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Posts Tagged ‘Branded USB’

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Its Not Just Flash Drives Suppliers – Everyone Is Chasing Flash Memory Chips

Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010

The business to be in this year seems to be the manufacture of flash memory chips. We’re only into the first few day of March 2010 but already there is talk of a worldwide shortage of flash memory chips.

Why? Well, several events have come together to create a huge supply vacuum the most notable of which are:

Apple’s iPhone uses Flash Memory chips and market forecasts suggest they will sell around 33million iPhones in 2010 and Apple have apparently been very canny with their suppliers and “locked them in” with guaranteed future orders. Who can blame them after all the iPhone has been a runaway success and they have the cash reserves behind them to ensure forward continuity of supply.
Sales of mobile phones that contain NAND (memory) flash chips are expected to top 700 million in 2010.
The success of other consumer products like electronic book readers, camcorders and of course the ubiquitous flash memory stick continues to grow apace.
Unusually this year many employees of the smaller support factories/companies have been slow to return from their Chinese New Year holidays and this has resulted in production backlogs.

For the manufactures like Toshiba, Micron Technology, Samsung, Hynix and Intel this is explosion in demand is great news but it will put a huge amount of pressure on their production capabilities this year just to keep up.

For suppliers of branded USB memory sticks and their partner factories the challenge will be ensure the continuity of supply during 2010 and to ensure this supply is at a price that the market will bear. Expect some turbulence in the supply this year and as usual shop around to ensure you get the best deal you can and in timeframes that suit your project, event or activity.

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Its Not Just Flash Drives Suppliers – Everyone Is Chasing Flash Memory Chips

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Are Branded Memory Sticks Too Expensive

Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010

With marketing and advertising costs being tightened its incredibly important to make sure that the budget you do have to play with works incredibly hard for you. Some people see memory sticks as just too gimmicky, a little over-rated and expensive, particularly when judged against more traditional promotional items. To be fair it depends what you’re trying to achieve and perhaps even more importantly who you target audience is.

If you simply want some promotional give-aways for a large consumer show or you’re looking to raise the general awareness of your brand/product then memory sticks might not be right for you. Equally, if your target audience are unlikely to have access to PC’s or have any little or no requirement for portable data storage solutions then memory sticks are unlikely to be appropriate.

Red Probe USB Flash Drive

Even the cheapest 64Mb branded memory stick is going to be quite a bit more expensive than a branded key-ring, a pen with a logo printed on or a packet of sweets or mints with your company name on. These small gestures/tokens are great to have on a stand to hand out en-masse, they will help to draw people to your stand and they’ll engender some basic form of recall and association with your company but memory sticks are in a different league.

If you’ve targeting business clients, partners, and journalists or perhaps you sell high value products to high net worth individuals then branded memory sticks should be on your list of candidate promotional items. Pretty much anyone who uses a PC will be familiar with the benefits of a USB memory stick and will be delighted to be given one (particularly free of charge)!

Leather Boss Flash Drive w/Metal Tin

The real beauty of a memory stick is that you can pre-load the stick with your sales data, your price lists, links to your web site, media files (videos, music etc) and you can even protect this data and/or make it run automatically when the memory stick is used. Whilst you could argue you could achieve the same results with a CD or DVD the reality is these CD/DVD’s rarely get used/played and more likely will end up in the bin. On the other hand flash drives offer real convenience to the user so they have an incentive to use them. As such the content is far more likely to be read and viewed and because memory sticks can be carried around easily on a lanyard or key-ring your brand will get on-going exposure.

In the context of the additional value memory sticks deliver they are not expensive but they need to be purchased for the right event/audience. If you do pre-load data onto the memory sticks instead of printing catalogues, brochures, press releases etc. you can save yourself a small fortune and make life easier for yourself in terms of transportation and storage. Used smartly printed memory sticks will pay for themselves in a way in which an inert cap or mug simply can’t.

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Are Branded Memory Sticks Too Expensive

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Customised USB Memory – Tip 3. How To Select Your Supplier

Thursday, February 18th, 2010

In the third of the series of top tips to consider when purchasing Customised USB Memory Sticks, we explain some of the elements you should consider when selecting a supplier of Branded USB Memory sticks.

There are two options to consider:

Custom USB

Option 1. Selecting a supplier from the UK

Most orders for Customised USB Memory sticks are normally processed via a UK intermediary. These organisations manage the entire end-to-end process, but more importantly most will ensure that the manufacturing process is fully audited and of a high quality.Custom USB

So what should you be looking for when selecting a supplier? Of course price is important, but this should not be the primary driver. A small saving may be a false economy if end users start to experience problems when using the Branded Memory Sticks. Think of the reputational risk and the inconvenience of getting these replaced.

