The promotional gift industry is just like so many others. Order from the larger suppliers and chances are you will pay too much!
I can remember when I first started supplying promotional merchandise. There were the small companies who had to fight for every order and the larger suppliers who simply blanket mailed hundreds of thousands of brochures to businesses everywhere.
Back in those days, the larger businesses had it easy because they had the means to promote to the masses. Now, however, their numbers are dwindling because we are all able to promote our products to the masses.
Some of the larger suppliers are finding it hard to compete because of the way their businesses are structured. They were taken off guard by the new and free internet based marketing methods – choosing instead to carry on as before with out of date show rooms and expensive printed catalogues.
What does this mean to you as a purchaser of promotional merchandise?
I do not wish to speak badly about any competitor but if their promotional methods are out of date and you use them – you will most likely end up paying too much.
Think of it this way. Senator Pens is one of the most popular promotional pen manufacturers world wide. Senator only sell their pens through distributors – promotional gifts suppliers. They are also quite fair with their pricing extending the same trade prices to their distributors regardless of their size. This is standard practice.
If company A is switched on and able to promote these pens inexpensively or even free of charge through quality websites, social media and social networks, they will not need to mark them up very much to make a nice profit.
If company B, on the other hand, uses more traditional methods such as expensive printed catalogues, sales reps and costly flash offices, they will no doubt need to mark the pens up more.
How your supplier chooses to promote themselves is not your problem. What could be your problem, however, is if you end up paying way over the odds for the same pens just because your supplier hasn’t progressed with the times.
It is therefore very important to look around and compare prices before proceeding with a large order.
I have seen prices for the same exact promotional products vary up to 50%! We aren’t just talking about small savings here. The difference in price can be substantial.
Tags: business gifts, promotional gifts suppliers, promotional items, Promotional merchandise