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Archive for the ‘Branded USB’ Category

Not too late to order for Christmas!

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009

Christmas is fast approaching and you may be thinking about an alternative corporate gift for your staff or customers. A branded USB could be a perfect solution and if you act quickly you could even have these printed and delivered before Christmas!

Impact Branded USB Memory Stick

Branded Memory Sticks are typically used for events, promotions, staff giveaways and corporate events. You can also load your company data files or brochures onto the drives making them a great alternative to paper based options or CD’s.

At USB2U we have stock available which can be printed, loaded with your data and delivered before Christmas! All you need to do is place your order and provide the artwork and data by the 22nd December. We’ll email you with a proof and your branded USB’s will be printed and delivered within 48 hours!

There are many different models and capacities available such as the Twister, Harbour and Chic. Please call 01604 685040 or email trade@usb2u.co.uk and an Account Manager will discuss your options and provide a quotation.

Merry Christmas

…from all at USB2U

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Not too late to order for Christmas!

Wooden Twister Memory Sticks

Friday, December 11th, 2009

Branded Twister USB Memory Sticks have consistently been the most popular flash drive we’ve supplied over the past few years. Their on-going popularity seems to be down to a number of key factors including the lack of any cap to lose, its clean design/style, the range of colours it comes in and the overall visual impact when branded.

Wooden Twist USB

The classic twisters with are supplied with either a smooth plastic finished or a more tactile “rubberised” finish and if you’re ordering over 100 pieces we can even pantone match the body of the memory stick to any primary colour from your logo and we’ll do this at no extra cost to you!

But, despite its dominance there might be a new contender from the same stable on the horizon. The wooden twister has many of the key attributes of its metal/plastic counterpart but the silky varnished finish coupled with its eco-friendly pedigree might see it push the classic twister for dominance.

Its early days in the battle between the classic and wooden twister memory stick but watch this space!

If you are interested in either model give us a call or if its easier just complete our on-line enquiry form and we’ll get back to you in a flash!

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Wooden Twister Memory Sticks

Kick off 2010 with a Branded USB Flash Drive

Friday, December 11th, 2009

Have you ended 2009 on a high and want to carry forward some of that momentum into 2010? Or perhaps 2009 has been a poor year and you want to try some alternative ideas and initiatives for 2010 to bolster sales?

Branded USB Packages

Either way it’s worth considering using branded USB memory sticks as part of your overall sales and marketing strategy for 2010. Branded memory sticks are incredibly popular, useful and relatively inexpensive and they can be used in some many ways including:

  1. A “leave behind” for your sales team. Print them with your logo and contact details on and pre-load them with your sales material, product sheets, links to your web sites, sales videos and pricing information.
  2. Sales exhibitions and shows – branded memory sticks pre-loaded with your sales material make excellent give-aways at sales exhibitions and shows Not only are they better received than loads of paper brochures that have to be lugged around all day but, you can deliver much more information. You can also offset the cost of preparing, printing and transporting lots of paper brochures to the event and because you can load data onto the memory stick right up to the day of the event the information (and pricing) can be more dynamic.
  3. Press events – Custom USB or bespoke memory sticks are a great idea for any press event. The capability to produce memory sticks in any eye catching 2-D or 3-D shape really opens up the opportunities to deliver something that excites the invited journalists and fires their imagination. You can of course also pre-load all the relevant information about your press event on the memory stick making life easier for the journalist to access the information they need to write what will hopefully be a great article on your company and/or its new product/service.
  4. Product launches – stimulate the demand for your new product with a “free” or promotional branded or custom memory stick. Combine with a viral e-campaign to generate lots of “on-line chatter” and activity. Integrate into vouchers and coupon offers from the many on-line coupon aggregators. Done well these types of activities can be incredibly cost effective and delivery a real spike in sales.
  5. Conferences and exhibitions – if you’re organising an event or participating in a conference or exhibition then you might want to consider getting some branded memory sticks produced to give away. Again, simple things like pre-loading any presentation material and sales material really will help sales. Today people have an expectation of easy access to information so literally putting your brand; your product and your pricing information into the palm of their hand will help.

