There are so many suppliers to choose from it can be difficult to know which one to go with.
So… Having flicked through a few of the thousands of websites selling promotional products, you’ve finally decided what product you like the look of.
You may have noticed by now that many promotional products suppliers sell exactly the same stuff. Sure, they may change the names, and the pictures maybe ever so slightly different, but essentially they’re the same items.
If you’ve never bought promotional products before and therefore never experienced the service of any supplier, I suppose the question of ‘who to go with‘ actually comes down to price. Sure, a nice conversation with a customer services representative, may help you decide that if you do go ahead with an order, you’d like to give the business to them. However, if that friendly member of staff can’t get their prices down to the same, if not better, than the next supplier, no amount of humour, niceties or whatever drew you towards them, will suffice.
Here are a few key points that you should judge your supplier on:
Communication
What’s their correspondence like? Also, do they know what they’re talking about? The branding (printing, engraving, embroidering, etc.) process, can be extremely complicated and you need to be in the hands of an expert. Let’s face it, they’re dealing with your band, and you’re reputation can rests on these promotional products. They have to be good.
Price
Who’s the cheapest? Be savvy… Get three quotes. Best practise is to request a quote from each supplier in writing, based on your artwork. Email them your artwork if necessary. Do not simply compare prices online, as many sites don’t display additional costs like origination (branding setup) and delivery prices.
Lead Time
Can the supplier meet your delivery date? If your order is time sensitive, make sure that your supplier can guarantee your delivery date. Get it in writing. Beware, if your supplier says they need your order and artwork by a certain time/date to guarantee you a delivery date, don’t wait till the last minute.
Obviously, service speaks volumes. If you have bought before, and you had a good experience maybe it’s best to stick with that same supplier, even if you have to pay a few pennies more… They may be worth it.
What are your thoughts about “What promotional products suppliers?”
Click HERE to jump to the comments section:
- Has branded promotional products helped you win business?
- Do people like getting free gifts?
- What’s the best promotional gift you’ve seen?
- Quality or cheap promotional items?
- Do you get prices from three suppliers?
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