Whilst there is no substitute to full due-diligence, there are some simple things you can do to sort the wheat from the chaff.

  • First Check they have a proven track record by contacting previous clients.
  • Ensure there is a contact telephone number on the site and speak to a representative.
  • Ensure they are working from business premises. There is a growing trend for individuals pertaining to be companies, but working from home without the infrastructure to support you if things go wrong. An easy way to check this is by using Google Earth.
  • Ensure they only use new branded USB Flash Chips.
  • Finally do not pay for any part of the order until the goods are in the UK and ready for despatch.

Option 2. Selecting a supplier from the Far East.Custom USB

The primary benefit of purchasing from the Far East is that you can potentially save money. However, it is a complex process and would expose you to a high degree of risk. The key disadvantages are that:

  • You must undertake due diligence on the provider to ensure they are a genuine company. It seems that every contact that sells Branded USB memory sticks claims to be a factory. This is factually incorrect, at best most are intermediaries.
  • All suppliers will ask for the full funds to be transferred to their bank account before they commence any work. So a real act of faith.
  • If things go wrong it is extremely difficult to send items back to the Far East. At best you may get the supplier to repair / make good any errors, but this would take several weeks and you have to pay for them to be shipped to the Far East.
  • There are many pitfalls that could occur if the order is not correctly specified to the Far East supplier. For example, ensuring that dataload autorun is as requested by the client or are they using genuine class A USB Flash chips.
  • Finally if you wish to purchase direct from the Far East, manufacturers are desperate to secure new business and will offer heavily discounted rates by cutting many of the quality corners mentioned above.

In short, if you are an infrequent purchaser of Branded USB Memory sticks then purchase from a recognised UK supplier. If you purchase on a regular basis then it may be cost effective to purchase direct from the Far East, but ensure you undertake full due diligence and ideally visit the factory before sending any money.

View Tip 1. Here, Tip 2. Here.

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Customised USB Memory – Tip 3. How To Select Your Supplier

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Do you have stock of Branded Twister USBs that are dated and unusable?

Monday, February 15th, 2010

Maybe you have changed your logo, phone number, web address or just need to promote something new, but still have stocks of your old branded USB memory sticks.

One of the many advantages of using the Twister USB Memory Stick is that the branding is on the removable metal clip, as opposed to other USB Memory sticks that are branded directly onto the housing. This makes the most valuable part of it, the housing, reusable if your branding requirements change.

It is a cost effective method and easy process to change the clip from Branded USB Memory Sticks. With just a few precautions to take to ensure that the USB housing isn’t damaged or scratched. It is also important to ensure that the new clip is installed correctly to ensure a snug fit.

The following steps should be followed for a smooth transition from one clip to another:

  1. To avoid fingerprint marks on the Branded USB Memory Twister, it is advised that you wear gloves before handling the goods. To remove the old clip, put the forefinger of your left-hand into space inside the metal clip to prise it apart and open it up to get the plastic housing out. This should avoid any scratches to the housing.Recycle Your Branded USB's
  2. Before attaching the new metal clip you need to pinch it together to ensure a snug fit.Recycle Your Branded USB's
  3. In order to avoid defacing the housing, wrap a small plastic bag around it before attaching the clip. Prise open the clip just enough to squeeze it around the housing with the plastic bag sandwiched in between as a protective barrier.Recycle Your Branded USB's
  4. Lastly, carefully pull out the plastic bag to reveal the finished Branded USB Twister.Recycle Your Branded USB's

If all of these steps were carefully followed, you would never know that the clips had not been factory fitted.

Your Branded Twister USBs are now ready to use.

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Do you have stock of Branded Twister USBs that are dated and unusable?

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If You’re Buying Branded USB Memory Sticks Take 5 Minutes to Read This

Thursday, February 11th, 2010

Its no exaggeration to say that USB memory sticks are now incredibly popular to the point where they have replaced CD’s and DVD’s as the way to backup personal data and carry it from place to place. Their popularity is driven by their ease of use, their portability and their relatively low cost. Its not uncommon for people to have multiple flash drives with one for work and one for personal data and of course they tend to get replaced/upgraded every year or so to the “latest” model or just a version with more  storage capacity.

Branded Memory Sticks - Click to enlarge

The growing dominance of the once humble USB memory stick is something the promotion and advertising sector spotted early on. Think about it, its rare to attend a conference, show or seminar and not have been offered at least one promotional memory stick. The reason is understandable – not only are they incredibly popular but they are an excellent way to distributing sales material, links to web sites, media files, presentation slides and lots more besides.

Of course in accepting a branded memory sticks (often pre-loaded with data) you are complicit in the on-going promotion of the “givers” brand beyond the event. It is though a real “win win” for both parties because the giver gets great brand exposure and brand association with a highly regarded product whilst the recipient gets something truly useful rather than a cheap/tacky gift that will be discarded quickly.

branded memory sticks

But, a word of warning before you rush to buy branded memory sticks; there are a number of important factors that you must consider:

Am I getting A Grade (new not recycled) Memory Chips?