The popularity of branded memory sticks does not look like abating so use this to the benefit of your company and deliver a memory stick that will be well received, packed with useful information and supports the development of your brand/products.

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Kick off 2010 with a Branded USB Flash Drive

Top 10 Reasons To Buy Branded Memory Sticks

Friday, December 11th, 2009

I am sure that you have used or at the very least seen Branded USB Memory sticks. They now come in all shapes, designs and styles. So why are Customised USB Memory sticks so popular?

Well here are the top 10 reasons for buying Branded USB Memory Sticks.

Top 10 Reasons To Buy Branded Memory Sticks

  1. Branded USB Memory sticks are a unique way to get you or your client’s brand in front of an existing or potential customer.
  2. Branded USB Memory sticks are a great way to deliver content. The data can be passive, so the user would need to click on the files, or interactive for a more immersive experience.
  3. Branded USB Memory sticks are excellent ‘keep sakes’ and with a high probability that users will save their own information on them. Making the USB a valued tool that has a high intrinsic value.
  4. The cost of USB Flash Memory has fallen dramatically over the past few years, so they have become a far more cost effective promotional item.
  5. USB Branded memory sticks now come in over 100 different models or can be designed and built to order…..making them truly unique to you or your client.
  6. The speed of delivery is now as little as 48hrs, which includes a logo print – so ideal for emergency use.
  7. Branded Memory sticks can be ordered in as little as 25 units – so it can be a targeted campaign.
  8. CD / DVDs are now seen as old hat, with Branded USB Memory sticks taking over as the media of choice for sending content.
  9. The technology has improved making Branded USB highly robust and reliable.
  10. Finally, there are now several professional providers of Branded USB Memory sticks in the UK, making the process of ordering very simple.
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Top 10 Reasons To Buy Branded Memory Sticks

Branded Memory Sticks – Size Matters

Monday, November 30th, 2009

Sales of branded memory sticks continue to surge as more and more companies look to use them to promote their brand, their products or to use as a give away at conferences and exhibitions. Branded Memory sticks make great vehicles for brand promotion and brand development and the fact that you can pre-load them with tons of sales material (PDF brochures, videos, and presentations) helps justify their cost.

USB Sizes

After all if you can load all of your sales material onto a memory stick you can offset your print and transportation cost(s) and these can be significant if you are, for example, exhibiting or running conferences overseas.

When you’re buying branded memory sticks there are a couple of size related issues to consider to make sure that you get a product that delivers for you particular activity or event:

  1. Physical size: As in life not all USB memory sticks are born equal when it comes to size. A couple of years ago most memory sticks were pretty large with the average memory stick being around 7-9cm long and 2-3cm wide.These were (and still are) great if you need plenty of space to print you logo or message on but with the miniaturization of the core flash memory component there has been a comparative reduction in the size of the case or shell that the flash memory fits into. As a consequence the more popular memory sticks used for branding today tend to be the smaller models and styles. For example the ever-popular Twister (Swivel) Memory stick is 5cm long x 1.7cm wide and the new generation of “baby” twisters are a tiny 3cm X 1.5cm.Bearing in mind that the USB connector on the end of the branded memory stick is just over 1cm wide they can’t go much smaller and too small leaves little room to print you logo on!So, when choosing a memory stick consider carefully how your logo will look on it, don’t choose a model that’s too big and cumbersome and looks dated and bear in mind the bigger/older models can obscure other USB ports around them which then means you may need to consider supplying them with a USB cable. Similarly whilst the small, baby style of USB sticks look cute many of them are simply hopeless at carrying a brand and strap line and they are very easy to lose.
  2. Memory size: The most popular choice for memory size at the moment is 1GB (this will store 250 music tracks, 1,000 pictures or tens of thousands of documents). A couple of years ago is was 128MB and if pricing trends over the last couple of months carry forward into 2010 then 2GB prices will be on a par with 1GB.The key to choosing the right memory size is make sure the user has enough space on the flash drive (after you have loaded any data yourself) to use for themselves. You don’t just want the memory stick to be plugged into a PC, any pre-loaded data taken off or viewed and then discarded. To get positive brand association and exposure you want the user to carry and use the memory stick and ideally use if for as long as possible. So, choose the most memory you can afford within your budget. If in any doubt talk through the options with your supplier.

