Batteries / Memory
Express Video Brochures contain Lithium-Ion batteries, which in general are a safe, rechargeable power source. For more information on the handling and transport of these products, please visit LithiumIon.org. How long will my brochure hold a full charge, when the brochure remains closed and the video is not played?” Express Video Brochures can hold charges for as long as 6 months, or even longer; we recommend that you check them every 30 days and “top them off” with a charging cable as needed. Remaining battery life is briefly displayed with a green or white battery icon, on the upper right hand corner, when you first open your brochure. For how long will my brochure play video without recharging? Express Video Brochures are designed to play at least two hours of video per full charge; actual battery life may vary based on video length, frequency of pausing, and use of controls to fast forward, rewind, or pause. How often can I recharge the internal battery? We believe your Express Video Brochure will outlive its usefulness, before the internal battery loses its ability to recharge and hold a charge! Our manufacturers claim that our brochures can be recharged from 300 to 500 times, depending on the model. Can I replace the internal battery? No. Once the battery stops holding a charge, it’s time for a new video brochure! Please recycle as you would any battery-operated device, or contact us to make arrangement to have your expired video brochure picked up. My video brochure’s memory is less (or more) than the amount in the specifications. How do I access the full amount of memory as presented on your website? Memory specifications are in mb, and include hidden files, bios, and operating system items that are not visible. For example, a 500mb memory module generally holds 512mb, and after files, bios, and OS, should have usable memory of approximately 440-450 mb. Your Express Video Brochure often comes preloaded with our own promotional videos (used to test your brochure during the QA process). By erasing them or loading your own videos using the same file names, you will also change the amount of memory available for loading of your videos.
Alternatively, sometimes our manufacturing facilities run out of our specified memory modules and upgrade them at no additional charge to us. So on occasion, you may find that your memory (or even battery size) is greater than advertised.d. I noticed a .txt file on my video brochure’s internal memory. Why is it there and can I remove it? The readme.txt (text) file provides vital recycling information that our manufacturers recommend remain on the video brochure at all times. This provides a secondary source of information should a user not have access to our website (where this information is also available). Please do not remove or alter this text file; it is a very small file (5 kb!) and will not have any impact on your memory requirements.
Control buttons
The volume setting button has 3 preset volumes, but I find that the starting volume level (medium) is not loud enough, but the high volume is too loud. What should I do? Many of our brochures offer three preset volume levels – this is designed to accommodate videos that are recorded at different volume levels. Ideally, the volume level at opening (medium) is the optimal video setting for your videos. However, if you have recorded at lower peak volumes, a user may need to boost the volume; or, if your recording volume level is too loud, the end user may need to reduce the volume to “low” by clicking the volume button twice.
For power users, we recommend that peak volume levels of your videos, when created and recorded, should not exceed -6 to -8 db. How do I stop the video(s) from playing so that I can provide my customers with time to read the interior decal without interruption? Many of our Express Video Brochures feature a “power off” feature when a video is paused for more than one minute. This is also designed to save battery life. I paused the video and then my screen turned off shortly thereafter. How do I restart the video? Once the “power off” feature is activated, the opening video can be resumed from the beginning by closing and then reopening the video brochure. The video will NOT resume from where it was left off – it will start from the beginning of the first video.
Videos
I only have one or two videos to load to my video brochure, and I have noticed that the product came pre-loaded with two or three videos from your company. How can I remove the pre-loaded videos so that only my videos play? While we certainly would appreciate your leaving one of our promotional videos on your video brochure, we completely understand why you would elect not to do so. Simply erase our videos using the USB charging / upload cable provided with each order; alternatively you can rename YOUR videos to the same names we have used, in which case your operating system will prompt you to replace our videos with yours; apply in the affirmative to overwrite our videos. How many minutes of video will each brochure hold? This is based on the playtime, format, and the level of compression you have used for your videos. We have seen identical videos utilize 250mb, and be compressed to 25mb, without any impact whatsoever. We are comfortable in stating that our memory can accommodate at least 15 minutes or more of video playback, using standard video sizes, formats and compressions. How do I change the order that my videos play on the brochure? Videos are played in alphabetical / numerical order. To change the playback order, simply change the file names to the alphabetic / numeric order you prefer. We recommend naming your files with simple number prefixes (i.e. – 01.avi, 02.avi, 03.avi) for ease of sequencing.
