Online Frame Shops - DPChallenge Forums

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

01/28/2007 04:10:11 PM · #1

Anyone have recommendations for online frame shops, and meta frames you like?

Here's a summary of my experience. I'd love to start a framing discussion, in general, because I have just bought quite a few of my prints and I want to frame them both for our own use and for putting in some businesses for potential sales contacts.

I've been buying from AmericanFrame.com, and I have been reasonably happy with their frames, and happy with their low prices, but I am not very happy with their website. It has no memory. You lose your cart if you close the browser. You can't edit any item once it's in your cart. PITA. I even have my own artist gallery there (get there using //fineartbynature.com if you want to see)

FWIW, I framed a number of shots using Standard Plus metal frames, and a single matte, polar white with black core. That was cheaper and let me frame with a single matte, yet has a slight black inner border. But looking at ones where I double framed, using a black bottom matte and a 1/4 opening, definitely look a bit better than that. On thing I realize, it looking at all our framed work, including prof. frames, it that the matte I was using at AmericanFrame is not as thick as other mattes, so you don't get as much advantage of the core. Much of those framing jobs actually use a single matte with white core, and it looks pretty good, because it's a thicker matte. So that's somthing I want to consider in the future.

I found another site, pictureframes.com, and I think their website is much better! But there prices are about 25% higher, and I don't actually know how good their frames are. Anyone bought from them? Other places you would recommend?

I've asked a number of questions and I actually have a lot more questions about others practices for framing...but I'll save that for later posts or other threads. Hope some of you want to discuss and share experiences.

strangeghost

Canon EOS-7D

01/28/2007 04:15:32 PM · #2

I don't have any specific answers to your questions, but I'm also looking for a quality and affordable one-stop-shop situation, where I can purchase prints either naked or framed/matted. So far I haven't found anyplace I'm happy with but pBase's new framing service looks very promising. It's not ready for prime time yet, but when it is, I'll be able to order my own from there as well as give the link to friends/customers and have them order for themselves - with the ability to set the prices myself. If you're a pBase customer already, check it out. If not, read about it here.

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

01/28/2007 04:57:01 PM · #3

Originally posted by strangeghost:

When I say online frame shops, I'm mainly talking about ordering custom
frames and mattes to do it yourself. If the PBase printing is as good as DPCPrints (and as inexpensive), that may be a good alternative.

I spend a number of nights looking for websites that offer to sell your prints framed and matted without charging you an arm and a leg. I didn't find any that I found acceptable, other than AmericanFrame.

But as I alluded to, I am not very happy with that either. Following further their shortsighted web site development, you have to set up each complete "product" for sale. So if you want to sell a print in 5 sizes, framed and unframed, that's 10 products you have to set up. If you only set up the 5 unframed products, the customer can put together their own framing package, but some may prefer to be able to just order, so that leaves the work and decisions to you. And each product you set up you have to go through their whole routine (which, if you know exactly what you want, is pretty quick).

If want to order the completed products yourself, they do let you buy it for the cost of the printing and their pricing for framing, but on the negative side, their printing is a lot more expensive than DPCPrints. And I haven't tried it yet, so I can't comment on whether it's as good. I just ordered a bunch more prints from DPCPrints, and they came out great. (Also, it's still a little cheaper to buy the frames separately on AmericanFrame since you get the current promotional discount, like a free matte.)

quiet_observation

Canon EOS-7D

01/28/2007 05:59:11 PM · #4

Light Impressions

mcrael

Nikon D300

Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5D

01/29/2007 04:26:10 PM · #5

Matshop.com

I have puchased big orders of mats from their Canadian site at matshop.ca, and really like them. I haven't actually purchased any frames though - I usually do that locally.

Spork99

OM System OM-1

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

01/29/2007 06:37:05 PM · #6

I have just made my first order with American Frame. I'm anxious to see how the product comes out.

I like the way the website lets you enter the dimensions of your artwork and the desired mat border and sizes everything else around that. Personally, I could care less if the site remembers what I have in my cart, but I usually know what I want and don't need to change it.

