FAQ on Signs to Love, Inform & Inspire April 04 2014

How are your signs made?

Our Honeymellow signs are handmade in our barn on the farm.  The design is digitally produced using specialist inks and then heat-pressed onto your aluminium sign. This gives your sign a glossy, smooth, vibrant finish as the colours are entirely integrated into the plaque.  We do not use transfers, engraving or vinyl lettering which would not give this smooth finish.  To keep your sign clean, simply wipe or polish with a soft cloth.  Do not use any chemicals which may damage the sign.

What if I am unsure about if a design or text will work on a sign?

Simply ask us for picture of your sign either before or when you buy and we will send one to you via email.  We are quite happy to make any adjustments that are needed until you are happy with your sign.  We love clear instructions with plenty of information about the layout you would like.  Sometimes we may give you an alternative option if we think there is a more attractive or clearer layout or better use could be made of the space.  We also use our expertise to make sure that the layout makes your text as legible as possible such as enlarging key words. 

What personalised signs do you do?

We offer a specific collection of ‘Blank Signs’ to personalise as well as the option in many of our other collections to personalise them.  We try to offer a wide range of different designs where you can add your own text so that it fits your purpose and design.  We want our signs to be both beautiful and useful. After all ours signs are made to love, inform or inspire. It may be a routine message but there is no reason that the design cannot be a delight to look at.  We will not put offensive messages on our signs but other than that we are happy to make signs with whatever text you want.  We make lots of signs with birthday, wedding and Christmas messages.  Office door signs with people’s name and position.  Front door signs with instructions regarding ringing bells or where to leave parcels; commemorative plaques; funny signs and room signs.  We love it when you tell us the story behind a particular choice of text which often helps us in making sure the design is right.

How can I get my sign personalised?

Signs that can be personalised usually have boxes next to the photo for you to complete with your choice of text, font and attachment.  This makes it easy for you to personalise before you put it in your basket.  There is also a box at check-out to add any further information you think we need from you or for you to request a picture of your sign before we send it so that you can request any adjustments.  If there is anything that we are missing we will contact you.  Use the ‘contact us’ button or email us with any further questions you may have, or if there is something you want that we have not listed or created an option for when ordering your sign.  Be prepared for us to reply at all hours as we often burn the midnight oil at evenings and weekends.  We want you to be happy with your sign and enjoy working with you to make sure this happens.  

Help! Do you correct spelling errors?

Yes! We believe there is no point sending you a sign with an error on it just because that is what you requested.  We are all human and make occasional errors particularly when time is short.  We want you to be happy with your sign so we will correct spelling and grammatical errors.  We do check with you if it is not obvious that this is an unintentional error.  We have even been known to give a quick explanation on the use of  the apostrophe to companies who need to have perfect signs for their clients.  If your sign arrives with an error that we have missed and not corrected, simply contact us and we will do our best to put it right for you. We want you to be happy with your sign.  

Will I be charged more if I want more text?

Of course not! Honeymellow began because we were frustrated at the high cost of signs needed for our farm and the ambiguity over pricing which often was not revealed until after the design was complete on a complex computer programme that often crashed.  We have turned this process upside down so the price is the first thing you see and brought the human element back to online.  The price shown when you select the type of sign you want is the price you pay.  Any text you enter into the boxes, or choice of font will not change that price.  Add as much text or as little. We often offer the personalisation of signs for free on many of our listings.  When we do charge a little more for personalised signs as opposed to the standard design, this is due to the extra time we spend making sure your new design is right. However the price is always listed clearly when you select that option.

What artwork do you use?

Our designs feature a range or artwork and styles from a variety of sources.  This includes our own, our customers when requested, artwork from other artists we like which we purchase and credit, or designs in the public domain.  Our signs often feature a combination of artwork to create a unique design for you.

Can I request a different sized sign from the ones advertised?

We do not currently cut signs to different sizes however we do have signs in a wide range of shapes and sizes so chances are that you will find the right size in one of collections.  Contact us if you want us to confirm whether we can do a particular size.

Can I request a different font?

We list the fonts that we use, but please contact us if you want a particular font that is not listed before ordering and we will confirm if we can do it.  We can also do different alphabets, if you send us the text.  We frequently do signs in Norwegian, French or Greek.  Again, please check with us before ordering.  If you are unsure about which font to choose, see our blog posts which give guidance about fonts for different purposes amongst many other things.

Will my sign rust?

Our Honeymellow signs are made of aluminium.  This does not rust so it is suitable for outside use.  Unlike wood, our designs on our signs will not peel or crack.  Simply avoid scratching the surface of your sign and try to keep it out of direct sunlight for long periods so that the colours remain vibrant and your sign continues to look like new.

Handmade signs must take a long time to make?

We work very hard at Honeymellow to try and make your sign the day that it is ordered so that we can pop it into the next post.  

How long does delivery take?

We post our signs first class in the UK which the Royal Mail states takes up to three working days although most of our orders are delivered the next day.  Airmail delivery to Europe takes a maximum of five working days and to other countries including the US, Australia and Canada delivery takes a maximum of seven working days.  During the Christmas period or on Bank Holidays, delivery may take a little longer.  Contact us if your order has not arrived in a reasonable period of time.

