I have uploaded two card images measuring 5" x 7" @ 300 ppi per your guidelines.  The designs were both accepted.  On my "storefront" I can clearly see the borders I included in the image.  However, when I received the printed product, the border is missing from the top, severely cut on the right side, somewhat reduced on the bottom - and the left border is on the rear of the card after the fold.  (I have temporarily made the cards "private" to avoid any customer dissatisfaction.)  I realize I can eliminate the border to avoid the problem, but why the disparity between what was uploaded/ accepted and the final product?  Thanks for any help.
 
David/designsbydmeeker
http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/designsbydmeeker

Shaun,  
 
Thanks again for helping me to understand this process.  This is all new to me and your help is very much appreciated.  Thanks for clarifying the border and printing issues for me.  I'll try using the template.
 
David

Printing is so important, if we want customers to return.  I would hope that we have quality control to take care of a card that prints badly.  Please tell me that we have steps in place now, that catches a card that might not have printed out correctly and/or neatly.

I think there is a further question.  
 
I fully understand the live area issue --the space within the red dotted line which marks the .25 trim allowance required by your printing partner.
 
But my question is this: having centered my image and text within this live area, what guarantee do I have that the cut will leave it centered? No matter where the live area is on the face of any card, a card that is cut too far to one side or the other will result in an off-center, poor quality card that I would never let out of my studio if I were printing by hand as I used to.
 
In the 80s I did a lot of color print buying for a large advertising agency, both sheet fed and web. I have never encountered a printer that required a .25" margin outside a live area...that's like having Delaware for a live area surrounded by Texas for the trim margin!
 
I also have a concern that the trim on cards will vary from print run to print run meaning that the correctly printed and cut card that I order for a QC check may be a fluke as the next one printed may be cut badly.
 
What are we to do? Is it just the nature of POD printers and do we just shrug and say "oh well, there are a lot more customers out there?" I've already had a card sent to a customer that had part of the verse missing. I'm sure CGU's customer service is excellent, but if a customer receives a poor quality, or unusable card for an occasion, they can't wait for a replacement. They'll just go to the drugstore or WalMart and forget about ordering from GCU again.
 
This is the age of wonderfully accurate pre-press digital imposition, so I do not understand your printing partner's requirements. How close a connection do you have with them? Are you able to send someone to see a print run so that some problem-solving can be done? GCU is the printer's client..what kind of customer service are they offering you?
 
Thank you for taking the time to read this lengthy posting. This is a vital issue and I look forward to input from other artists. I also thank GCU in advance for giving this topic their close attention and keeping us all informed as to resolutions to the problem.
 
Regards,
Pat
Will Davis Studios

I've been studying this thread closely, because this is a big concern to me also. I like to use a lot of borders.
 
I have noticed an additional component of this issue, which is that apparently the live area is frequently enlarged slightly. I have noticed this on quite a few of the samples I have ordered.
 
It is very upsetting to think that a large percentage of cards are going out badly printed--not only do you lose that customer, but they are certainly not going to recommend us to their friends.
 
 
 
 

I have just read this post as well as the suggested link which. answered something I was thinking about last night - which was "where was the bleed?".  My suggestion to admin is to write the word "bleed" on the card template, as the template instructions are a little confusing since it says to cover the whole card with the image and has no mention (as far as I saw) of the word 1/4" bleed.  So now I need to go back over all my card and double check for the bleed and their proportions  . luckly I only have a couple up  

Thank you for you in-depth response, Mindy.  
 
It is reassuring to hear that you have a considerable track record with your printing partner and that customer complaints are infrequent. I am so new to this whole venue, and still sorting out the "hows' and "whys".
 
I expect that a few other artists here at GCU feel a certain uneasiness at letting go of control over the finished product. I know I do. So thank you for your efforts to help with my jitters as I learn the ropes. Time, experience, and continued joint success (GCU's and mine) will make me increasingly more confident in GCU.
 
Thank you for addressing the card template. I look forward to being able to successfully add borders to some of my designs.
 
Regards,
Pat
Will Davis Studios

Thanks for your response, Mindy--very reassuring. I think it is our high opinion of GCU that is producing unreasonable expectations. I really didn't understand how printing vagaries could affect the final product. I look forward to some more guidance from Shaun as I rethink some of my designs.
Thanks!