When it comes buying branded memory sticks size is important so take your time and get it right.

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Branded Memory Sticks – Size Matters

Revenge of the Fallen to be offered on Branded USB Drives

Monday, November 16th, 2009

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen has been one of the most popular movies of 2009 so far and is due for Blu Ray UK release on 30th November. The movie has raised the bar in visual entertainment and features state of the art CGI special effects. Now it is even changing the way we watch movies!

Megan Fox /></p> <p>Paramount Digital Entertainment have signed a deal with Kingston to become the first to distribute movies on <span style=Branded USB drives and SD cards along with the traditional DVD and Blu Ray format. Transformers Revenge of the Fallen will become the first movie to be offered in branded USB and SD card format.

The movie itself is uploaded to the branded USB drive and is viewed by plugging the drive into the computer. In fact it can be viewed via any format which has a USB port, such as a Playstation 3. The USB drive acts as a key, which means it has to be plugged in to view the movie. Customers receive this movie on a 4 GB Kingston DataTraveler drive and there is extra space on the drive that can be used for personal storage.

Transformers USB

At USB2U we offer a dataloading service where we can load your data files in the same one as the Transformers drives works. Many of our customers choose to load their corporate data files, training movies and documents onto branded USB’s to hand out to staff, use as giveaways or to sell to their own customers.

Branded USB drives have traditionally been used a promotional item to push corporate brands logos and messages. But now more and more movies are viewed on lap tops and other portable devices the move by Paramount signals how branded USB’s are becoming much more than a promotional item.

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Revenge of the Fallen to be offered on Branded USB Drives

The Rise And Fall Of Branded USB Memory Sticks

Friday, November 13th, 2009

Customers who are familiar with the Branded USB Memory Sticks market will be aware that prices have been unstable for the past 12 months. Many suppliers will only hold quotations for just a few days, some for as little as 24 hours. This is due to the volatility of the USB flash memory market, which has been in a state of flux, due to an imbalance of supply v demand and the falling US Dollar exchange rate.

There are many examples of customers who have received quotation for Customised USB Memory Sticks, then tried to place an order a few weeks later, only to find that the price has risen significantly! This is an unfortunate bi-product of this instability.

Branded USB Memory Sticks

Back in 2008 the price for Branded USB memory sticks were considerably less than they are now. The US Dollar exchange rate was roughly $2 to the £ and there was an oversupply of USB Flash memory. A 1Gb branded memory stick could be purchased for less than £3. Since then, the $ exchange rate has dropped dramatically, at one point down to $1.53 to the £. This immediately added a 25% increase in price. In addition, earlier this year Apple placed an order worth an estimated $500M to purchase flash memory for their iPhone. This took a large proportion of the supply out of the USB flash market. This in turn increased the price of flash by over 30%. This was particular prevalent on the 1GB and 2GB USB Flash chipsets, as these are the most popular Branded USB Memory sizes. Apple are not the only driving force as many other mobile phone and consumer electronic companies have placed large orders for flash memory in the months leading up to Christmas.

However, there are some green shoots in the market. Apple and many of the other flash hungry companies have now completed their Christmas manufacturing and as a result we have seen reductions in the flash memory prices over the past few days!

