Help Centre

Help chevron-up chevron-down

  • How long has USB2U been in business? chevron-up chevron-down

    USB2U is a trading name of Secure Living Ltd, which was established in October 2002. Our full trading accounts can be found at Companies House. Our Company Registration Number: 4552447 and our VAT registration number: 784 5482 86

  • Why should we choose USB2U? chevron-up chevron-down

    USB2U has over 20 years of experience in the delivery of branded and promotional USB memory sticks, branded power banks, tech gifts and more. During this time we have supplied tens of thousands of companies and organisations both large and small, schools, universities, charities and more with millions of USB flash drives and promotional tech gifts. We have been a trusted supplier to the trade for over a decade, offering our range of branded USB memory sticks, branded power banks, tech gifts and more at a discounted rate and always on time and within budget.

  • What are the available memory sizes for your USB Flash Drives? chevron-up chevron-down

    We offer following sizes:  128MB, 256MB, 512MB, 1GB, 2GB, 4GB, 8GB, 16GB, 32GB, 64GB and 128GB. USB3.O drives are available from 8GB and above.

  • What type of printing do you offer? chevron-up chevron-down

    We offer a wide range of branding options for our USB Memory sticks, power banks and promotional technology products, including:

    • Spot Colour Screen Printing
    • Full Colour Digital Printing
    • Resin Dome Stickers
    • Laser Engraving
    • Embossing
  • Do we have to pay up front for the USB Memory Sticks? chevron-up chevron-down

    No. You can apply to set up a credit account with us and most customers will typically pay 30 days after delivery. If you are a new customer, we may kindly request payment prior to despatch of the goods for your first order.* 

    *excludes international orders, subject to third party credit check

  • Can I have an autorun and if so, will the files I have pre-loaded onto the branded usb memory sticks work on all PCs? chevron-up chevron-down

    We don't recommend auto runs these days, as many corporate networks, firewalls and anti virus software stop these from working. Auto runs will only work on certain platforms, and they certainly won't work on up to date Windows software or Mac OS. 

  • Why can I not load a 4GB or larger file onto my USB stick? chevron-up chevron-down

    This is due to the limitations of the format FAT32. Before you try loading a file larger than 4GB onto a USB stick, re-format the drive to exFAT or NTFS and try again.

  • What is the usual delivery time for any order I place with USB2U? chevron-up chevron-down

    We are normally able to deliver your order within 7-10 working days from receipt of a purchase order and approved artwork. If you need your branded memory sticks in a hurry, it's always worth calling us as we do hold stock in the UK and we regularly turn around jobs using our UK stock within 24 hours.

  • I need my products very soon, do you offer rush service? chevron-up chevron-down

    Yes, we do offer a 24 hour, 48 hour and 5 day express service on a lot of our products. Please contact us on 0800 008 7079 to find out more.

  • How will USB2U send my memory sticks to me? chevron-up chevron-down

    We send by guaranteed next day delivery with either DPD or UPS, or if urgent sometimes by a trusted same day courier. All shipments need to be signed for and are fully insured.

  • What is the minimum order quantity? chevron-up chevron-down

    The minimum order quantity is typically just 10 pieces from UK stock, but if you do need less than this please call us as we may be able to help.

  • What is the minimum order for printing a logo on the lanyards? chevron-up chevron-down

    Logo printed lanyards are available from 100 pieces.

  • Do you offer any warranty on the branded USB memory sticks you supply? chevron-up chevron-down

    All of our branded USB sticks are Quality Assurance checked before they are shipped to you. However in the unlucky event of any failure we do offer a 10 year manufacturer’s warranty on all of our USB sticks.

Glossary of Terms chevron-up chevron-down

  • Artwork: chevron-up chevron-down

    This needs to be provided so the USB Memory Stick can carry your logo and/or marketing message. There are many different file types in which artwork can be saved as. The preferred formats for the printers or factory because they provide the sharpest print are ai (adobe illustrator) or eps (photoshop) and, ideally, these should be in a vectorised format. For more information on how to prepar artwork for branded USB sticks, see our Artwork Guidelines.

  • Data Encryption: chevron-up chevron-down

    This is software which is preloaded to your Branded Memory Stick. It allows data on the stick to be fully encrypted (scrambled). This means that if you lose the Memory Stick it would be very difficult for anyone to access the data held on it without the appropriate password. Learn more about encrypted usb sticks.

