How to compare promotional products suppliers

What to take away

Start by writing the promotional products brief in numbers: quantity, decoration method (such as screen printing, embroidery or pad printing), in-hands date, destination and budget ceiling.

A decorator applies branding to products, a distributor sources products and coordinates decoration, and a platform seller provides an online ordering or fulfilment route, sometimes working with decorators or distributors. Compare the service each supplier will actually provide, not just its label. The tools and supplier guide sets out these categories in more detail.

Landed cost, not unit price

Ask each supplier for a landed cost per unit delivered to your address. That figure includes the product, decoration, freight, insurance and any Customs Duty.

A low unit price shipped by air can cost more than a higher unit price sent by sea.

Confirm the trade term behind every quote. Under delivered duty paid, the supplier clears the goods. An ex-works price leaves freight and duty with you. Treating those two as the same number distorts the comparison.

For example, a team buying 2,000 cotton tote bags quoted at £1.80 each might see a delivered cost near £2.40 once decoration, freight and duty are counted.

Where goods originate in a country with a UK trade agreement, duty may be lower or zero. The rules depend on origin and proof, so check the guidance on preference agreements before you assume a saving.

For imports, use the UK Trade Tariff to identify the commodity code and check the current Customs Duty rate. HMRC guidance on Rules of Origin explains when goods may qualify for preference under a UK trade agreement and what proof is needed. Rates depend on the goods and their origin, so verify them before comparing quotes.

VAT treatment matters too. Most promotional goods are standard-rated, though some printed matter is zero-rated. Ask finance to confirm before you commit.

Compliance and claims

Every promotional item carries an advertising claim, from a logo to a strapline. That puts it inside the CAP Code, which sets the rules on misleading claims and targeting.

Ask suppliers for product safety documentation, test reports and material declarations. In Great Britain, relevant requirements may include the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 and UK REACH; toys are subject to the Toys (Safety) Regulations 2011 and relevant EN 71 standards. Requirements depend on the product and destination, so check the rules that apply in Northern Ireland separately. A slow answer is a signal about how a recall would go.

Keep that evidence with the order file. If a customer or a trading standards officer asks how a claim was substantiated, the answer should sit in one folder. You can also ask whether the supplier belongs to the British Promotional Merchandise Association (BPMA), but trade-body membership is not a substitute for product-specific evidence.

Capacity and lead times

A supplier with the best price may not have capacity for your date. Ask for a production schedule in writing, including decoration slots and shipping windows.

Sample lead time matters as much as bulk lead time. A pre-production sample that takes three weeks can push approval past the point where sea freight still works.

For repeat programmes, split the volume across two suppliers. The second order costs slightly more and protects the campaign if one factory slips.

A weighted scoring rubric

Use the same weights for every supplier. The example below is a starting model, not a market benchmark: adjust it to your brief, then fix the weights before scoring starts.

Criterion	Weight	What to score

Here is a completed example model. The Supplier A and Supplier B scores are hypothetical, not assessments of real companies. Assume both pass the mandatory checks, Supplier A has stronger price and compliance evidence, and Supplier B has stronger capacity and fulfilment responses. Score from 1 (weak) to 5 (strong); 3 means the supplier meets the brief, with 2 and 4 between those anchors. The weight points show relative priority.

Use the scorecard to score each supplier against the same criteria. Multiply each score by its weight points, add the products and divide by the sum of the weight points to compare weighted results. Complete the pass/fail checks below before scoring: a strong price cannot make missing safety evidence acceptable.

Before scoring, mark each applicable check pass or fail:

Do not score a supplier that fails a mandatory check.

Distribution and fulfilment

If the brief includes campaign fulfilment, ask whether each supplier can store stock, pick and pack orders, dispatch to multiple addresses and provide delivery tracking.

If tracking is part of the brief, ask whether the supplier can add a tracked destination, such as a QR code or a short link.

For a £2,000 order, compare the storage and dispatch scope before signing; unplanned fulfilment can turn stock into a storage cost rather than a campaign.

Common questions

What is included in the landed cost?

Ask for a line-by-line breakdown covering product, decoration, freight, duty and any artwork fees. If a supplier will not itemise, the comparison is not like for like.

Who owns the artwork and the tooling?

Confirm ownership of print files, screens and moulds. If you change supplier, you need those assets or you pay again.

How do you handle a shortfall or defect?

Ask for the remedy, the timescale and who pays return freight. Put the answer in the contract, not an email.

What reporting will I receive?

Ask for stock levels, dispatch dates and delivery confirmation. If you run the programme through a platform, ask each supplier to demonstrate how ordering, approvals and reporting connect; the implementation guide explains how to avoid duplicate data entry.