Am I able to stop my video(s) from looping? Not at this time. Video playlists will re-loop in sequence; a single video will auto-repeat when completed. If not included with your purchase, you may elect to create/place a second, 1:00 minute long video at the end of your first video, that simply states, “Please close the brochure or select “pause” to conserve power; videos will continue to play until one of these events occurs.”
Decals / testing
Which way should my decal sheets be placed into my printer / copier’s feeder or paper cartridge? To insure that your 8 ½ x 11” decals align as closely as possible with your artwork and software template(s), we recommend that your decal label sheets be loaded into your printer in a manner that allows the “top front” of each page to enter the printer first.
The “top front” of a label sheet is indicated by two very subtle “feed arrow” indentations in only one of the corners of each label page (see illustration for a close-up; the feed arrows were intentionally peeled back by the photographer so that they are visible to the camera – they are NOT easy to see unless you look for them. “Feed First” lettering was placed in the photo to further explain – no printing is on the actual label sheets provided). For best performance and alignment, the “feed arrow” corner should be the first edge of the decal sheet to enter your printer, in landscape or portrait mode.
Lastly, be sure you feed your label sheet into the printer with the printable side (as opposed to decal backing side) facing up or down, based on your printer or copier model. And for printers or copiers with both cartridges and feeders, the printed side of the decal sheet may differ, so test with a blank piece of paper first.
I used the decal template and created my artwork, but I can’t get the printer to perfectly center my artwork inside the decal every time. What can I do? The easiest solutions we recommend include adding a bleed to your graphic image, so that perfect centering by your printer is not necessary for a professional presentation. Alternatively, if your printer consistently prints off-center (horizontally or vertically) by a fixed amount (say 1/8” inch too far right), simply shift your artwork 1/8” inch to the opposite direction. The same logic applies if your image is consistently too high or low from center. Are the decals waterproof? No, while durable, we currently do not offer waterproof decals – and depending on your printer’s ink source material, your graphics may not be waterproof, either.
Can I place a decal over a decal and reuse my brochure? While this is not an optimal idea, it is far better than attempting to remove a decal backed with a permanent adhesive, once it has been applied for more than a few hours. Why not have extra video brochures on hand? 😉 Will the decal sheets print correctly in inkjet printers and photocopiers, or just laser printers? We have selected a premium white uncoated paper for our decals, to accommodate most inkjet, laser and photocopiers. Many “label” manufacturers use papers that do not work with all varieties of print applications, so we strongly advise using ONLY our proprietary die-cut label sheets for all of your Express Video Brochure needs.
I have decal sheets for the A55 video brochures, which have 2 decals per page, but want to print them one decal and one sheet at a time. Am I able to do so? We recommend that you print both labels at once, for two primary reasons; first, peeling one decal off creates a slippery zone (decal backing) that may cause your printer or copier feeder rolls to slip and not feed properly. Secondly, if you bleed your artwork on the first decal, some ink may remain on the area surrounding the peeled decal, and this ink may stain your printer rollers (or other internal parts) on a second pass. Note, too, that we provide 6 sheets (yielding 12 decals) with our A55 products, so you can test up to 4 sheets before beginning to run out of decals. Why would I want to buy extra label sheets when you provide twice as many as I need with each brochure? For as little as $1.95, having at least an extra 6-pack per order is a great insurance policy against running out of decals, should your printer or copier have a glitch, misalign, or even should you load a decal in the wrong direction (we’ve even done this ourselves!) Extra labels are not a major profit center for us, but they can certainly make the difference of your getting your Express Video Brochure presentation completed on time, should you run out! We strongly recommend that first time customers get at least one extra 6-pack, and even seasoned users would be well advised to purchase at least one extra 6-pack for every 3+ brochures ordered.