  • Data Load: chevron-up chevron-down

    If you have files or data that you want to provide the user with then this data can be loaded during the manufacturing process. The data can be supplied in any format with the most common data formats being MPEG’s, PDF’s and Powerpoint Presentations. Any loaded data can also be protected so that the user cannot delete it. For more information, please see our Data Load page.

  • Drive Letter: chevron-up chevron-down

    This is the term used to label a drive letter on a USB memory stick. For example rather than having the generic ‘removable drive’ title, you could add a company name or short message. This process is sometimes known as ‘tagging.’

  • Drive Partition: chevron-up chevron-down

    This creates two virtual “drives”. It can only be done at the point of manufacture. One drive partition can hold data that cannot be deleted (protected) and the other can be for saving and storing data. For more information, please see our Data Load page.

  • Embossing: chevron-up chevron-down

    Sometimes knows as “stamping” this technique adds a logo onto Leather USB Flash Drives. For more information, please refer to our guide to Branding Options.

  • Engraving: chevron-up chevron-down

    This is the process of etching a logo onto either metal or wooden USB flash drives. The results can be fantastic. Engraving is very durable and is a very popular option for branding on wooden USB sticks and metal promotional USB sticks. Please refer to our Branding Options: Click here.

  • Full Colour Print: chevron-up chevron-down

    A process that allows full photo quality print rather than simple “spot colour” print. Not available on all models of USB memory stick or from all suppliers but if done correctly the results can be stunning. Please refer to our Branding Options.

  • Silk Screen Printing: chevron-up chevron-down

    Sometimes knows as “stamping” this technique adds a logo onto Leather USB Flash Drives. For more information, please refer to our guide to Branding Options.

  • Carabiner Keyrings: chevron-up chevron-down

    Also known as snap link, snap hook, D ring or ‘biner”. These function like a climber’s carabiner. They are great for attaching onto bags or laptop cases. Unlike most small key rings for USB sticks they are also big enough to carry a brand or logo. For more information see our USB Accessories.

  • Lanyard: chevron-up chevron-down

    A cord that is worn around the neck, with an attached hook that is used to hold the USB Flash Drive. We offer lanyards for usb sticks that can be branded with your logo by way of either printing or embroidery. See our USB Accessories.

  • Memory: chevron-up chevron-down

    You would usually refer to the memory of a USB Flash Drive simply as ‘memory’, but others terms use are ‘capacity’ and ‘storage.’ The memory sizes come in a range of different sizes. They are as follows, 128Mb, 256Mb, 512Mb, 1Gb, 2Gb, 4Gb, 8Gb,16Gb, 32Gb and 64Gb. 4GB of memory is the most popular size but it’s useful to know exactly how many files this would hold.

  • Mock Up: chevron-up chevron-down

    An image illustrating the USB flash drive with your logo file. A further proof would be provided prior to production.

  • MOQ: chevron-up chevron-down

    Minimum Order Quantity

  • Pantone Reference: chevron-up chevron-down

    All colours have a specific reference will allows printers to match any logo colours. These 3 or 4 digit references must be provided with the artwork.

  • Proof: chevron-up chevron-down

    This is a visual of the chosen USB Flash Drive. It details the layout, size and colours in the logo. It is important that the proof is checked closely.

  • USB: chevron-up chevron-down

    Universal Serial Bus. This is an industry standard introduced to allow peripherals to be used across all desktop and laptops.

  • USB Flash Drive: chevron-up chevron-down

    The most commonly used term but others include: USB memory stick, USB pen drive, USB key drive, USB jump drive, USB thumb drive and USB drive.

Power Bank FAQs chevron-up chevron-down

  • What Are Power Banks? chevron-up chevron-down

    Branded Power Banks, otherwise known as portable phone chargers or backup phone batteries, are new portable devices that can recharge smartphones and other mobile tech on the go, when there is no available mains power nearby. They are available in various models and styles and come in a range of power capacities.

  • What Are Power Banks Used For? chevron-up chevron-down

    Whilst they are most popularly used to recharge smartphones, Power Banks are also used to recharge other mobile devices. These include tablets, e-cigarettes, portable speakers, GPS / sat-navs, digital cameras, handheld game consoles and many more.