I have ordered things from Light Impressions, but I was very dissatisfied with their customer service. I ordered a presentation portfolio in October, but didn't get it until the following June. Every time I inquired, I was told that my order would be coming "in a couple of weeks". I would have canceled it, but I already had the pages for it and part of me wanted to see just how long it would take. A few weeks, I can understand, but 8 months???

Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

01/30/2007 12:03:03 AM · #7

Well I was putting together a pretty big order, and it wasn't possible to do it in one session. So I ended up losing the first 14 frames I had configured while I was waiting to decide on some of the custom frames.

With a small order, or if you already know exactly what you want, it's less of a problem. Unless you change your mind about something. No editing the cart.

Since I started this post, I've been doing a lot on pictureframes.com. I love the site. It's a model citizen. You can make a frame, put it in your gallery for later reconfiguration with other photos. You can edit from there, or change anything in your cart, and it remembers everything).

Another thing it does really well: it lets you see a closeup of both the frame and the corner of the matted frame. I don't know how "accurate" it is, but it's a nice feature.

My only issue with pictureframes.com so far is that they cost more than american frames. I haven't yet had to try out American Frames custmer service, though I've ordered from them two or maybe three times. Though I did write them last week asking about what portions of a frame are returnable if you aren't happy--and I haven't heard back yet.

Perhaps (I hope) the higher pricing at pictureframes.com (10-20% more) is because they offer some extras like free samples. It says they also have a satisfaction guarantee, but I'm not sure exactly what that means, since it doesn't say money back guarantee (though, I would be happy if they would just offer an exchange.)

Message edited by author 2007-01-30 00:03:40.

idnic

Canon EOS-60D

01/30/2007 12:06:34 AM · #8

I've been working with pictureframes.com for a while, but because of this thread I checked out and placed an order with AmericanFrame today - they were about $50 cheaper for the 2 oversized frames (with mats & plexi & matboard) than pictureframes.com. I just hope they come in correct on the first try because client is in a rush. $450 order, I need to get it right first time.

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

01/30/2007 12:41:36 AM · #9

What frames did you order? I've ordered standard plus and radius (plus?).

I was pretty happy with both, though one of the corners of the radius frame wasn't fully closed; so next order I switched to standard plus and that's what I've been ordering. Though I was about to go wooden frame with a large version of Bass Harbor Light.

The majority of frames I have been ordering are for 10x15 or 11x14 with 2" matte borders all around. I've been getting the nonglare plexi which I really like.

What have you ordered from pictureframes.com? It will be helpful to pool our experiences here.

Thanks.

Spork99

OM System OM-1

01/30/2007 02:59:40 AM · #10

My order from American Frames is two wooden frames approximately 23"x18" double matted for 12"x18" prints. I did not order plexiglass, because I don't like it, I think it looks like crap. I prefer CC glass, which is worlds better than window glass, but much cheaper than museum glass. The glass, I buy locally.

idnic

Canon EOS-60D

Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

01/30/2007 09:49:13 AM · #11

Originally posted by nshapiro:

I ordered 2 26"W x 36"H (61943) Palladio, Black/Brown and one 30"W x 26"H (61943) Palladio, Black/Brown; plus 3 inch mats, plexi and corrogated self-stick backings.

I've ordered basically the same frames from PictureFrames.com - I sell a lot of 20X30 and 20X24 prints because that's the size I use as samples in my office. The $50 difference is significant, I just hope the quality is the same (i.e., mats cut properly, etc).

elru21

Canon EOS-5D

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

01/30/2007 10:52:12 AM · #12

I use americanframe.com, but I don't do the large orders you are describing, Neil. I can see how their site would get frustrating in your situation.

I am actually waiting on a (for me) pretty big order). I wanted to say that I have spoken with their CS department many times over the year or so I have used them. They are a little slow, but very nice. By slow, I mean that I once placed an online order on Tuesday morning, and they called me Friday afternoon to tell me the frame was not available. They have never failed to fix my problem, though.

I will have to check out pictureframe.com. I do like american frame's prices alot!

Liza