In the world of flash memory chips not all chips are equal and it’s not just the memory size that is the differentiator. Flash memory chips provide the storage capability inside a USB flash drive and these memory chips are graded by the industry. Only “Grade A” flash memory chips are new and provide certified transfer speeds and guarantee access to the full amount of advertised memory on the chip. Other grades are likely to have failed the factory QA process or will have been salvaged from other products. The consequence of using or buying anything other than Grade A chips is likely to be seen in terms of high failure rates, slow/read write speeds and an inability to access or use all of the claimed memory.

Before you order your memory sticks make sure you are getting new Grade A flash memory chips in your memory sticks and choose a supplier you can trust. Its very difficult to spot the use of cheap chips from a visual inspection of the delivered goods. expected and its possible you’ll overpay for what you’re getting. Always check with your supplier that they are using Grade A memory chips

Should I order USB 1.x, USB 2.0 or event the new USB 3.0 and does it matter.

In short make sure you order USB High Speed version 2.0 memory sticks. Anything using USB 1.1 is old and slow and whilst version 3.0 might be tempting because its new you’ll pay a huge premium for USB 3.0 and its not necessary.  Whilst you might get USB 1x versions at a bargain price anyone you give them to will quickly get frustrated with the slow transfer speeds and abandon them.

RoHS Compliance – You need to understand what this is.

RoHS or the Restriction of Hazardous Substances to give it its long hand  applies to thousands of electrical and computer components imported into the EU. The RoHS legislation is designed to protect the citizens of the EU against hazardous chemicals and substances and its legislation that you and your supplier must comply with. If you are found to have imported non-RoHS compliant products into the EU then you have no defence by arguing that your supplier was to blame. You are collectively responsible and the fines for non-compliance are significant. Before you order anything ensure you ask your supplier about RoHS compliance and if necessary get copies of RoHS certificates.

WEEE Compliance – Educate yourself about what it means to you

The WEEE directive was implemented to encourage reuse and recycling. The Directive states that 65% of all IT kit must be recycled. Some items like old monitors, PCBs (printed circuit boards), computers and batteries should be treated before disposal. It might surprise you but the small, humble USB memory stick falls into this category. As such you ought to advise anyone you give the branded memory sticks to of their obligation under this directive. Failure could result in prosecution.

Choose a reputable supplier who you can trust and who can demonstrate a proven track record.

There are lots of companies springing up (many operating from back bedrooms) that will offer to supply you with branded USB memory sticks and custom flash drives. Whilst their prices may look attractive the above points demonstrate that there is more to buying memory sticks than just price. Choose the wrong supplier and you could get more than you bargained for. You have a corporate responsibility to understand your obligations and to ensure you comply. Ignorance is not a defence.

A reputable supplier will understand the issues and compliance requirements. They will be able to provide you with copies of RoHS and WEEE certificates should you want them for reassurance. Branded memory sticks are fantastic promotional products but just like anything else you buy the better informed you are the better placed you will be to secure not only a great commercial deal but a deal a deal that does not come back an “bite you in the bum”

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If You’re Buying Branded USB Memory Sticks Take 5 Minutes to Read This

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Promotional Memory Sticks Lead The Way In 2010

Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010

Wow – what a start to 2010! Last year we saw significant growth in the use of branded USB memory sticks but orders in the first few weeks of 2010 have surpassed all expectations.

Sales of memory sticks that are either printed or embossed with a company logo or design are accelerating and demand for fully customised (bespoke shapes and designs) is really picking up.

Custom USB Custom USB Custom USB

A well-designed and printed memory stick does wonders to help promote your company, to develop your brand and to keep your company ahead of the competition. They’re also, as many companies are now finding out, a fantastic and cost effective way to distribute your sales literature, data sheets, pricing information and media files.

Popular uses for branded memory sticks include:

  1. Give-aways at trade shows and exhibitions (but pre-loaded with sales brochures to help reduce the paper brochure print costs, transportation and storage).
  2. Handouts at seminars and conferences (pre-loaded with the event details, speakers notes and slides and details of forthcoming events).
  3. Press events. Fully customised usb flash drives are increasingly being used in preference to standard factory models at Press Events and Press Launches because they really do generate a “buzz” and help to get key messages across to the attending journalists. Of course pre-loading the custom sticks with the press releases, core company information, biographies of key staff and media files helps to ensure the journalists have all the key information at their fingertips is recommended.
  4. Promotional give-aways. Everyone loves something for nothing but it helps if what you’re giving away is desirable and will be used by the recipient. Memory sticks certainly fit the bill here.
  5. Staff events and briefings. Memory sticks are a popular way of disseminating key information out to employees particularly if there are lots of forms and details to distribute and you want to reduce the print and reproduction costs of these forms.
  6. Visitor gifts – rather than a boring pencil, pen or T-Shirt lots of companies are now turning to branded memory sticks for visitor gifts. They are after all more “business like” and have a high-perceived value.

