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General Information
ACCEPTANCE OF ORDERS
  1. All orders must be received by fax or mail. All orders are accepted subject to our standard delivery terms. Any deviation from the stated production lead-time will need to be pre-authorized and rush charge may be applied.
  2. All orders are subject to credit approval. Delays in response to requests from our credit department for credit information will delay the ship date. New orders will need deposit and/or full payment before order is shipped.
  3. Any changes made to purchase orders must be done by fax, and submitted no later than 48 hours prior to the ship date. Any changes made within 48 hours of the ship date will be subject to an “order change charge” of $10.00(V) per change. Additionally, if the change affects work or services already performed on the order, additional costs for the work done up to that point will be incurred.
  4. Quotations issued by American Option are for price and delivery only and do not guarantee automatic acceptance of order.
  5. Order cancellations will incur a charge of $30.00 (V), plus all production charges for work performed up to that date.

IMPRINTING
  1. All Set-Up Charges, PMS Color Match Charges, and Re-Order Charges are “per color”, and/or, “per position”.
  2. Reorders are considered to be valid if the artwork is an exact repeat and new order placed within 2 years of original purchase order. All artwork is discarded after two years. Any repeat order with changes is considered a new order.
  3. Standard imprint colors:  White, Black, Pantone Yellow, Metallic Silver, Metallic Gold (PMS873), Process Blue, Reflex Blue, Navy Blue (PMS282), Dark Brown (PMS175), Red (PMS185), Orange (PMS172), Green (PMS348), Burgundy (PMS202), and Teal (PMS320).

ARTWORK
  1. FILE FORMATS: We prefer vector EPS files with outlined type. Bitmap images must be flat in TIF format, CMYK mode, 300 dpi minimum at 100% of imprint size. PDF files are subject to review by our Art Department.
  2. SUBMITTING ELECTRONIC ARTWORK: E-mail to artwork@americanoption.com. You must reference your Purchase Order Number in the subject of the message to avoid delays on the processing of your order. Include a description of the file attachment and a contact name and phone number in the body of the message.
  3. SUBMITTING PHYSICAL ARTWORK: Camera Ready artwork is acceptable if it is flat, sharp, black and white line art on glossy photographic paper. For multi-colored imprints, color separated art with registration marks is required. Laser printouts will only be accepted as artwork if it is 300% or larger than the actual imprint size, and determined to be sharp enough to reproduce by our Art Department.
  4. ARTWORK CLEAN-UP: Only a minimal clean-up of artwork submitted to us is available. Additional charges of $25.00 (V) per half hour will be applied for any art that needs more than one half-hour’s work.
  5. PERSONALIZATION: All copy must be supplied as it will appear when printed in either .DOC (Microsoft Excel) or .TXT (plain text) file format, preferably in alphabetical order. We do not accept .XLS (Microsoft Excel) files, database-like files, drop shipment lists or table enclosed data. If personalization list is not provided as required, standard typeset charges will apply.
  6. TYPESETTING: $10.00 (V) for up to three lines including a fax proof. Add 3 days to production time.

SHIPPING
  1. All prices shown in the catalog are F.O.B. factory, Southern CA. Freight and insurance will be added to the invoice.
  2. American Option can only guarantee ship date as requested by Purchase Orders which are accepted subject to our standard production time. We will not be held responsible for any consequences that result from freight carrier delays or failures.
  3. DROP SHIPMENTS: A charge of $10.00 (V) for domestic destinations, $25.00 (V) for international destinations,
  4. THIRD PARTY OR CONSIGNEE BILLINGS: We all add $5.00 (V) per package handling charge. We are not responsible for insurance on these packages.

INVOICING AND TERMS
  1. OVERUNS AND UNDERRUNS: We reserve the right to ship up to 3% over or under the quantity ordered and to invoice accordingly.
  2. PAYMENT TERMS: Our standard open account terms are NET 30 days, from the date that the order was shipped.
  3. PRE-PAYMENTS: We accept VISA or MasterCard for pre-payment order with distributor’s approval.  Credit card payment method can only be used for prepayment for deposit, not for invoices that with open account.
  4. All past due invoices are subject to a late payment charge of 2% per month as liquidated damages.

RETURNS
  1. Merchandise found to be incorrect or defective due to American Option’s error will be replaced or rectified at no additional cost, only if returned within 30 days of receipt of goods. Any replacement will be shipped only by UPS ground, with freight prepaid by American Option.
  2. No returns will be accepted without a prior return authorization from the factory, and a written “authorization form” which will be sent to you and must be enclosed in the master carton. No credit will be issued for merchandise that is not authorized to be returned to American Option.
  3. 20% of net cost will be charged for returns of blank goods with valid RA#.

RANDOM, SPEC, & PRE-PRODUCTION SAMPLES
  1. Random blank samples will be charged at end column pricing. Random blank samples are not returnable.
  2. Spec samples are invoiced for the cost of the individual item, the cost of the set-up charges will also be added to the invoice.
  3. Pre-production samples are charged at $50.00 (V), plus product cost and freight. If changes are made to the original artwork after receipt of the pre-production sample, the additional set-up charges will also be added to the invoice.