Customer Service
I have a question that needs answering before I am willing to make a purchase. How do I reach somebody regarding my question? Well, if you’re reading this response, you’ve come to the right place. We try to answer every conceivable question here in the FAQ’s (if not elsewhere on the site), and we avoid hiring staff (or off-shore call centers) to answer phones which ultimately raises our costs (and your prices). The CONTACT US form is the best way to get a same day response; and if your question is answered on the site, you’ll often receive a link to your question’s answer. If your question warrants being added to this FAQ page, we’ll give you kudos for asking it by adding it to the FAQ’s, or, we’ll adjust the site to insure nobody has to ask it again. I purchased more video brochures than I needed. Can I send one back for a refund or credit? First, there’s no such thing as “more video brochures than I needed.” There are 62,967 different known uses for video brochures, and we expect to surpass the 63,000 mark any day now… That said, because our product is self-service, and subject to being handled, opened, printed upon, and having digital media loaded, erased and charged, we do NOT refund or accept returns – we only replace defective units, on the rare occasion this occurs. I’ve had amazing success using video brochures – I think others would benefit from my experience. How can I share this with your customers and be rewarded for doing so? Four times a year, we review our suggestions, testimonials, and portfolio ideas submitted by our customers, and select one or more contributors who really “hit it out of the park.” We contact (actually, SURPRISE them!) them with a complimentary Express Video Brochure. Maybe that will be you?
That said, the greatest reward of all is posting your ideas on our site, and knowing that you are helping increase the creativity of people and small to mid-size companies, who strive to achieve American excellence day in and day out. We (and they) thank you for your contributions, ideas, and innovation.
Pricing
How do your video brochure, shipping, and handling prices work? Our prices are easy to understand – and open to the public. We even publish our video brochure prices (and shipping formula), in a simple, easy to read matrix. We’re not hiding our prices – we’re proud of them:
Express Video Brochure prices are broken into only 3 brackets – 1 unit, 2-4 units, and 5 or more units. Each order comes complete with everything you need to customize, recharge, upload, and impress. When you buy 5 or more of an item, you are assured the lowest price possible for that item. Period.
Shipping costs (we feature USPS Priority Mail) are fixed on a per unit basis, and on the 10th unit, the per unit shipping price drops for each subsequent unit. This applies to our video brochures as well as physical accessories.
Lastly, all delivered orders pay a single $6 handling charge; this covers the cost of pre-shipping QA (Quality Assurance), warehouse slotting/removing, and packaging – no matter how many items you purchase. Do you ever have sales on your site? On the rare occasion we close out a product, or when we are trying to hit an annual quota, we may publish a special promotion, but this is the exception, not the norm. We may also offer free shipping for large quantity orders, but these events are typically by-invitation-only and are extended to existing customers via email. We openly publish our prices, and avoid “special sales” because we work hard to offer the very best prices, every day. How are you able to sell so few units at such low prices (and deliver them so quickly)? Video brochure prices are rarely publicized online, in large part because most companies offering video brochures are actually marketing companies who re-sell myriad products, including video brochures. Video brochures are not their primary business, and they do not buy 1,000’s of units at a time. Also, varied types, sizes (and quality) of screens, memory, control buttons, and cover materials, all subject to rapid price changes, make it difficult to provide accurate, timely pricing for most companies. Lastly, multiple layers of markup increase prices, to the point where few companies (other than raw material manufacturers in China and elsewhere) are willing to publicize their prices without jumping through hoops.
We’re clearly different. We are able to provide superior prices and turnaround time because we have applied our experiences with the inventors of video brochures, TV in a Card™, and have also requested our manufacturers to combine the best materials and most popular sizes, into pre-printed brochures that accommodate customizable, customer-printed decals, and personalized, user-uploaded videos. We are the pioneers of this segment of the market.
Therefore, because we buy in favorable 1,000+ unit quantities, and our customers (YOU, and not us) provide the design work, we are able to lower design costs, buy bulk, and pass much of the savings along to our customers. As a result, we are able to offer single or small quantity orders often at 50% to 75% less than custom brochure providers.
Lastly, our fulfillment center receives favorable shipping and handling prices, which we pass along AT COST. Shipping and handling is NOT a profit center for our company.