Given the growth in sales we’ve already seen in 2010 these examples must just be small snapshots of what printed USB flash drives are being used for. If you are interested in printed usb memory sticks or fully bespoke USB flash drives for your company then give us a call to explore the options.

Branded USB Branded USB Branded USB
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Promotional Memory Sticks Lead The Way In 2010

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Buying Branded USB Memory Sticks During Chinese New Year

Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010

Chinese New Year is almost upon us and realistically if you haven’t ordered your branded USB memory sticks by now then you are not going to get them from the factories in China for around 4 weeks!

Unbranded Flash Drives

The challenge this year as China starts to celebrate the Year of the Tiger, is that the holiday period is over 2 weeks and the start and the end is staggered to allow for the mass movement of people around China as the staff in the factories and offices return to their families. So, the reality is that the Chinese New Year break will last for nearer 3 weeks and during this period not only do the factories that manufacture branded memory sticks close but pretty much the whole infrastructure closes. So even if things are manufactured its very difficult to get them moved and shipped.

Unbranded Flash Drives

Consequently any new orders placed today for printed USB flash drives could take up to 4 weeks to be fulfilled. But, don’t despair, at USB2U we’ve been through this cycle for the last 7 years so we knew what was coming and we’ve pre-shipped into the UK thousands of blank (un-printed) USB memory sticks that we can print locally for our customers.

Branded Memory sticks that are printed in the UK will always be a little more expensive simply because of the local (UK) printing costs but when you buy them from USB2U you won’t pay any more for the memory sticks themselves. Not only that but we can turn around printed memory sticks using our UK stock in 48 hrs! If you’re struggling with artwork or design ideas don’t worry because our in-house design team can help you with this as well.

If you have been let down by your supplier or you’ve got a “rush” job and simply have to have some branded memory sticks during the next few weeks then give us a call at USB2U. We’d be delighted to hear from you and we’re pretty sure we’ll be able to help.

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Buying Branded USB Memory Sticks During Chinese New Year

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Branded USB Memory – Tip 1. When Is A Chip Not A Chip?

Tuesday, January 26th, 2010

This is the first in a series of top tips to consider when purchasing Branded USB Memory Sticks.

With the growing popularity of Branded USB Memory sticks, there are a number of providers springing up to support this. However, there is a hidden issue that any potential buyer needs to be aware of, that not all providers are that transparent with.

USB Memory Chipsets

In essence there are 3 components to any Branded USB Memory sticks, the flash chip (the brains), the circuit board and the body of the USB Memory stick itself.

Whilst the circuit board and body are pretty standard across the industry, there is a wide variation of USB Flash chips. In summary these can be classified as follows:

Grade A: Original ‘branded’ USB flash chips

USB Flash Memory

These flash chips are made by leading global brands such as Samsung, Hynix, Intel, Micro. They will print their name and unique series number on each chip.

These are tested to a high QA tolerance and come with a full warranty. They are the most reliable, but come at a premium price and are the most expensive USB Flash chips in the market.

Grade B: OEM flash chips

These USB flash chips are made from the main chip providers, but do not carry any branding or warranties. They are as reliable as the branded flash chips, but come at a discounted rate.

Grade C: Downgraded flash chips

There is a wastage of chips from the main manufactures, from a combination of the chip cutting process and QA failures. These are sold in bulk to third parties, who aim to recycle and sell on. There is a high failure rate on these USB Memory sticks, up to 40% in some instances. However the low price also reflects this.

Faulty USB Chipset

Grade D: Masked chips

Finally we have fake / counterfeits USB Memory chips. This is when port quality chips are programmed to mask the real size of the memory. For example, a memory stick may show that it is 1Gb, but could actually be a 128Mb chip. The only way that a user would find out the problem exists is if they try to load data that is over the actual chip capacity. The prices offered are extremely low and reflect the cost of the actual chip set used.

So in summary, ensure the supplier informs you in writing what type of chip they are providing. If it is a mission critical or high profile project, it’s worth paying for Grade A branded chip. However, Grade B would suffice for most promotional campaigns.

One final point if the price for the USB Memory sticks sound too good to be true or out of sync with other quotes then there is a high probability of them being Grade C or D chips.

Next in the series- Tip 2 – The dangers of  loading data onto USB Memory sticks.

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Branded USB Memory – Tip 1. When Is A Chip Not A Chip?

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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!

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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

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