What are the postal costs in the UK and abroad?

Postage is free in the UK.  We keep costs very low to other countries based on the weight of your order so that you do not overpay for a small order.  See our blog for how we calculate this weight.  Often you want just one sign for a particular purpose so we try to make this as affordable as possible.  If you feel that the final postage cost seems too high, contact us and we will make sure that the price you pay is what it costs for post and packaging or less.  Please remember that you may have to pay local taxes in countries outside the UK and EU.

Can I buy your signs on the high street?

No.  Our Honeymellow signs are made by us and sold directly to you.  This makes them great for gifts, particularly if they are personalised.  We do sell some signs by other companies such as Heaven Sends and EPC Design which are not unique to us.  You can also find us on Etsy at http://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/Honeymellows   Honeymellow originally began on Ebay where we still offer a small range under Honeymellows, particularly many of our ‘Vital Signs’ collection.

Are you on social media?

Look for Honeymellows on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, Pinterest and Honeymellow on Google+.  Like our signs, we try to put posts to love, inform or inspire. Our sign collections all have social media buttons for you to like, pin or tweet us!  Creating your own Pinterest board is a great way to create your own wish list of our signs for future reference.  Remember we also have a blog on this website which is regularly updated when we are not making your signs.

Who and where do you sell to and does this include businesses?

We send our signs right across the world, particularly to Australia, Canada, the US as well as the UK, Ireland and many other European countries.  We work with a lot of business to provide signs for offices, dance studios, housing developments and shops as well as signs for individuals, gifts, homes and particular occasions.  We keep all the designs that we do which makes it easy for our many customers who want repeat orders.  If there is not a themed sign that we do, contact us and we may be able to design something for you and add it to our range.  A lot of our signs have been created as a result of customer requests.

What do magnets stick to? 

Magnets stick to a range of metals.  These include: steel, nickel, cobalt, tin and above all iron.  They do not stick to stainless steel, brass, aluminium or copper.  For example, your sign may stick to your toaster or bread-maker which may contain iron, but not to your stainless steel kettle. Avoid putting your magnet on something that gets very hot, such as a radiator which will make it more difficult to detach.  

How sticky are your sticky pads?

Our double-sided foam sticky pads are designed for both inside and outside permanent use as an alternative to glue or screws.  Water and temperature resistant: they will still stick in wet weather or cold and hot temperatures.  This makes them perfect for bathrooms, garden gates and front doors.  Our signs are light so often only two sticky pads are needed to hold your sign firmly in place.  The secret to making sure your sign stays-up permanently is applying the pads to a clean, dry surface and pressing each side firmly for 30 seconds to make sure they stick properly.  We try to use the best available brand which is currently Sellotape’s sticky fixers for permanent outdoor use.

What other attachments do you use?

For our Honeymellow signs, we currently offer sticky pads, magnets, a hanging ribbon or string and screw holes.  For a flush finish you can choose not to select an attachment and use your own choice of strong glue: no nails needed.  Our signs are often light enough to be held by a small pin from a hanging ribbon if you do not want the sign permanently displayed.

Is your payment method secure?

We use Paypal as this takes you to the secure Paypal website where you can enter your password so that we do not take any of your financial details.  This also makes it very easy to refund your money, if necessary back to your Paypal account as well as giving you all the protection as a consumer that Paypal offers.  Our website is supported by Shopfiy which also gives an added layer of protection and efficiency.  We do not pass your details to any other parties for marketing purposes.  Unless you consent to our marketing the only automated emails you will receive from us is one confirming your order and another confirming its dispatch.  We also sell a lot of our signs on Etsy at http://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/Honeymellows where we also accept Etsy gift tokens and direct checkout as well as Paypal.

What do I do if I want to return an item?

We have only ever had one return of our signs to date.  If you receive your sign and it is not what you wanted, contact us immediately via email or the ‘contact us’ button so that we  can try and put things right for you.  If you want a refund, contact us so we can give you a return address and arrange a refund.  We package our signs very carefully but if in the very rare event your sign has suffered damage during delivery, send us a picture and we will give you a full refund.  Our only stipulation is that you contact us regarding any problem within 21 days of receiving your goods.  Please also see our Returns Policy.  We pride ourselves on exceptional personalised customer service so that you can order with confidence. 

How do we contact you?

Simply click on the ‘contact us’ button on the webpage which will send an email to us with your query.  Alternatively email us at honeymellows@yahoo.co.uk.  This means we can answer you queries and work with you on an order even when we are not in our workshop on the farm.

Who are Honeymellow?

We are a small family run business in our barn on our farm in the gorgeous Kent countryside surrounded by sandy shores which inspires what we do.  Honeymellow began in 2012 when we realised that we wanted custom-made, beautiful signs, quickly and easily with our choice of text for our farm but could not source them quickly, easily or at low cost.  Our aim is to create signs to love, inform or inspire - and hopefully to do all three.  We enjoy creating or sourcing designs to working with you to get something that fits your business or brightens your home as well as the occasional writing of quirky blogs or tweets. We deliberately keep our business small  by only selling online so that we keep the personal touch and high standards we would want for ourselves.  We really love what we do and we hope you do too.