USB2U: USB Ordering Service FAQ
Although more and more companies are now buying USB flash drives with their logo printed on them to aid their marketing campaigns, the whole process of what and how to order them is a still a mystery to many. Many seem intimated of the very idea of ordering fully customised USB memory sticks because they think they’ll be very expensive, that you have to order thousands of them in one go, and because they think it will take months to organise.
To dispel these myths, our team have put their heads together and compiled a list of the most commonly asked questions we get from interested customers. Whilst this is not a complete list, it will hopefully help with some of the more general questions you may have.
If the answers you need are not here just pick up the phone and give us a ring on our freephone number 0800 008 7079. We’ve been supplying branded USB flash drives for over 10 years, so our experienced team will be able to help.
Q: What size of USB flash drive (storage capacity not physical size) should I order?
A: The most popular size of USB flash drive requested is 1GB or 2GB. This gives ample storage for you to pre-load your own sales brochures, conference slides, media files etc. and a 1GB or 2GB flash stick is big enough for the recipient to want to use it on an on-going basis. On-gong regular use of the flash drive ensures exposure of your brand or logo that’s printed on it.
Q: What is the minimum order quantity for printed USB flash drives?
A: Our minimum order quantity for standard printed USB flash drives is 50 pieces. If you are looking to order fully customised (bespoke) flash drives that are manufactured in a shape specific to you then the minimum order quantity is 100 pieces.
Q: How quickly can you deliver printed USB flash drives to me?
A: A realistic timeframe to work to is about 2-3 weeks from initial quote to delivered, finished order, but we say between 7-10 working days from receipt of a purchase order and approved artwork. This is plenty of time to agree a design, to get physical proofs manufactured and signed off and then to produce the sticks and get them airfreighted in from the factory (they’ll be produced in our factory in China) and then finally this gives us enough time to QA them on arrival, repackage them and get them out to you via UPS.
However, if you’re in a hurry then we offer an Express Service that enables us to deliver printed flash drives within very short timeframes of receipt of order and artwork. This service only applies to a limited range of products and not all memory sizes will be available. If you are interested in the Express Service, you are advised to call to confirm what models and memory sizes are available.
Q: Will the price quoted include all of the logo/colour set up, origination and print charges?
A: Yes – our unit prices are fully inclusive of all colour set up and origination charges. We calculate a finished price for you per unit based on your artwork and the USB flash drive you want. You will pay more for a 2D or 3D custom design but typically you’ll only be paying about 50p to £1.00 per unit more (less if you’re ordering more than 500).
Bear in mind that you’ll also own the end product, so the small premium you pay will ensure you have exclusivity of use.
Q: Can you pre-load data files onto the USB flash drives and if so when do you need the data?
A: Yes, we offer a data-loading service on all of our USB flash drives. If your data and files are ready early enough we can pre-load them at the factory during the manufacturing process. Alternatively we can pre-load the data in our offices using our Professional Data Duplication Equipment just before they are shipped out to you – this gives you a little longer to prepare your data should you need it.
If you data is below 100MB we don’t charge for the data loading. For larger files there is a nominal charge, which your account manager will make, you aware of on the quote you are supplied with.
Q: Are CAD drawings of the design needed, and who is responsible for supplying this?
A: Our inhouse design team will take care of all of this; please see below for the artwork requirements we ask all customers to supply.
Q: What format do I need to supply the artwork in?
A: Ideally we need your artwork supplied in.AI or .EPS formats. These are high quality image formats that will ensure your logo or brand is printed properly. If you’re not sure what they are just give us a call. We have an in-house design team that can chat to you about the options and requirements and if need be redraw your artwork so that it is in a high-resolution format.
If what you want is a product making into a USB stick version, then what we’ll need is some high quality photographs of the product and the product dimensions. If it’s a word or phrase that you need making into a USB stick, then we just need a decent high resolution image to work with.
Q: Do you supply samples of USB flash drives?
A: Yes, we can supply samples of the vast majority of our USB flash drives free of charge. We can’t supply free samples printed with your own logo on, but we can supply a sample of the model you are interested in that’s already been printed with another logo.
Q: Can USB2U also supply accessories such as lanyards, key rings and gift boxes?
A: Yes, we offer a wide range of USB flash drive accessories including gift boxes, presentation tins, printed and plain lanyards and a range of key ring attachments. Throughout the year we often offer these free of charge as part of our various sales promotions, so always ask about our offers.
Q: How long will my quote be valid for?
A: Typically our quotes are valid for 3 days but occasionally when the flash memory market is volatile or the currency markets are turbulent quotes may only be valid for 24 or 48hrs. We’d prefer to be able to offer prices that are valid for longer periods of time but flash memory is a commodity product like coffee and tea, and as such the price is subject to significant fluctuations which are driven by events around the world.
Q: Does USB2U accept orders from outside of the UK?
A: Yes, we are delighted to accept international orders and we ship to anywhere in the world. To give you an accurate quote for the carriage costs, please let us know where you want the flash drives delivered to.
Q: Do you offer credit terms for orders of branded USB flash drives?
A: Yes we do offer credit terms to our customers but we do ask for your first order to be paid before shipment. Subsequent orders are available on 30-day terms.