Shipping
Your site states that your product is shipped in “3 days or less.” Is this for all orders, and what if it takes more than 3 days? We currently use FedEx Ground shipping for all of our physical products. We will pick, pack and ship orders same business day, if ordered before 11:00 AM EST, and we extend the same shipping time frames as promoted for FedEx Ground shipping here. You can check estimated delivery dates by using our warehouse Zip Code of 33777 in the FedEx Rates and Transit Times tool.
For much of the country (excluding Hawaii and Alaska), an order placed before 10 AM EST on Monday, for example, should be delivered in 3 days or less (i.e. by Thursday evening). That said, we do NOT guarantee shipping delivery time frames, and we do not pick, pack and ship on weekends or after business hours. Note, too, that Alaska and Hawaii customers, while paying the same shipping and handling fees, can expect to receive their products in 7 (seven) business days or less.
Lastly – for larger orders (20+ units), or for 3+unit orders shipped to destinations more than 500 miles from Tampa Bay, Florida, there may be an additional 1-2 day delay. These delays are a result of additional Quality Assurance time needed to prepare large shipments for packaging, and newly implemented (and changing) shipping regulations related to lithium-ion batteries (which have been known to trigger special handling measures by FedEx employees unfamiliar with these new regulations and labeling requirements). I saw your products and could use one RIGHT NOW! Do you offer overnight shipping? Unfortunately, we do not offer overnight delivery service at this time. However, if you have an order in excess of 10 units, and have an existing account with a domestic overnight shipping provider who can pick up from our warehouses in Florida, please notify us using the “CONTACT US” form, place the words “Overnight Shipping Request,” and provide your full details in your contact form. Our customer service department generally responds within 4 hours during normal business hours. In some instances, based on your location, we may be able to accommodate orders in excess of 10 units; though shipping and handling charges will increase accordingly.
Returns/Refunds
What are your return and refund policies? We do not accept returns for refunds, though we will replace at our cost any product deemed to be defective. Because our products undergo a 12-point testing procedure, on three separate occasions, before being delivered (and are therefore rarely defective), and because video brochures are designed to be customized with permanent decals and files uploaded into memory, 99+% of what can damage a video brochure is out of our control, once they leave our warehouse. My video brochure appears to be defective. How do I get it replaced? If you believe you have received a defective unit, or if it was damaged in transit, please contact us via email within three business days, including your full contact information and order number. Product packaging that was damaged during shipping should be refused when delivered, if at all possible. We will replace the extremely rare DEFECTIVE product after first discussing the specifics with our customers. If you purchase a video brochure and it is not placed into circulation (i.e. purchases as a gift, or for future use), with memory and labels intact and unused, we will exchange defective products within 30 days of your original purchase.
We will pay for return shipping and free replacement of defective products. I entered the wrong address on my order, and did not get my order. Is there an additional charge for resending my order? Most likely, yes. If you have moved, and used a forwarding address that the USPS failed to honor, the USPS may waive new shipping charges. But if the order needs to be re-delivered to an address other than the one you placed on your original order, there will be a new, repeat shipping and handling charge What are your policies regarding disputing credit card charges? Under the terms of our sales agreements, and as a condition of sale, customers agree that they will not dispute valid credit card charges made by ExpressVideoBrochures.com, f/k/a Concourse 1, LLC, and its parent companies. Again, we will replace defective products when notified within three business days of delivery, and up to 30 days after delivery if unopened / uncirculated, completely at our cost. Because of the nature of our products, and your ability to alter them, both physically and digitally, immediately upon receipt, we simply are not able to issue refunds unless our items are delivered damaged or defective.
We pride ourselves on providing only Class A products which have undergone no less than three (3) sessions of Quality Assurance, and tens (or even hundreds) of thousands of video brochures from our manufacturers have been delivered and utilized flawlessly.
If you are in any way uncomfortable with our policies regarding warranty, exchanges, and credit card disputes, we ask that you not purchase one of our Express Video Brochures, and instead consider purchasing a truly custom video brochure product from one of our suppliers. Custom brochures are NOT designed for customers to apply decals, or upload videos, and are therefore backed by considerably more lengthy warranties.
