Stitchy Fish Customer Service: Comprehensive Guide for Orders, Support, and Policies

Executive Overview

Stitchy Fish is a specialty apparel and embroidery studio founded in 2012, focused on small-batch custom stitching, patches, and garment repairs. Our customer-service organization supports B2C and light B2B orders; we process approximately 18,000 orders per year with a 4.7/5 average customer rating across independent review platforms as of 2024. This guide explains practical procedures, SLAs, pricing examples, contact points, and escalation paths so customers and partners can get prompt, predictable outcomes.

We operate a centralized fulfillment and support center at 123 Harbor Lane, Suite 200, Portland, ME 04101, with a secondary production hub in Asheville, NC. Stitchy Fish employs a dedicated customer-service team of 12 representatives and 6 technical stitch specialists; our target metrics are 24-hour initial response for email and 3-minute live chat wait time during peak hours.

Contact Channels, Hours, and Response SLAs

Primary channels are phone, email, live chat, SMS/text, and a customer portal. Phone support is available Mon–Fri 08:00–20:00 ET and Sat 09:00–15:00 ET; closed Sunday and major U.S. holidays (New Year’s Day, July 4, Thanksgiving, Christmas). Typical SLA: phone and live chat responses within 3 minutes during open hours; email and portal messages answered within 24 business hours (average actual first reply 3 hours). For urgent production issues, call our priority line below for guaranteed same-day escalation.

Key operational cutoffs: orders placed by 14:00 ET on business days enter same-day production batching; custom digitization requests received before 11:00 ET are usually approved and quoted same business day. Shipping cutoff for same-day dispatch is 16:00 ET for domestic standard. Expect manufacturing lead times of 3–7 business days for custom embroidered garments and 7–14 business days for fully bespoke orders (large artwork or complex patch sets).

• Customer support phone: +1 (800) 555-0199 (Mon–Fri 08:00–20:00 ET, Sat 09:00–15:00 ET)
• Email: [email protected] — use subject line: “Order #12345” for fastest routing
• Website & portal: https://www.stitchyfish.com/support — track orders, upload artwork, and submit returns
• SMS/WhatsApp (limited): +1 (207) 555-0123 — opt-in required at checkout

Order Processing, Pricing, and Fulfillment Details

Pricing is transparent on the website but summarized here for planning: single-color 3″ embroidered patch starts at $9.95; full-color 4″ patch $14.95; standard jacket embroidery begins at $24.95 per location; full custom jacket work from $79.00 depending on materials. Turnaround fees: rush production (48-hour) adds $19.99 per order; expedited shipping choices range from $9.95 (2–3 business days) to $29.99 (overnight). Shipping is calculated at checkout and free for orders over $150 to continental U.S.

We use carrier-integrated tracking (UPS, USPS, DHL for international). Tracking numbers are posted to the customer portal within one hour of shipment. For bulk or trade accounts (5+ orders per month) we offer negotiated fulfillment schedules, inventory kitting, and monthly invoicing; typical trade account setup requires a minimum monthly volume of $750 or a one-time onboarding fee of $49.

Returns, Refunds, and Warranty Procedures

Stitchy Fish offers a 30-day satisfaction window for non-custom merchandise and a 14-day policy for customized items we will accept for adjustment or repair rather than refund. A one-year limited warranty covers manufacturing defects (loose threading, machine mis-stitch) but excludes normal wear, chemical damage, or misuse. Warranty claims require photos, order number, and a short description submitted through the portal; typical processing time is 3–7 business days.

Refund amounts and timelines: approved refunds to the original payment method are processed within 5–7 business days; store credit is issued within 24 hours of approval. For returned items requiring inspection, we log condition codes and keep records for quality improvement; customers are asked to include an RMA number (issued via portal) on all return packages to avoid delays.

• How to file a return or warranty claim: 1) Log into https://www.stitchyfish.com/support, 2) Select Order → Returns → Request RMA, 3) Upload photos, 4) Ship to: Stitchy Fish Returns, 123 Harbor Lane, Suite 200, Portland, ME 04101. Use a tracked method and keep tracking for 30 days.
• Repair pricing examples: minor repair (re-secure seam or small patch) $15–$35; patch replacement $25–$65 depending on size and digitization complexity. Labor & shipping billed separately when not covered by warranty.

Technical Support and Custom Orders

Custom digitization for embroidery files (DST/EXP) is priced at $12–$45 depending on stitch count and complexity; turnarounds typically 1–2 business days. For logos with heavy gradients or photo-realistic art we recommend converting to vector art (AI, EPS) before digitization to preserve clean stitch paths; we offer in-house vector conversion starting at $29. Digitization includes two revision cycles; additional revisions billed at $10 each.

When submitting artwork, include required specs: 300 DPI at 1:1 scale, vector preferred, and indicate desired stitch density and placement (e.g., left chest 3.5″ wide, 45 degree angle). For patches, specify backing (iron-on, sew-on, Velcro) and edge type (merrowed, laser-cut). Our technical team documents every file with stitch count estimates and run time so customers can anticipate machine hours and final costs.

Service Metrics, Escalation, and Continuous Improvement

Key performance targets for customer service: first response within 24 hours for email, average live-chat wait under 3 minutes, and first-contact resolution (FCR) target of 82%. Current measured performance (Q1–Q4 2024): average first reply 3 hours, FCR 78%, Net Promoter Score (NPS) 62. We run monthly quality reviews and root-cause analyses on returns; the top three causes of rework are improper artwork format (41%), customer-specified color mismatch (27%), and unexpected fabric behavior (18%).

Escalation path: 1) Frontline rep, 2) Supervisor review within 24 hours, 3) Technical stitch specialist review within 48 hours, 4) Director-level review for complex disputes. For trade accounts or time-sensitive production, request a priority escalation code at order submission to shorten this ladder. We publish monthly service metric summaries to account holders upon request to maintain transparency.

Practical Tips for Faster Resolutions

Always include the order number, high-resolution photos of any defect, and a brief timeline when contacting support; these three data points reduce triage time by an estimated 60%. Use the customer portal for file uploads — portal submissions are routed to production automatically and skip manual entry by support. If you need the item for an event, flag the order as “Event” during checkout and call the priority line; we will hold a production slot and confirm delivery dates in writing.

Keep common specifications ready: garment fabric type, thread color codes (Pantone or RGB), desired stitch counts, and preferred backing. For recurring corporate orders, consider our account-stored artwork and re-order templates; a template reduces digitization time to zero and can cut turnaround by 48–72 hours on future runs.