This coupled with the Dollar exchange rate increasing to $1.65, has seen a large reduction in Branded USB Flash prices.

Market analysts suggest that this is the calm before the next pricing storm, as Branded USB prices are due to increase again in 2010 – so the window of opportunity is short.

At USB2U we’ve been supplying custom memory sticks and branded memory sticks for the last 7 years at very competitive prices. Give us a call or complete the on-line enquiry form and we’ll get back to you in a flash!

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The Rise And Fall Of Branded USB Memory Sticks

USB Memory Stick Accessories – don’t forget them!

Friday, October 23rd, 2009

USB Accessories

A memory stick is a great way to transport data but they can easily find the bottom of your pocket or bag. It is a good idea to remember that USB2U can provide a range of suitable accessories and packaging to help avoid losing that important little stick! There are many different options of accessories and packaging available such as, lanyards, key rings, carabiners and USB extension cables.

USB lanyard

Lanyards

Lanyards are probably the most popular choice with many of our customers. They can be attached securely to the USB drive and placed around the users neck – a great idea to avoid losing vital data!. And while lanyards are typically worn around the neck, it’s not unusual for them to be hanging out of pockets or belt loops, wrapped around as wrist straps or attached to and hanging from many other things! Lanyards can also be branded with your logo or message.

USB keyring

Keyrings

Key Rings are also a useful accessory to consider. Like lanyards they can be attached to the USB drive and in turn attached to your keys meaning you will never be without your memory stick and data! They are available in different sizes and are more robust than lanyards.

USB carabiner

Carabiners

Our carabiner’s are fast becoming a favourite. These function like a climber’s carabiner and can be attached to the hook of your branded USB. They’re also great for attaching onto bags or laptop cases. Unlike most small key rings they are also big enough to carry a brand or logo.

USB extension cable

USB Extension Cables

USB extension cables are worth considering if your PC box is located under your desk. You simply plug the extension into the USB drive of your PC and feed the cable onto your desktop. You’ll never have to struggle to plug your branded USB drive underneath your desk again!

All of the above mentioned accessories can be supplied with your order of branded USB memory sticks and are available in different colours, shapes and sizes. If you are not sure about which would suit you best please contact USB2U where an Account Manager will be happy to discuss your options.

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USB Memory Stick Accessories – don’t forget them!

Branded Memory Sticks – Buyer Beware

Thursday, October 22nd, 2009

OK, so you’ve decided you need some branded memory sticks to support your marketing and advertising activities or perhaps to hand out at an event or seminar or maybe even to give away to staff or customers. Not surprising really as branded memory sticks are incredibly popular and are always well received.

Memory sticks are a great way to get your brand promoted, they have real and perceived intrinsic value, they’re portable, useful and they look great printed or engraved with company logos. Not only this but, the price of memory sticks has fallen to a point where they are now a viable option for many activities and events but, when shopping around for the best deal you do need to have your wits about you.

Branded USB
Branded USB
Branded USB

When sourcing printed memory sticks it’s understandably easy to be led by price and price alone. After all, times are hard at the moment and budgets are tight and it’s critical that you demonstrate to the budget holders that you’ve secured the best deal you can. But, don’t let price be the only arbiter because making a buying decision based on price alone, particularly from a supplier you’ve never dealt with before can this can come back and bite you where it hurts!

Here’s a true tale that illustrates this point – A customer recently asked us to beat a price for a large quantity of 1GB branded memory sticks. The customer in question had gone directly to a factory in China and was presenting us with an incredible price challenge. Despite our best efforts we couldn’t get anywhere near the price and the order was placed on the factory.

When the order arrived and the customer started to load data onto the memory sticks they were surprised to find that although the sticks had 1GB labels on them that they could not load more than 128MB of data! On checking with the factory they were informed that the internal memory was 128MB not the 1GB ordered and paid for. The memory sticks had been “dressed up” to look like 1GB sticks and the factories response was that it was the only way the could meet the customers target price!

