top of page

LEGAL INFO / FAQ

The below legal information and FAQ pertains to your rights as a buyer of products from ShoutLines Design and R.A. Mizer. Links containing pertinent information are orange. Use these links to expand your search and your knowledge.

 

Before any work begins on your commissioned products or work order, make sure you understand and agree to these terms. We will ask you if you've read them. If you're coming here after we've referred you to this page, HELLO! :)

 

To verify that you have read and understand the questions and their answers, please fill out the form located HERE (the form will open in a new window), so that we know you are aware of the policies and your basic questions are answered. This will constitute a binding contract, which we will keep on record. We appreciate your help in protecting your rights as well as ours.

​

 

 

Commonly Asked Questions

Where can I find a site map?

Where can I find your Privacy Policy?

How much does it cost for ...

Who owns the licenses for the stock images ShoutLines purchases during production?

When I buy a product, what rights am I purchasing?

What if I want to purchase/own artistic rights to my files?

What if I want to own the licenses to the stock images used in my project/product production?

Does ShoutLines re-sell designs? Do you reuse the stock images?

What if I have adjustments to the product designs?

How are payments handled?

How do refunds work?

Does ShoutLines offer any printing services?

What happens if there is a natural disaster or unforseen circumstance?

 

 

 

 

Q: Where can I find a Site Map?

 

A: Here
 

​

Q: Where can I find your Privacy Policy?

​

A: Here

​

​

Q: How much does it cost to ... 

​

​

A: Check our Master Price List. If the product or service you're looking for is not listed there, we welcome messages on Facebook, by email at Shoutlines@gmail.com, and through our contact form on our contact page.

​

​

​

​

Q: Who owns the licenses for the stock images ShoutLines purchases during production?

​

A: ShoutLines Design

​

For images that we purchase, we retain the original licenses to the stock images. These licenses are non-transferable. Unfortunately, that is not our decision, it is the decision of the stock image vendor. This means that when we purchase licenses the law prohibits us from sharing the image in its raw form with you, the client. We are able to use this as a source file or reference while creating your cover. When you purchase a cover from us, you are not purchasing the stock image, you are purchasing the art made with the stock image.

​


Q: When I buy a cover, what rights am I purchasing?

​

A: The distribution rights only.

​

 

You are buying the right to redistribute the cover as the outer printable cover, or digital representation of your book. Once you own these rights, you own these rights forever. Distributive rights do NOT include artistic rights. This means you cannot buy a cover or product and have it changed by another designer. Unless you purchase the artistic rights, ShoutLines does not supply raw working files. If you would like to buy the artistic rights, refer to the next question.

​

​

 

 

Q: What if I want to purchase/own artistic rights to my files?

​

 

A: To own the artistic rights to any ShoutLines product, clients must pay three times the regular price of the item. For example: If Bob buys a full jacket cover for $200, Bob would pay $600 to obtain the artistic rights. This would give him the access to the original raw files containing editable layers. The raw files do NOT include licensed fonts, as these must be purchased separately. Raw files also do NOT include the license for any stock images used. These licenses are non-transferable.

 

 

Q: What if I want to own the licenses to the stock images used in my project/product production?

​

 

A: You will have to purchase the licenses separately.

​

 

We usually buy images from Adobe Stock. Adobe stock accounts are very affordable and can be found here. We will be happy to supply you with your specific image's ID number so you can easily access the link for your image. 

 

 

Q: Does ShoutLines re-sell designs? Do you reuse the stock images?

​

 

A: No. Absolutely not.

​

 

We create one-of-a-kind products. We do not recycle designs or stock images. We only use a stock image once and then we do not use it again. Sometimes requests come through to copy other artists' work verbatim. We respectfully decline to do that.

 

​

Q: What if I have adjustments to the product designs?

 

A: ShoutLines offers free adjustments, within reason. We won't redesign your entire cover a month after you've approved your final proof, BUT, we do accept requests and will gladly review them. If there are simple adjustments to make, like a change in the blurb, or a small error of that nature, we will be happy to rectify those types of problems without hesitation. If you have a question and you are unsure whether your adjustments qualify for being executed free of charge, message us and ask. We are always willing and happy to listen if you have corrections or a change of heart. Usually, most changes are fine and we do them with a very short turnaround.


