Scope
In the graphic industry, the following delivery and payment terms apply unless other agreements have been made in writing. They must be brought to the customer’s attention when a quotation is submitted.
Quotations
Unless otherwise stated, the price calculations in the quotations are based on complete documents and data suitable for calculation, as well as binding, clearly defined specifications regarding content, layout, and dimensions. Offers made on the basis of incomplete or not yet available documents are non-binding and serve only as indicative prices. In the interest of the printer, all quotations and order confirmations must be issued in writing. For quotations without a specified validity period, the price commitment expires after 90 days.
Contents of the printing contract
The printer undertakes to produce the printed matter ordered, and the client undertakes to pay all costs incurred. These include costs for the production of films or the processing of data, which may be itemized separately. However, the printer is under no obligation to hand over such films, data, working materials, or tools unless this is expressly agreed in the printing contract.
Prices
Unless otherwise agreed, the quoted or confirmed prices are net prices excluding value-added tax. Any transport costs incurred must be stated separately. The prices are subject to possible material price surcharges or collectively agreed wage increases that may occur before completion of the order, and the resulting price implications must be communicated to the client.
Orders for third parties
If the client concludes the printing order on behalf of a third party or with the aim of invoicing a third party, they remain the contracting party of the printer and thus the debtor with regard to payment; unless they identify themselves in writing as an authorized representative of the third party when the contract is concluded.
Terms of payment
The invoice amount is payable within 30 days of the invoice date without any deductions. Delivered goods remain the property of the printer until payment has been received. The printer may also demand payment guarantees after acceptance of the order. If these are not provided, further order processing may be suspended, whereby the accrued costs become due immediately. If orders require the commitment of larger sums of money, either for material and external work, or because the order processing extends over more than two months, the printer is entitled to demand advance payments to cover their expenses. The amount of the advance payments and their due dates must be specified in the order confirmation. Papers and cardboard purchased at the request of the customer, which are not used within three months, will be invoiced by the printer, including the associated expenses.
Delivery periods
Firmly assured delivery dates only apply if the required documents (image and text templates, films, manuscripts or data, approval to print, etc.) are received by the printer at the agreed time. Agreed delivery periods begin on the day the printing documents are received by the printer and end on the day the printed matter leaves the printing company. If the approval to print is not given within the set deadline, the printer is no longer bound by the agreed delivery period. Exceeding the delivery date or non-compliance with the delivery period, for which the printer is not responsible (e.g. operational disruptions caused by work stoppages or strikes, lockouts, power shortages, lack of raw materials and all cases of force majeure), do not entitle the customer to withdraw from the contract or hold the printer responsible for any damage incurred. In the event of delays, the printer’s liability is limited to the value of the goods and only if a written confirmation of the deadline is available.
Default of acceptance
If the customer does not accept the goods within a reasonable period after notification of completion, the printer is entitled to invoice the goods and store them at the customer’s expense and risk or store them externally.
Sketches and drafts
Sketches, drafts, design proposals, originals and photographic work will be charged, even if no corresponding printing order is placed.
Copyrights
The copyright to creative and design services is governed by the statutory provisions. Other uses require the express consent of the printer.
Property rights to data and copyrights of the client
Any property rights to data and copyrights of the client remain protected. However, the client has no claim to the retention or surrender of the data provided; unless this is expressly agreed in the printing contract.
Reproduction right
The reproduction and printing of all image and text templates, samples and the like provided to the printer by the client is carried out under the condition and assumption that the customer owns the corresponding reproduction rights. This also applies to stored archive data and its reuse.
Reproduction documents, tools
The working documents (photographic images, films, data, typesetting, montages, printing plates, etc.) and tools (stamping dies, embossing plates, etc.) created by a printing company remain the property of the printing company.
Additional expenses
Additional expenses caused by the customer or their authorized intermediary compared to the offer (such as template and manuscript cleaning or revision, additional processing of data carriers or text/image data, as well as in the case of defective, missing or poorly suitable documents for reproduction) will be invoiced additionally.
