Yesterday we introduced a print by the Starn Twins. Within 20 seconds all the slots had been filled and within 7 minutes all the orders were processed. I wanted to respond to some of the common emails we received yesterday from people who were disappointed that they missed out.

Can't you produce another edition?

One of the reasons 20x200 works for artists and collectors is that we close editions. Once we've sold out, there are no more prints.

I saw 25 prints remaining. Why did it say sold out when I put the order through?

We only update pages once after you land on the site, so in fast selling editions it's possible that 25 more orders started being processed after you arrived. Even if you hit refresh, sometimes numbers get cached in memory depending on the browser you're using. So sometimes the numbers are misleading.

I had google problems. What can I do to make those go away?

If you want to move quickly, the best thing you can do is to set up your google checkout account beforehand. You can do this at http://checkout.google.com. When setting up an account google charges you $1 and then credits you $1. Usually this is instant, but sometimes the procedure takes hours. Most people with google problems are stuck waiting for that transaction or one of the other credit checks google runs to clear. Also make sure your address and phone number are up to date. Google verifies your credit card info against them.

Why wasn't the new edition up at 2:00PM EST as promised (and why did the email go out after 2:00PM EST)?

We're a small company and we're human and things don't always make it out the door on time. All this said, we're trying to be better and more predictable.

Why was the edition sold out when I checked my email?

Depending on how your email is set up it might check the server every minute, every ten minutes, or every thirty minutes. People whose email programs check their servers more frequently get their emails faster than those who have it set at longer intervals. Also depending on the vagaries of the internet some emails take longer to be routed to their destinations. With a fast selling edition this can mean the difference between getting a print and not getting one.

Generally speaking emails go out before the edition is posted live on the site, so if we're running late we'll post first to the email and then post to the site 30 minutes to an hour later. You can buy as soon as you get your email. If you have some problem reading the email in your reader you can always go to ttp://www.20x200.com/email. Buyin g early is the big advantage of being on the email list. For fast selling editions being on the list is the only way to get an edition as they are starting to sell out before we post to the live site.

What happens with cancellations? Is there a waiting list?

Cancelled orders go back into the pool and show up on the site. This is why inventory sometimes fluctuates. We don't have a waiting list because quite frankly it would be too hard to keep track of.

How do I know my order went through and what's the best way to contact you about an order?

If you receive a Purchase receipt email from Google Checkout with a order number, you order went through. In that email is a link to request a change in the order. You can also just reply to the Purchase receipt.

Is there nothing I can do?

If you like the work of one 20x200 artist, the odds are that you'll like others. We have new editions every week. So if you don't manage to get one today, you'll get one in the future. If things get too crazy and editions regularly sell out so fast that most of our list is disappointed, we'll release editions more frequently. There's nothing we enjoy more than connecting artists with collectors!