. Production starts when you approve, not when you order. On most sticker products, sheet labels, and Window Cling, if we haven't heard back 36 hours after we send the proof, we may go ahead and print what it shows.