Author’s corrections
Author’s corrections (subsequent text changes, image rearrangements, changes in the layout and the like) are not included in the offered prices and will be charged additionally according to the time spent.
Industry-standard tolerances
Industry-standard deviations in execution and material, in particular cutting accuracy, fidelity of reproduction, tonal value and quality of the printing media (paper, cardboard, etc.), are reserved. If tolerances are imposed on the printer by suppliers, these also apply to the printer’s customer.
Excess or short delivery
Excess or short deliveries of up to 10% of the quantity ordered – in the case of special production of the material up to 20% – cannot be objected to without a different agreement. The quantity actually delivered will be invoiced.
Material supplied by the customer
Material procured by the customer must be delivered to the printer free of charge. The customer is liable for all damages that may arise from any unsuitability of the material (quality and quantity). This also includes storage of the material at the expense and risk of the client.
Call-off orders
In the case of call-off orders, the additional costs incurred for the use of the warehouse and the interest on the capital tied up in the order (labor, material) are borne by the customer.
Deliveries, packaging
When the goods are delivered in one shipment to a location in Switzerland (valley railway station), the packaging and transport costs are included in the price (exceptions are micro and small orders). Deviating shipping methods will be invoiced to the customer according to expenditure. Pallets, containers and boxes will be exchanged or invoiced at cost price if they are not returned in good condition and carriage paid within 4 weeks of receipt of the shipment. The performance-related heavy vehicle charge (LSVA) as a tax component is shown separately as a cost surcharge on deliveries on the invoice.
Notice of defects
The work delivered by the printing company must be checked upon receipt. Any complaints regarding quality and quantity must be made within 8 days of receipt at the latest, otherwise the delivery is considered accepted. In the event of justified complaints, the damage will be remedied within a reasonable period.
Limitations of liability
Manuscripts, data, films, originals, photographs, etc. handed over to the printer, as well as stored printed matter or other objects brought in, are treated with the usual care. The client must insure or bear further risks themselves without a special written agreement. Any liability for any further asserted, direct or indirect damages resulting from defects exceeding the order value is excluded vis-à-vis the end consumer, subject to mandatory provisions of the Product Liability Act of 1 January 1994.
For electronic data and data transfer
The printer assumes no responsibility for data supplied by the customer that is incorrect or incomplete in terms of content. Likewise, any liability is rejected if supplied data cannot be processed or used as standard and this results in qualitative defects in the printed product. The printer assumes no liability for data loss of supplied files that are to be further processed. The liability of the printer is limited to errors caused by them that are due to gross negligence. When electronically created and processed typesetting/image information is delivered or returned to the customer, a complete data printout on paper is included.
Languages used
The printer assumes no liability with regard to language properties, grammar or syntax in the documents supplied to the printer by the client.
Control and test documents
The client is obliged to check the control and test documents (proofs, copies, files, etc.) sent to them before the final completion of the order for errors and to return them, provided with the approval to print and any correction instructions, within the agreed period. The printer is not liable for errors overlooked by the client. Corrections and changes given by telephone must be confirmed in writing by the client within 24 hours, otherwise no legal effects can be derived. If the client waives the submission of control and test documents, they bear the full risk. The liability of the printer is limited to gross negligence.
Archiving of working documents
The printer has no obligation to archive working documents (data, films, etc.); unless this is expressly agreed. If the printing contract is additionally supplemented with an archiving contract, the archiving is carried out at the risk of the client and will be invoiced additionally. Any liability of the printer for the loss of data or loss or damage to films or other working documents is excluded.
Place of performance and jurisdiction
The place of performance for both parties is the location of the printing company. The ordinary courts of the location of the printing company have jurisdiction to assess disputes, unless another agreement is made. Swiss law is applicable.
Acknowledgement
The placing of a printing order includes the acknowledgement of these General Terms and Conditions by the customer.
Status notice
Source: Viscom – Swiss Association for Visual Communication, Zurich, July 2005.
Created for prixo AG on 2025-11-05.