​

Q: How are payments handled?

 

A: We invoice clients through Paypal.

​

 

Paypal accounts protect both the buyer and seller. It is free to have a Paypal account and is a proven safe method of conducting transactions on the web. If you have any questions about Paypal or need to sign up for an account, click here .

​

 

Disclaimer: We cannot control Paypal or its systems. Sometimes this means there may be errors or technical issues we cannot remedy. This may put delays on usually quick transactions. If there are difficulties, we do not assume responsibility for those, however we will do all we can on our side of the fence to aid in smoothing out issues.

 

 

Q: How do refunds work?

 

​

Fun fact: We have never had to issue a refund as a result of a dissatisfied client! :)

​

A: If you intend to be the first, your refund claim must be made by e-mail no more than ten days after we have submitted your final product to you. After ten days (total, not business days), your product is not eligible for a refund. When we deliver your final files to you, we will have gone through rigorous checks to make sure that your file meets your initial and adjustment requests. We will have checked with you several times to make sure you are satisfied. We will also be available during file-submission procedures to your printer or e-tailers of choice in order to make sure that everything works correctly. We are exhaustive in our efforts to maintain quality control. We love our business and we would never give a client a product we did not believe in. We would rather redesign your product than have our clients disappointed or unhappy.

​

 

If you do have a claim, we will review it as soon as possible. If we find your claim to be valid, we will refund your money within 14 business days. If we do not find your claim valid, we will reject it. If your claim is approved for refund, all rights return to ShoutLines Design, and you are not allowed to share, display or use our files as reference for future projects. If it is found that you have used ShoutLines Design's files illegally, ShoutLines Design will be forced to seek legal counsel as the act of using our files as reference for another project violates copyright, artistic and intellectual property laws.

​

 

Q: Does ShoutLines offer any printing services?

 

A: No.

​

 

We do not do any printing ourselves. We create the designs made for printers like Createspace, Vistaprint and Gotprints. We can work with others, but our designs are primarily made for those printers. If you have a preferred printer that isn't listed here, feel free to e-mail us with your request for adjustments.

​

 

Q: What happens if there is a natural disaster or unforseen circumstance?

 

A1: If we experience a natural disaster or unforseen circumstance:

 

If a storm or an emergency takes away our ability to create your files for you, we will do our utmost to (1) inform you that there has been an issue, (2) bring our systems back online as soon as possible, and (3) handle any complaints or issues with due diligence and promptness.

 

Your files on our side will always be safe. We keep a secure, encrypted online backup of everything we make in the cloud. If our computers disintegrate, get sucked up in a tornado, blown away by a hurricane, destroyed by burst pipes or water damage, and/or anything of else of that nature, we can obtain a new machine and retrieve our files without a problem.

​

 

A2: Similarly, if YOUR computer is destroyed and you lose files that we have made for you, we will be absolutely willing and happy to resend anything you have lost if it is in our power to do so. That means, if Hurricane Matthew demolishes your house and your computer is licked clean off the face of the Earth, we will email you everything you need to start over and recover that we have access to. Obviously, if you do not send us something, we will not have it to begin with.

​

 

Side note: We recommend a service called BackBlaze to our clients. It is inexpensive and it ensures that your files are protected and backed up without any needed intervention or maintenance needed on your part. We highly recommend them. This endorsement is not paid or sponsored. We're just very happy clients.

​

 

A3: Unforseen circumstances include sickness/illness, death in the family, loss of limb, acts of God, surprise maiming, and finishing a really good book and suffering a book hangover. Okay, that last one was a joke, but the rest of them are valid. Obviously, if we lose a limb, or we are horridly sick and it shuts down our office, we will beg your patience as we recover. Bad things happen to good people. We understand that and we hope you do as well.

 

If any of these circumstances severely impact your life, we apologize. We may consider a refund claim in situations where incidents could not be fixed. Each refund case will be considered on a case-by-case basis in the context of each individual situation. There may be some cases in which a refund may not be issued after a claim is made if sufficient evidence can be produced to the client that situations and their effects could not be avoided, or if the refund claim is filed outside of the designated ten-day period as outlined in the refund section of this document.

​

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
bottom of page