Promotional Products & The Supply Chain – What to Watch Out For.

A successful supply chain is one where you know exactly WHERE your goods are coming from, WHO is making them and WHAT they are made of.

That said, as long as your batch of branded T-shirts turn up looking good, isn’t that all that matters?

Well, yes. If you are working with a trusted supplier (like, maybe – Us!), hopefully all you will need to worry about is getting your quality promotional products delivered on time. However, if you source direct or choose your supplier on price alone, the lack of transparency could backfire. Big time.

What to Watch Out For?

Rock Bottom Prices: Sure, we all want to save money – but not at the risk of quality and safety. Dirt cheap promotional products are a false economy. If they break easily and add little value, then they tarnish the reputation of your brand and will have a shorter shelf life – the exact opposite reason for engaging a promotional marketing strategy!

Sourcing Direct: If your supply chain operates across international borders (and for the purpose of reducing cost most of them do), then transparency across every link becomes more important still. Building up trusted relationships with manufacturers and distributors takes time, and if you are flying blind (without a team on the ground), the potential for delays, stuff ups and unethical behaviors increases even more.

A Clueless Supplier: Even if you have engaged a local supplier, it is worth doing a bit of further research. These days, anyone can be a supplier/retailer, and just because they have an online presence, it doesn’t mean they are experienced. We suggest you check reviews, ask for referrals, make sure their business is committed to corporate social responsibility and has a supplier code of conduct that their contractors must comply with.

At Inck, we believe our responsibility extends beyond the mandatory testing, risk assessments and quality procedures expected. Working closely across the supply chain allows us to maintain full transparency and ensure safer working conditions and products responsibly made. So, if you are looking for quality branded merchandise, with less smoke and mirrors, give the team at INCK a call today!