  • How Do Power Banks Work? chevron-up chevron-down

    • Charge the Power Bank by connecting it to either a computer (via USB) or into the mains supply before taking it with you, or storing it in a convenient place such as a glove box / handbag etc.
    • Connect to your electronic device using a promotional charging cable or the cable that came with your smartphone / device.
    • No more battery failures! Your mobile / tablet will be topped-up and ready to go again.
  • Are Power Banks Safe? chevron-up chevron-down

    Safety is paramount when choosing the right supplier of Power Banks. It’s easy to reduce the costs of powerbanks by scrimping on the quality of components used, e.g. battery certifications and protective circuitry. But in doing so this creates a tangible risk to the safety of the power bank, the phone and other charged devices, and could even harm the end user. Cheap power banks are a false economy and here at USB2U we won’t sacrifice safety for cost. Before you purchase promotional power banks, make sure you talk to your supplier about their product safety certifications. We only use Grade A Battery cells and each and every power bank that leaves our factory is rigorously tested, including being fully charged and discharged before it is delivered to you. If you have any questions about the safety of our products, please don’t hesitate to call and speak to one of our experts.

     

    All Power Banks supplied by USB2U are RoHS and CE compliant and come with a 2 year warranty.

  • What capacity Power Bank do I need? chevron-up chevron-down

    A Power Bank's capacity is measured in mAh (milliamp hours). To fully recharge a device, you would need a power bank with the same or greater mAh than the device in question. A Power bank with a lesser mAh will still recharge your mobile device but only partially.

  • How Long Will it Take for a Power Bank to Charge my Phone? chevron-up chevron-down

    It depends on the battery capacity of the power bank as well as the battery capacity of the device you are charging. No matter its capacity all of USB2U’s power banks will deliver the same amount of charge to your device in 1 hour. So if you have two phones that are exactly the same, one is being charged by a 2200mAh power bank and the other is being charged by a 6600mAh power bank, both will receive the same amount of charge at the end of an hour. The only difference is that the 2200mAh will have less charge left compared to the 6600mAh power bank.

  • How Long Will it Take to Charge the Power Bank Itself? chevron-up chevron-down

    The charging time of your Power Bank is very much dependant on its input current and capacity. Put simply, a 2200mAh power bank may take only 2‐3 hours to charge, whereas a 6600mAh power bank may take 3‐5 hours to charge. A power bank can be charged using a wall charger or a computer with a USB cable. The wall charger will charge the power bank at a faster rate than the computer as computers have a smaller charging output.

  • What is included with USB2U's Promotional Power Banks? chevron-up chevron-down

    Each of our promotional power banks are supplied with instructions, an unbranded card gift box and a USB-to-micro-USB charging cable to re-charge the power bank itself. We can supply 3-in-1 universal cables (Micro-USB, Apple lightning and Apple 30-pin connectors) on request – a small additional charge applies. Please call for details.

  • What Kind of Artwork Can Be Applied To Your Power Banks? chevron-up chevron-down

    We offer full colour digital print on most of our printed power banks so can usually accommodate any colour logo including tints and gradients. On our laser engraved power banks we can usually engrave almost any black and white artwork.

  • How Should Artwork Be Supplied for Power Banks? chevron-up chevron-down

    The preferable formats for artwork are .ai .pdf and .eps vector files as these will always give the best results in any finishing process. If these formats are not readily available, we can often work with .PSD (Photoshop) .jpg .tiff or .png files however this may result in less than perfect branding in some circumstances. Please refer to the product specific artwork guidelines that can be downloaded from each product page on our website.

  • What lead time can i expect? chevron-up chevron-down

    Our standard lead time for most promotional power bank models is 7-10 working days. However, we do offer a power bank express service and can deliver branded powerbanks in as little as 24 hours. If you need your promotional power banks in a hurry, please call us on 0800 008 7075 and one of our friendly account managers will happily advise you.

USB2U Service FAQ chevron-up chevron-down

  • What are the available memory sizes for your USB Flash Drives? chevron-up chevron-down

    We offer following sizes: 128MB, 256MB, 512MB, 1GB, 2GB, 4GB, 8GB, 16GB, 32GB and 64GB.

  • Do we have to pay up front for the USB Memory Sticks? chevron-up chevron-down

    No. You can apply to set up a credit account with us and most customers will typically pay 30 days after delivery. If you are a new customer, we may kindly request payment prior to despatch of the goods for your first order.*  

    *excludes international orders

  • Can I have an autorun and if so, will the files I have pre-loaded onto the branded usb memory sticks work on all PCs? chevron-up chevron-down

    We don't recommend auto runs these days, as many corporate networks, firewalls and anti virus software stop these from working. Auto runs will only work on certain platforms, and they certainly won't work on Windows 7, 8 or Macs. 

  • Will your USB Memory sticks work with any computer? chevron-up chevron-down

    All of the USB flash drives, memory sticks, USB pens etc. that we supply are based on the current USB standards and will work on all PCs and Macs running the latest operating software.