Cutting the Cost of an International Lacombe Print

Shipping, not the print, is where international orders get expensive. The format you choose, the size you order and the carrier you accept decide most of the final bill.

Auvrique Editorial · Fine Art Editions

The short answer

The cheapest route is an unframed print shipped rolled in a tube, which typically costs $15 to $40 internationally depending on size and destination. Framed editions weigh more and usually run $40 to $100 or more. Choosing a smaller sheet, avoiding glass and consolidating into one shipment are the three levers that cut the bill furthest.

Why the Format Sets the Price

Shipping cost tracks weight and dimensions more than distance. A rolled print in a cardboard tube weighs a few hundred grams and fits standard postal tiers. The same image framed adds a rigid panel, corner protection and often two or three kilograms. On a cross-border shipment that difference can double or triple the fee, and glass or acrylic triggers surcharges with many carriers.

This is why the honest answer to cheap international Lacombe print shipping is usually to buy unframed and frame locally. A framer near you cuts both the shipping weight and the risk of transit damage. If you prefer the finished look of a framed piece, compare a lighter framed poster against a canvas before ordering, since the two formats ship very differently. Our guide to choosing between a canvas print and a framed poster canvas versus framed poster walks through that trade-off in detail.

What the Options Typically Cost

Exact figures vary by printer, so treat these as planning ranges rather than quotes. A small unframed print, roughly A3 or under, generally ships internationally for $10 to $25. Larger sheets up to about 60 centimetres wide run $20 to $45 rolled. Framed posters in a similar size start around $40 and climb past $100 once packaging and tracking are added.

Canvas prints sit in the middle. Stretched canvas is bulky but lighter than a framed panel, and many studios ship it rolled on a tube for $30 to $60 internationally, leaving stretching to a local shop. If a rolled canvas suits you, it is worth comparing against a framed poster edition before you commit, because the price gap between formats is often wider than the price gap between sellers. Delivery times for made-to-order work are covered separately made-to-order delivery times.

Check Before You Commit

The fee on the checkout page is rarely the whole cost. Customs duties and import VAT apply in most countries above a low threshold, and the carrier may add a brokerage fee for collecting them. On a $60 order into the EU or UK, those charges can add $15 to $30. Ask whether the quoted price includes duties, or whether you will pay on delivery.

Tracking matters more on a budget order, not less. An untracked parcel that disappears costs you the full amount plus reprints. Free tracked options do exist, usually through national postal services rather than private couriers, and many print studios offer them above a minimum order value. It is also fair to note that this catalogue does not currently carry Lacombe editions, so the same checks apply wherever you buy, whether that is a rolled canvas like a canvas edition shipped rolled or a framed piece. If a print arrives damaged, the refund terms refund policy will matter more than the $10 you saved on shipping.

The cheapest shipment is the one that never needs replacing. Untracked postage is a false economy.

Format	Typical cost	Notes
Unframed print, rolled	$10 to $45	Lightest option, frame locally
Canvas, rolled on tube	$30 to $60	Stretching done by a local framer
Framed poster	$40 to $100 plus	Heaviest, most damage-prone

Typical international shipping ranges by format

Key takeaways

Rolled, unframed prints are almost always the cheapest format to ship across borders.
Framing locally removes weight from the parcel and reduces the chance of transit damage.
Budget for customs duties and import VAT, which the checkout price often excludes.
Choose free tracked postal shipping over a slightly cheaper untracked service.

Related questions

Is it cheaper to ship a print rolled or flat?

Rolled is almost always cheaper. A tube fits standard postal size tiers and weighs less than a rigid flat package, which carriers treat as oversized. Flat shipping with corner board protection is reserved for works that cannot be rolled, such as pieces with pastel or heavy texture, and it costs more as a result.

Will I pay customs charges on an international print order?

In most countries, yes, above a low value threshold. Import VAT and duties are calculated on the declared value, and carriers often add a handling fee of $5 to $15 for collecting them. Some sellers offer duties-paid shipping, where charges are settled at checkout. That option costs more upfront but removes the surprise at the door.

Does a smaller print size save much on shipping?

It can, particularly once a size crosses a carrier's tier boundary. Dropping from a 60 centimetre print to a 40 centimetre one can move a parcel into a cheaper weight and dimension band, saving $10 to $20 internationally. The saving is smaller on framed work, where packaging weight dominates regardless of image size.

From the Auvrique collection

Made to order · Every size