Below, you'll find answers to the most commonly asked questions about Blue Ware. If you can't find an answer to your question, simply e-mail us with your questions or call.

Licensing and Use

Blue Ware is licensed royalty-free, what does this mean?
You pay no royalty fees for the use of our photography, illustration or design templates.

Can I use the graphic templates (photos and illustrations) as long as I want, or for just a year? What is the usage period?
Once you purchase a Blue Ware template there are no time limits regarding its use, as long as the institution adheres to the licensing agreement. Failure to adhere to the licensing agreement, will require that the institution halt use of the templates and images upon written notice from Blue Ware.

Can I use the photographs or images on a graphic template for another use, other than what I purchased? No. The use of each image is limited to the specific graphic template you purchase from Blue Ware. Using the images for other purposes is not allowed due to the strict licensing requirements of our royalty-free stock image vendors. For example, you cannot use the royalty-free images on:

• any marketing elements that were not purchased from Blue Ware
• your web site(s), tv commercials, or interactive media without purchasing the image for web, broadcast or interactive use from Blue Ware and our royalty-free stock image vendors

Can I buy one program of graphic templates and create additional marketing materials or new programs on my own? No. Blue Ware templates are licensed for single use. As such, you cannot use Blue Ware templates for any of the following, without paying additional usage fees:

• the creation of new templates, for elements such as web pages, newsletters, flyers, promotional items or other marketing uses
• the creation of new templates to extend a program’s use or life, such as taking a seasonal or promotional program and creating additional programs from the templates to use throughout the year (i.e. purchasing program 13, because you like the layout and design, then creating one or more additional programs by changing the headlines, color or images for future uses

How do I know my competitor across the street won’t have the same graphic templates if I buy from Blue Ware?
Once you make a purchase from Blue Ware we will not sell the same templates to any direct competitors in your area. Our goal is be a provider of solid marketing advantages… not marketing competition.

Does the license allow multiple users from the same institution to use the templates?
Yes, as long as the users are unique to the institution, not the holding company. For example, if you purchase Blue Ware templates for your institution, which accounts for 3 branches, and you are owned by a holding company – the holding company does not qualify as a licensed user. As such, the holding company cannot use or distribute the templates to other institutions owned by the holding company. Likewise, a holding company that owns multiple institutions cannot buy a template and legally use it within more than one institution.

Is there a limit on the number of branch/store locations and/or geographic area that Blue Ware templates can be used within?
Yes. Blue Ware was developed for use by small to mid-sized institutions that typically have fewer than 20 locations, within a very small and localized geographic region. To properly service and protect our customers, as well as to cover our development costs, we must limit the geographic use of the templates. We do so by limiting the number of locations. Of course if your institution desires to use a template or likes a design direction from our catalog, and has more than 20 branches, Blue Ware can accommodate your request by:

• instituting an up charge to any of our templates, as shown below
• designing a unique set of templates for your institution at a competitive price

Up charges to cover the additional geographic location coverage utilized by institutions with 20 or more locations:

• 21 to 30 locations: Published price + 50% up charge per template
• 31 to 50 locations: Published price + 100% up charge per template
• Over 51 locations: Create an order and request an estimate or call for pricing

Graphic Templates

Do you include FDIC and all banking regulatory statements on your brochures and bill inserts?
No. Given many institutions like to handle these statements a little differently, we ask our customers to provide this information. When doing customization of any of the programs, we will insert your desired regulatory statements, plus clean artwork of the corresponding necessary logos.

What if I like a particular graphic template, but want to change the photo, the color, typography or illustration?
You have the freedom and ability to fully revise the original artwork, the text, images and color to match your brand image and voice. A simple edit to the template’s style sheets offer complete freedom in the choice of fonts, font size, text layout and color. Each template is available in QuarkXPress, PageMaker, InDesign, or Freehand – PC or Mac versions. In addition, all linked graphic files, such as JPG, EPS or TIF files can be revised or replaced.

What if I’m running an older version of software?
Blue Ware provides the artwork using the current versions of all the software, but can provide them using older versions upon request.

Is it possible to change the design of the posters, counter cards or banners into a larger format to fit our existing fixtures?
Blue Ware will make custom changes to your templates for a production fee based on our standard hourly rate.

How often will you add new graphic templates to the catalog?
The catalog will have new additions twice a year. The number of graphic template additions will be based on:

• our customer’s needs
• special requests
• the need to develop more programs to support high sales volumes of certain programs within geographic areas

Graphic Production

What if we build or acquire another branch? Can I order just one set of posters and banners later?
You can order new or replacement graphics at any time, in any quantity.

If I run out of brochures or statement stuffers, what is the price to re-order?
The re-order price is based on your original printing price minus the set-up charge, if your re-order is identical (i.e. no changes are made to the pieces).

Can I specify the paper stock to be used?
You can specify paper stock for your project. Our prices for offset projects are based on medium grade offset sheets (the equivalent of a house sheet).

Can I have my local printer make changes to the files?
Yes. All Blue Ware files are easy to access and easy to edit.

Do I need to do anything to prepare the files for my commercial printer?
No. All files you receive from Blue Ware are complete and ready to send to your printer. All you need to do is insert your copy and logos, or have Blue Ware do it for you.

Shipping

Can the graphics be delivered directly to our branches?
Yes. Your order can be delivered to your main office or drop-shipped directly to each branch location.

What shipping methods do you offer?
Blue Ware ships with either UPS or FedEx. Your order can be shipped ground or air and meet either overnight or 2 to 3 day shipment requests on graphic templates, if necessary.