SET UP CHARGES
  1. Engraving or imprint on writing instruments: $45.00(V) per location, per color. Re-set up: $36.00(V).
  2. Engraving or imprint on all other products: $65.00(V) per location, per color. Re-set up: $55.00 (V).
Personalization for writing instruments: $2.00(V)/pc.
Personalization for all other products: $9.00(V)/pc for up to three (3) lines.

LESS THAN MINIMUM
  1. Certain items in this catalog are available at less than minimum qualities. Please call customer support for confirmation for which products are available. Less than minimum charge: $25.00(V).

RUSH CHARGES: Please call factory for quote.

E-MAIL PROOFS: $5.00(V)

FORCE MAJEURE
  1. Any agreed delivery date shall be the best possible estimate of when the goods will be shipped, based upon its current inventory and anticipated manufacturing capabilities. The agreed date or time of shipment or delivery of goods by American Option shall not be of the essence of this Agreement, or of any agreement of sale subject hereto, unless otherwise expressly agreed to in writing by American Option, and American Option assumes no liability in the event it is unable to make shipment on the agreed date or time. Shipments made within sixty (60) days following the agreed date of shipment or delivery shall be considered timely, absent an express, written and signed agreement by American Option to the contrary.
  2. American Option shall not be liable for any delay in delivery or for non-delivery caused in whole or in part by the occurrence of any contingency beyond the control of American Option or its suppliers, including but not limited to acts of God, floods, fires, war, sabotage, acts of civil disobedience, failure or delay in transportation, import quota restrictions, governmental laws, ordinances, rules and regulations, whether valid or invalid (including, but not limited to, priorities, requisitions, allocations and price adjustment restrictions), delay in clearing customs, labor disputes, shortage of labor, fuel, or raw materials, or machinery or technical failure. If any such contingency occurs, American Option may allocate production and deliveries among its various customers, including Buyer.
  3. If American Option, in its sole discretion, determines that any sale of goods subject to this Agreement would results in a loss of American Option as computed under its normal accounting procedures because of causes beyond the control of American Option, then American Option may terminate this Agreement in whole or in part without the liability for any delay in the delivery of or failure to deliver the goods. American Option further reserves the right to fabricate the entire quantity of goods ordered in one production run, alright shipments are to be made in accordance with the schedule and dates specified by the Buyer.

NON-CONFIDENTIALITY OF BUYER INFORMATION
  1. All diagrams, specifications and other information received by American Option from Buyer shall be deemed non-confidential and non-proprietary, and not to involve any trade secrets, unless such information is clearly identified as confidential, proprietary and/or trade secret information by Buyer and an officer of authorized managing agent of American Option has specifically signed a confidentiality agreement relating to such information. American Option’s sales persons and other representatives of American Option are not authorized to accept any information form Buyer in confidence.

RISK OF LOSS
  1. Delivery shall occur and risk of loss shall pass to Buyer upon delivery of the goods to the carrier at American Option plant, irrespective of whether delivery is to be made at a point other than the American Option plant. Transportation shall be at Buyer’s sole risk and expense whether the carrier has been selected by Buyer or by American Option, and any claim by Buyer for loss or damage in transit shall be against the carrier only. In the event Buyer fails to take delivery of any goods after notice from American Option that such goods are available, American Option may at its option, without notice to Buyer, impose a storage charge of $60.00 (Z) per diem.

INDEMNIFICATION
  1. In the event that any goods are manufactured in accordance with specifications received by American Option from Buyer, Buyer agrees to indemnify, defend and hold American Option harmless from and against any claims, losses, damages or judgments for patent, trademark or copyright infringement which related in any way to Buyer’s specifications.

GENERAL PROVISIONS
  1. This agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California, including the California Uniform Commercial Code. Any cause of action arising from this Agreement, or breach of it, must be commenced within one year after the causes of action occurs. In the event that legal action should be brought to collect any sum owed by Buyer to American Option with respect to a sale of goods subject hereto, the prevailing party shall be entitled to recover its attorneys’ fees and costs incurred in connection with such actions.

COPYRIGHT & TRADEMARK NOTICE
  1. Any artwork or material submitted by the Buyer will be accepted by the factory as being in complete compliance with all laws regarding trademark, service mark, copyright, right of privacy, patent or similar protection. The Buyer, by submitting such information, represents that the artwork or materials used by the factory will not violate any laws, and American Option disclaims any liability for compliance with such laws in using the Buyer’s artwork or material. The Buyer agrees to hold the factory harmless from any damages, costs, and/or expenses should they arise as a consequence of the factory’s use of said artwork, copy and other materials. All art works, designs, and trademarks imprinted on the products displayed in this catalog are produced only as examples of the type and quality of the decorated products available from our line of products. They are not intended to represent that the products are either endorsed by, or produced for the owners of the artwork, designed or trademark.