The factory has refused to accept the memory sticks back so the client is stuck with thousands of branded memory sticks that are useless for their needs. Whilst litigation would normally be an option, cross border litigation against a factory in China is a little more challenging!

The moral of the story is that if a price seems too good to be true then it most probably is and when sourcing branded memory sticks you are best to use a reputable, local company that have a proven track record of delivery and support.

At USB2U we have been supplying branded USB Memory sticks since 2002. We only work with known and trusted factories that we have met/vetted and whose QA processes meet our strict standards. We also ensure that all memory sticks we import are fully RoHS compliant and meet all the latest WEEE and REACH Compliance Regulations. With USB2U you’re in safe hands and we’ll always do our utmost to offer you the best price we can whilst ensuring your needs are fully met.

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Branded Memory Sticks – Buyer Beware

Why Reselling Branded USB Memory Sticks Could Be A Real Winner

Friday, October 9th, 2009

Are you in the marketing / promotional market? Are you looking to differentiate your existing offering, to add real value, increase the income you get from existing customers or attracting new customers….then why not consider becoming a reseller of USB Branded Memory sticks.

Branded USB Reseller

So what are the benefits of offering Custom USB Memory sticks?

  • Branded USB Memory sticks are a unique way to get a client’s brand and content to end users in a simply and cost effective way.
  • Branded USB Memory sticks are now in the mainstream, so if you are not in the market you could be losing out to your competitors.
  • Customised USB memory sticks are quick and easy to manufacturer and have an intrinsic value associated with them. By adding a small margin you have the potential for a supplementary new income stream.
  • If you are new to promotional market Branded USB can be an excellent launch product.

Printed USB

How can you offer Branded USB Memory sticks?
There are two main ways of offering Branded Memory sticks to your customers.

Option 1 – Buying direct from the Far East.

The vast majority of Branded USB Memory sticks come from China and Taiwan. The advantage of buying direct is that you can cut out the middleman and make more margin. However there are many risks associated with this.

Branded USB

  • Far East suppliers will want their money upfront, before starting any production. So you will have cash flow gap to fund as most clients will pay on delivery or on credit terms.
  • If you have not undertaken careful due diligence on the supplier base you could be risking the quality of the goods that are sent or at worst you may never see any goods!
  • The Promotional USB manufacturing process is complex and is riddled with many potential issues that can really cost you from both a reputational and financial perspective.
  • Customs, duty, VAT will all need accounting for.
  • Post sales support must be provided – so what happens if memory sticks need replacing? Sending Branded USB back to the Far East is a difficult, costly and time consuming process.

Option 2 – Buying from a UK provider.

The good news is that there is an easier and lower risk option. By contracting with a reputable UK supplier they will take all of the problems and risk away from you. They will also manage the time consuming element of the Branded USB manufacturing process, leaving you to manage the customer relationship.

The cost may not be that different from dealing direct, as the larger providers will able to demand great economies of scales.

Finding a reputable UK supplier of Branded Memory Sticks

There are many suppliers providing Branded USB Memory Sticks. As with any industry the quality of the organisations varies widely. Whilst normal due diligence is always required, here are a few tips to help you with the process:

Branded USB

  • It is always good practice to run a credit check to make sure your supplier is in good financial health. This is more important if you are being asked to pay upfront for the Branded USB Memory sticks.
  • Reputation speaks volumes. Don’t be afraid to ask for references and testimonials from their existing customer base and make contact. If they have provided excellent service levels, they will not be embarrassed to share their successes.
  • Make sure there are full contact details on the web site including address and contact telephone numbers – and phone them!
  • Ensure they are working from a business premises. There is a growing trend for individuals pertaining to be companies are working from home without the infrastructure to support you if things go wrong. An easy way to check this is by using Google Earth.
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Why Reselling Branded USB Memory Sticks Could Be A Real Winner
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