Guides
Artwork, proofs and approvals.
Practical notes for Shopify shops that sell personalized products such as print, stickers, engraving, embroidery and custom gifts. They cover the part of a custom order that usually happens in email: getting the customer’s file, showing them a proof, and knowing which version they said yes to.
Each guide stands on its own, and they follow the order of the work.
- New to taking customer files? Start with collecting artwork on the product page.
- Files arrive, but approvals get messy? Read artwork proofing for Shopify stores, then the six-step approval workflow.
- Comparing apps? See ApprovePro, Proofer and Upproof side by side, then use the nine questions to test during a trial.
Collect customer artwork on Shopify without email
Why artwork sent by email drifts away from the order, what a product-page upload has to get right, and how to set one up and test it. 6 min read.
A proof approval workflow for custom orders
Six steps from a customer’s file to an approved proof: what to put on a proof, how to version it, and what to check before production. 7 min read.
Artwork proofing for Shopify stores
What artwork proofing is, why packaging-style proofing software is a poor fit for a Shopify shop, and how to proof each order line from upload to production. 6 min read.
Artwork approval form: free template and fields
A free artwork approval form template to copy, what each field is for, how to send it with a proof, and when a form stops being enough for a busy shop. 5 min read.
ApprovePro vs Proofer vs Upproof
Three Shopify proof approval apps compared from their own App Store listings: plans, free tiers, reviews, customer upload, proof options and production checks. 5 min read.
Choosing a Shopify upload and proof app: 9 questions
A checklist for comparing upload and proofing apps for personalized products, with what to test during a trial and where an upload app is the wrong tool. 6 min read.