There are currently a large number of suppliers providing Branded and Promotional USB Memory Sticks in the U.K. This makes the marketplace fiercely competitive and as a result the end user would naturally benefit from lower prices. In turn, this also puts a lot of pressure on suppliers to reduce their costs. Some suppliers take this too far so it is important to consider factors other than price when choosing your USB Memory Stick supplier. There are four very important considerations to be take into account:
1. Speed of Service
2. Quality of USB Memory Sticks
3. Financial Stability of Company Supplying Flash Drives
4. Reputation.
Speed of service will largely depend on the individual company’s business model. Many companies claim to have fast turnaround times, but when called to task on orders to supply large amounts of branded USB Memory Sticks, they fall short on initial promises and the turnaround times increase by 2 or 3 times. Other companies who have more control over their supply chain will live up to their promises and these are naturally the companies you’ll want to choose.
Quality control is vital for products that will end up representing your company. It is important to find a supplier that its aware of this and will not cut corners or send you defunct goods. For instance, some USB Flash Drive suppliers cut costs by using refurbished chipsets. This is generally less reliable than brand new chipsets. Initially it may save you money, but do you want the final product you’ve given to a client to fail? This creates a poor impression of your company, and once they have discarded the USB Stick, they will no longer be carrying your companies name around with them.
Financial Stability. As with any company you may be considering entering into a financial relationship with, it is always good practice to run a credit check to make sure the company is not going to go under within a month of taking an order to supply you with your goods. In the event that it does, you are unlikely to recover any of your money back. As mentioned earlier, this is a very competitive industry and with a large amount of people involved in the industry, insolvency is not that uncommon. Should your supplier face bankruptcy, not only will you lose the money you paid them, you will also miss your deadline.
Reputation speaks volumes. If a company has delivered similar sized orders of branded USB Memory Sticks within a specified time frame on several occasions, they can probably do it again and again. Don’t be afraid to ask for references and testimonials from their existing customer base. If they have provided excellent service levels, they will not be embarrassed to share their successes.