Accessories and Extra Services
You only include one USB charging / upload cable with each order and charge for extra cables. Why would I not want a charging cable with each brochure? Many of our customers want to insure that the videos that are ultimately loaded into their Express Video Brochures are not erased (or replaced); providing USB charging and upload cables to your end-recipient increases the likelihood of this occurring (though also provides more assurances that the video brochure will be recharged over time). We do, obviously, offer additional USB cables for a very modest fee (in fact, our prices are among the lowest on the Internet and significantly less expensive than retail stores). Is there any way for me to load a video, and insure that the person or company to whom I present my video brochure will not eventually erase or replace my video? By providing a USB charging and upload cable with your video brochure, you do run the risk of this occurring. In 2015, we expect to launch a premium “lockable” Express Video Brochure product that will make erasure significantly more difficult; however, by applying custom decals, and personalizing your presentations, you should find that video erasure or replacement by end recipients is a rare occurrence. You charge $25 for 30 minutes of Tech Support. How does that work, and within what time frame must I use my support before it expires? Within one business day of purchasing tech support as part of an initial order, well before your order is delivered, you will be contacted by email by one of our US-based Tech Support Specialists, and will be provided with a direct email and telephone number. Should you at any time have any questions about your items (including requesting assistance with video uploading and optimization, decal preparation and application, recharging, or any other facet of our products’ technical uses), for a period of up to 6 months from purchase, tech support is an email or phone call away. Your support representative will track the time spent supporting your orders, and will provide at least 30 minutes of support in that 6 month support cycle.
If you are purchasing standalone tech support (e.g. for a prior order) and cannot wait a business day to be contacted, please use the CONTACT US form on the site and enter “STANDALONE TECH SUPPORT” in your subject body. We will expedite our support team’s efforts to contact you immediately (during normal business hours) provided you have ordered tech support online; please provide your order number and a working telephone number for best service. You charge $95 for up to one hour of Custom Design Services. How does that work, and within what time frame must I use my services before it expires? Within one business day of purchasing Custom Design Services as part of an initial order, well before your order is delivered, you will be contacted by email by one of our US-based Custom Designers, and will be provided with a direct email and telephone number. Should you at any time have any questions about the CREATIVE COMPONENTS of your use of our products, which includes our Designers providing custom design services for either print or video, for a period of up to 12 months from purchase, one of our personally selected Designers is an email or phone call away. Your Designer will track the time spent supporting your orders, and will provide at least 60 minutes or more of support in that 12 month design support cycle.
Our Designers are very creative, and proficient in many of the world’s leading software applications, including the majority of those offered in the Adobe® Creative Cloud products. If your needs are more concentrated in the video realm, or if you desire full start-from-scratch design services that will exceed 1-3 hours, we may also recommend/refer one or more affiliated design companies or agencies for your project.
If you are purchasing standalone Design Services (e.g. for a prior order) and cannot wait a business day to be contacted, please use the CONTACT US form on the site and enter “STANDALONE DESIGN SERVICES” in your subject body. We will expedite our support team’s efforts to contact you immediately (during normal business hours); please provide your order number and a working telephone number for best service. How long will it take for your design team to create the artwork for my custom decals, and do you also provide videography services? Within the course of a full hour, our design professionals are typically able to have an initial telephone consultation, receive your preliminary artwork for three (3) decal zones, and one or two videos, optimize them to fit into the product design template (for decals), and into your video brochure’s memory capacity (for videos that cumulatively do not exceed 15 minutes). If you require layout, logo design, copy writing, videography or other full-fledged design services, we suggest that you allocate at least 4 hours for design time, review, optimization, and file transfer / confirmation.
On a side note – by way of comparison, one of the benefits of ordering 50 or more custom brochures from partner manufacturers like TV in a Card, is that up to four hours of custom design time is included in their pricing. This explains why buying 50 custom TV Brochures from TV in a Card is still more expensive (on a per unit basis) than buying only 5 Express Video Brochures from us – there is significant value (and cost) to the creative process, and for creative customers, the savings add up. Express Video Brochures is the best, most cost effective and fastest solution for customers who provide the creative power to take our standard Express Video Brochures, and make them unique!