Purchasing

What is your return policy?
If you have any problems with a graphic template or questions about your order, you are encouraged to contact a Blue Ware associate. Customers are given several opportunities in the purchasing process to review their order and make corrections in order to avoid mistakes. Due to the digital nature of the product, returns are generally not accepted unless there is a technical problem with the layout files or content. In such cases, replacements or substitutions will be arranged through your Account Manager. Customers are encouraged to view the PDF preview of the product until they are confident of what they want to purchase.

I previously purchased a graphic template and have misplaced the file. Can I get another copy?
Yes, you can. For a nominal replacement charge we can send out a replacement disk right away.

What exactly is included with a purchase of a graphic template?
Your template includes the actual design layouts in QuarkXPress, PageMaker, InDesign or Freehand along with any JPG, EPS or TIF files required to complete the design. The individual imagery (photography or illustration) is included on the disk and easily accessed by the individual files. If you do not own the exact fonts included in your designs you can access the font company via a link on the Blue Ware website.

What if my bank only has 2 branches, is there a minimum production order?
There is no minimum order! Blue Ware was designed for people exactly like you. Whether you have 2 branches, 20 branches or 200 branches Blue Ware can deliver great design at an affordable price.

I don’t like to purchase online. Do you have other means in which I can order your templates?
Yes. You can order templates by contacting a Blue Ware Sales Representative at 866.408.4815 (9am - 6pm EST Monday through Friday). He or she will be glad to discuss your needs and help you place your order.

Can I pay for your templates with a different means of payment than a credit card?
Yes. If you choose to order any customization services or printing with Blue Ware, or if your order is in excess of $2500, you may provide Blue Ware with a Purchase Order and the necessary contact information. We will invoice you for a 50% deposit against the total cost of your order. Receipt of the deposit by Blue Ware will initiate your order. As such delays in deposit payment will delay order processing. The remaining 50%, plus shipping costs, will be collected COD, when your order is delivered.

After we purchase Blue Ware customization services, what could cause us to incur additional supplemental customization charges?
Based on past experience, the following issues have created the necessity for Blue Ware to charge additional service fees, beyond what was originally estimated:

• Additional time required to obtain copy points and content from your organization to facilitate Blue Ware’s copywriting services
• Copy requirements and requests that exceed the original estimate
• More than 2 copy edits required to gain final approvals from your organization
• Development of charts, graphs or matrixes that were not originally estimated
• Reconstruction of logos, that are not provided in a high resolution format or in a clean slick
• More than 2 edits or 2 proofs per graphic template required to gain final approvals from your organization
• Any changes made after final approvals are received from your organization

Design & Planning Services

Do you design logos? Do you do branding projects?
We built our business designing logos and complete branding strategies for financial institutions as well as many other retail fields. We would be happy to work directly with you to develop a brand strategy or simply design a new logo.

Do you offer merchandising fixtures to support the presentation of the graphic templates we purchase?
Yes, we do. We work closely with merchandising and fixture manufacturers and can recommend fixtures that work with your current brand and architecture.

We like the graphic templates you offer, but don’t own the software needed to finalize them. Can you help us make design changes to the templates?
Our in-house design team can work directly with you to make any alterations you may require. This can be done for an hourly production fee.

Do you do copywriting?
Yes. Our staff of professional writers can assist you in refining the message you need to communicate to your customers. The same hourly fee applies.

Can you help us figure out where to place the graphics we purchase in our branches?
Yes. Blue Ware interior design professionals can provide you with the input to maximize the effect of your graphics program.

Process & Approvals

I would like to show some of the designs to my boss. Is there an easy way to print the designs on your website? I want to show my boss.
It is possible to download the images as PDF files and print them from Adobe Acrobat. The images will not be high resolution, but will provide enough information for viewing.

How do we work with Blue Ware to view and approve copy, or to make changes to the graphic templates we purchase? What is the process?
Our staff will work directly with you via email and telephone to make any changes you request. We can alter color, imagery, fonts, etc. on any template before it is finalized and sent to you.

What format do I need to supply our logo, or any charts, graphs, images or matrixes we would like to use?
Your organization will need to supply Blue Ware with the following - any of these to Blue Ware as follows:

• Logos - high resolution (300 dpi) full sized TIFF or JPEG, or a clean logo slick that can be scanned
• Charts, Graphs, Images or Matrixes - high resolution (300 dpi) full sized TIFFs or JPEGs

How many edits, proofs and approvals do we get per graphic template?
2 edits and 2 online proofs per graphic template are included in your estimated Blue Ware customization costs.

If we use Blue Ware to develop the copywriting, what do we need to supply? How do we work with you? And, how many edits do we get?
You will need to supply the key message points your organization wishes to communicate and any supporting content that will be needed to draft the copy. We ask that you draft this in a Microsoft Word document in the track changes mode (under the tools menu bar) mark up and then email it to your assigned Blue Ware associate for our review. Your assigned Blue Ware associate will then contact you to discuss your needs and begin the copy development process. You will be given 2 opportunities to review and edit the content, which will be tracked in the track changes mode. . Both the first and second drafts of the copy will be emailed to you for your review, edits and final approvals. Final approvals by your organization will need to be noted on the return email in a short note from the individual responsible.

Once I place my order, how long will it take to get the graphic templates, so we can begin using them?
If your templates are not customized, your organization should receive them within 2 business days.

I ordered customized graphic templates, how long will it take Blue Ware to produce the artwork needed for printing?
If your organization is supplying the copy, Blue Ware should be able to finalize your artwork within 2 to 5 business days after receiving the final copy from you. If Blue Ware is drafting the copy and customizing the graphic templates, we generally estimate about 7 to 10 working days. This will give us 5 business days to finalize the copy and gain approvals and another 2 to 5 business days to finalize and gain approvals for the artwork.

How long does it take Blue Ware to print our graphic templates?
Generally, Blue Ware will have your print order ready to ship within 10 business days.