5 Reasons Ordering Promotional Products Online Isn’t Always Cheaper

Ordering promotional products online looks easy: find a product, upload your logo, choose a quantity and check out.

But the lowest price you see isn’t always the lowest final cost. Unexpected fees, poor product quality, artwork issues or missed deadlines can turn a “great deal” into an expensive mistake.

Here are 5 things to consider before placing your next promotional product order online.

1. The Price You See Isn’t Always the Price You Pay

A product advertised at $3.99 each may sound like a great deal, but your final cost could include setup fees, decoration charges, artwork fees, freight, rush charges and taxes.

The better question isn’t “What’s the price per item?” It’s “What’s my total cost?”

2. The Product May Look Different in Person

Online photos don’t always tell the whole story. A product may look great on screen but feel cheap, be smaller than expected, have different colours or simply not be the right fit for your brand.

Ordering hundreds of products before seeing a sample can be a costly mistake.

3. Your Time Has a Price Too

How long does it take to search for the right product, compare suppliers, check minimum quantities, review shipping costs, confirm inventory and figure out artwork requirements?

Your time has value.

A promotional products representative can do much of that research for you, helping you narrow down options based on your budget, quantity, audience and deadline.

4. Artwork Problems Can Become Expensive Problems

Your logo may look perfect on your computer, but promotional products often have specific artwork and decoration requirements.

Vector files, colours, print areas, embroidery limitations and resolution can all affect the finished product.

Having someone help with artwork and proofing before production can prevent costly mistakes.

5. When Something Goes Wrong, Who Are You Calling?

What happens if your order is late, arrives damaged or doesn’t look the way you expected?

With a self-service website, you may have to navigate customer service on your own.

Working with a promotional products representative means having someone who knows your order, your artwork, your deadline and your expectations—and can help communicate with the supplier if something goes wrong.

Is Ordering Online Bad?

Not at all.

If you know exactly what you want, have plenty of time and understand the product specifications, ordering online can make sense.

But when you’re placing a large order, working toward an event deadline or trying to choose the right product for your audience, the cheapest option isn’t always the best value.

What Are You Really Paying For With a Promotional Products Rep?

You’re getting more than someone who places an order.

You’re getting help with product sourcing, comparisons, budget recommendations, artwork coordination, proofing, production timelines, supplier communication and problem solving.

Most importantly, you’re getting help before you spend the money.

Before You Click “Add to Cart”…

Ask yourself:

* Do I know the total cost?

* Am I confident in the product quality?

* Is this the right product for my audience?

* Is my artwork production-ready?

* Do I have enough time?

* Do I know what happens if something goes wrong?

If you’re unsure about several of these questions, working with a promotional products representative may save you more than money—it can save you time, frustration and expensive mistakes.

Don’t Spend Three Hours Searching for a Water Bottle.

Tell Go2Girl Promotional Products what you’re looking for, your budget, quantity, audience and deadline.

We’ll help curate options that make sense for your campaign.

You run your business. We’ll search for the swag.

Go2Girl Promotional Products — Your personal shopper for branded merchandise.