Custom Brochures
If I order 50 or more units, will you change the pre-printed “standard” frames and inside right “screen” page to meet my unique needs? If you desire a truly custom express video brochure (which can include far more customization than frame size or screen page artwork), AND have a slightly larger budget and window for delivery (3-4 weeks), we will put you directly in touch with one of our manufacturer partners. They are able to coordinate the manufacturing, printing, and electronic design services to provide a truly custom design. There are literally thousands of different ways to create a truly custom video brochure, including different combinations of control buttons, screen sizes, memory, battery life, and even headphone jacks, slide show capacity, motion sensors, and an unlimited assortment of brochure sizes.
That said, if all you request is a change in the design of the pre-printed frames and right screen page (and are willing to utilize the standard button and screen layouts, and size / material used on the video brochure model), AND if you are willing to wait for up to 4 weeks for 50 or more units, a “white label” Custom Express Video Brochure (and die-cut decals) may be perfect for your needs. Please inquire about the modest additional cost of designing and manufacturing a white label custom express video brochure by using our CONTACT US form. Are there other colors, brands, screen and/or brochure sizes on the Express Video Brochure horizon? We are always looking to expand our offerings, not only based on design, screens, and brochure sizes, but also based on manufacturers and feature sets. Any manufacturer, domestically or internationally, who wishes to consign customizable video brochures to our Express Video Brochure marketplace is invited to contact us immediately via our CONTACT US form. We have a business card sized Express Video Brochure coming soon, for example, and have other exciting developments that we will unveil in our first 18 months of operations.
We are also open to suggestions for new products, so please let us know if you have a great idea for a new video brochure. Who knows – you may even get a free Express Video Brochure if we utilize your recommendation!
Lastly, check back often, particularly during holidays. Limited Edition video brochures are offered with little or no advance notice.
Misc.
Why don’t you provide a phone number on your website? Online ecommerce sites much larger than ours (Amazon.com for example) have learned that well-designed websites can offset the costs of live support and call centers. We happen to agree. We are able to offer superior prices for our products by insuring our web site provides all the information needed for 99% of our customers to make informed decisions before purchasing. If we were to staff call centers, we would no longer be the world’s Do-It-Yourself Customizable Video Brochure price leaders. We service CONTACT US / email requests at least three times daily, and will provide direct contact information to those who purchase our Tech Support, Custom Design Services, or who have filed a valid request for replacement of defective units.
We appreciate your understanding, and welcome reinforcing testimonials from our growing base of satisfied customers, who have had extremely positive end-to-end experiences with our site and products!
Can I reuse my video brochure? The on-board memory of our Express Video Brochures allow for the easy replacement or removal of videos by simply connecting them to your desktop, using an approved USB charging / upload cable; therefore, yes, the video portion of the product is completely reusable. The battery life of our products are extensive, and when properly recharged, can last years.
However, since the die-cut decals currently only feature permanent adhesive backing (an upgraded, removable backing adhesive is in the works), attempting to remove and replace decals will likely not work well for most people. You certainly can purchase additional decals and print/apply new decals over the old decals, but the bottom decal’s artwork (and presence) may still be very obvious, and could give the recipient of the video brochure a less-than-professional opinion of the party presenting it to them… (that’s a nice way of saying: why not buy more?) I admit it – I broke my video brochure! Are you able to fix it? At this time, we do not offer video brochure repair services (and likely never will). We do ask that you please dispose of it properly, as you would any recyclable electronic device or rechargeable battery. I would prefer to NOT provide MY customers with YOUR company’s name (or that of your manufacturers), which are printed on your products. How can I remove your Express Video Brochure and / or manufacturer’s branding from the products I buy? In candor, one of the ways we keep our prices low is by managing our marketing budgets; branding our products provides us (and our manufacturers) with an excellent means of reaching new customers who are “wowed” by our products, when received from our existing customers. This “free” advertising is of value to us, and our prices to you reflect these savings.
Until we launch an “unbranded” video brochure product line (which will be more expensive in light of the lack of marketing value to us or our manufacturers), the only other solution we can recommend is to order a “white label” Custom Express Video Brochure in quantities of 50 units or more. Please see the FAQ above on this topic.