How We Chose the Best Promotional Product Suppliers Out There
The companies we’ve featured are ideal for anyone looking to buy custom merchandise in bulk, such as businesses, church groups, sports teams, charities, schools, and more.
We took an in-depth look at their pricing structure, the products on offer, how easy it is to design your own merchandise, the quality of the print, customer service, and the shipping costs.
What Should You Look for in a Promotional Products Supplier?
- Pricing: You’ll want to know that your per-item cost is low enough that you can place a bulk order so there’s enough merchandise for everyone.
- Scope of services: Be sure the vendor offers the extent of services you’re looking for to suit your specific needs.
- Selection of items: A wide range of product options gives you many choices for ordering in many different categories.
- Creation and delivery time: Find out how long it takes to have items made and delivered so you know you’ll get your goods when you need them.
- Level of customization: Does the promotional products supplier customize items to the level you need, or provide items from a generic range of options?
- Customer service: The distributor you work with should be responsive to your questions and concerns. You want a company that can reliably deliver on the timeline you’ve set. And your custom merchandise supplier should have a fair return policy should you need to send back any goods.
- Free samples: Free samples can help you fine-tune your order before committing to buying a bulk quantity. What is the merchandise provider’s policy on sending a branded sample?
- Printing technique: There are several methods for printing your custom logo or design, such as silk-screening, sublimation, heat transfer, and more. You’ll want your promotional product supplier to work with you to find the best printing approach for your merchandise.
What Are Some Important Points to Consider When Ordering Promotional Swag?
Customizable Space
Make sure your design or logo will fit on the item you’re personalizing. Some services offer very little space to customize the merchandise and your logo ends up getting lost.
Choose a supplier that gives you the most flexibility to customize color, logo placement, and more.
Product Quality
The promotional products you give away represent your brand — and you don’t want to be perceived as cheap or low-quality. Make sure that whatever products you choose are well-made and sturdy and will be with their recipient for a long time.
Think about it: would you prefer they toss the pen with your logo on it after a week or keep using that awesome thermos they got from you for years to come? Exactly. Make sure people associate your brand with quality goods. Bad swag can devalue your brand.
Samples
The best way to make sure the quality of your branded swag is right is to order sample prints before placing a bulk order. Be sure that the company will provide you with a virtual mockup to approve, followed by a physical sample.
Holding the actual item in your hands gives you a better sense of what your future customers will think of your brand.
What Are the Hottest Swag Items People Are Ordering in 2024?
- T-shirts and sweatshirts remain a perennial favorite for swag apparel.
- Mugs and other drinkware like water bottles, beer cans, and tumblers are popular choices this year as well.
- Pens, calendars, notepads, and other desk accessories also make for popular giveaways.
- Bags of various kinds, like tote bags, duffel bags, and canvas shopping bags are useful and appreciated.
- Conference freebies like lanyards, bracelets, and keychains are always hot items.
FAQs
- What are some of the bestselling promotional products these days?
A sign of the times, face masks printed with a logo and branded mini bottles of hand sanitizer are best-selling promotional products. USB drives are also common giveaway items.
Drawstring backpacks, tote bags, and hats are some other popular customized items. Inexpensive freebies like keychains and calendars are widely sold products as well. - Which giveaways are among the most popular to receive?
People love getting all sorts of freebies. What are their favorites? Items they can wear or use like t-shirts, hats, umbrellas, and backpacks are really appreciated.
Headphones, water bottles, and tech-related items like phone chargers and phone grips get clients excited as well. People like getting pens, cups, and flashlights, too. - Are promotional items effective?
Is branded swag worth the expense to your company? Yes. Most people use their branded merchandise for more than a year. And those who don’t use your promotional goods usually pass them on to someone else, increasing your visibility and solidifying your brand awareness.
Promotional items are essentially souvenirs that create brand recognition and a positive association between people and your message.
The Bottom Line
To sum up, branded merchandise may seem dated, but our findings show that it’s anything but. To put it simply, people get excited when you give them things for free. Promotional swag leaves a lasting impression on people and creates a bond with your brand or service.
There’s a huge array of merchandise available at every price point so you can find just the right freebie to share. And with our Top10.com guide, it’s easy to choose a trustworthy vendor and find your perfect swag.