Getting Started Promotional Products FAQs
What exactly is Trendy Promo, and how are you different from a print shop?
Trendy Promo is a promotional products distributor, not a print shop.
A print shop puts ink on paper. We source branded physical products — drinkware, apparel, bags, tech, notebooks, and hundreds of other categories — then coordinate the imprint of your logo onto those items.
We work with a vetted network of ASI-registered suppliers. You get one contact, one quote, one proof, and one coordinated delivery. We handle the supply chain so you can focus on the event, the hire, or the gift.
[Browse products](/products) or [request a quote](/contact).
Do you manufacture products in-house?
No. We are a pure distributor, and we will never pretend otherwise.
Production happens at supplier facilities in the U.S. and internationally. We source the item, prepare artwork, manage the e-proof, place the order, and oversee quality through delivery.
This distributor model is common throughout the promotional products industry. It gives buyers access to products and decoration capabilities across many specialized suppliers rather than limiting them to one factory.
I’ve never ordered promotional products. Where do I start?
Start with the occasion, a quantity, a date, and a budget range.
1. Name the goal: trade show, new-hire kit, client gift, employee apparel, or giveaway.
2. Send a rough product idea, quantity, in-hands date, budget, and whatever logo file you have.
3. We return options at more than one price point.
4. You pick a product, approve the e-proof, and we run production and shipping.
Most first-time buyers tell us it was simpler than they expected. [Request a quote](/contact) or use the [budget calculator](/budget-calculator).
What types of businesses do you work with?
Any organization with a logo and a reason to put it on something people will keep.
That includes sole proprietors ordering 50 pens, mid-size teams ordering 500 tumblers, nonprofits outfitting volunteers, HR building welcome kits, schools ordering spirit wear, and national companies sourcing executive gifts.
Order size does not have to be “corporate” to get a real quote.
Do I need a finished logo before I contact you?
No. A working logo helps, but it does not have to be final.
Send what you have: a vector file, a PNG, a Canva export, or a scan from a business card. We will tell you if it will imprint cleanly or if it needs cleanup.
We offer basic logo cleanup and vectorization. If the mark needs a full redesign, we will say so and point you to a designer before anyone spends money printing a blurry logo on 500 pieces.
Artwork & Design Promotional Products FAQs
What logo file should I send?
Send a vector file whenever you can: .AI, .EPS, or .SVG.
Vector art scales from a pen clip to a banner without getting fuzzy. If you do not have vector, send a high-resolution PNG or TIFF at 300 DPI at the intended imprint size.
Screenshots, low-resolution website images, Word files, and very low-resolution artwork are usually not production-ready. Send what you have and we will tell you whether it can be used as-is, used as a reference to rebuild the mark, or needs cleanup.
My only logo is a JPG from our website. Can you use it?
Usually not as-is. Website JPGs are typically 72–96 DPI, which looks fine on a screen and fuzzy on a product.
We can redraw the mark as a vector. That service is typically $30–$75 depending on complexity. You own the finished vector file and can reuse it on future orders.
We quote that fee before any work starts.
What is an e-proof, and why do I have to approve it?
An e-proof is a digital mockup of your exact logo on your exact product, sized to scale.
It is the last check before production. Once you approve it in writing, the order cannot be stopped for a wording, color, or placement change you missed.
We review proofs before they go to you. You still have to check them. You are the only person who knows last month’s phone number change or that the logo should never appear in blue on a dark bottle.
What should I check on my e-proof?
Read it like a contract.
- Spelling of the company name, tagline, URL, phone, and address
- Complete logo — no clipped edges, missing icons, or distortion
- Color: if you specified a PMS color, is the PMS number correct?
- Placement: front, back, sleeve, lid, or multi-location
- Size relative to the imprint area
- Every imprint location on multi-location orders
Approving the proof means you accept the design as shown.
Can you match my Pantone (PMS) colors?
Often yes on spot-color work. Not on every process.
PMS matching is available on many screen-print, pad-print, and some embroidery thread programs. We send the supplier your exact PMS code.
Full-color process (CMYK), dye-sublimation, and many digital prints cannot hit an exact PMS. In those cases we show you the closest result on the proof and let you decide. We do not silently swap a color.
Can I use a sports team, celebrity, or famous brand in my artwork?
Usually no, unless you can show authorization.
We generally cannot reproduce third-party trademarks, copyrighted artwork, celebrity likenesses, sports logos, or licensed characters unless appropriate authorization is provided. If you are unsure whether you have permission, contact us before ordering.
If you already work with that property’s licensing team, send the authorization with the artwork and we will review it before quoting.
Can Trendy Promo design artwork from scratch?
Yes for simple imprint layouts. No for a new brand identity.
We can place your logo and a tagline, set type, and build a clean one- or two-color layout. For a new logo, illustration, or campaign visual, we will refer a designer. We would rather send you to the right resource than deliver a weak mark.
Bring the finished file back and we will put it on the product.
Ordering & Minimums Promotional Products FAQs
What is a minimum order quantity (MOQ), and why does it exist?
An MOQ is the smallest run a supplier will decorate in one setup. Most promo products sit between 24 and 250 units.
Setup is the reason: screens, plates, embroidery files, and ink mixing cost the same whether you order 5 or 500. Minimums keep the per-unit price sane.
If you are under the published minimum, ask about a less-than-minimum (LTM) surcharge. We will always check that option.
I only need 10 items. Can you do a small run?
Sometimes. It depends on the product.
Stickers, DTG tees, and some on-demand patches can run as low as 1–12 units. Classic screen-printed pens, drinkware, and many notebooks still want 50–250.
When a small run is possible, expect an LTM fee, usually $35–$75. If the product you want cannot run that small, we will suggest a better fit at your quantity.
What if I want to order more than the quoted quantity?
Higher quantity almost always lowers the piece price.
Promo pricing uses quantity breaks. A quote at 100 units can look very different at 250 or 500. Sometimes the next break costs less in total, not just per piece.
Ask us to show two or three tiers on the same quote. Raising quantity does not add a new setup fee. It is a revised quote.
Do you charge extra for overruns or underruns?
You are invoiced only for what ships.
Industry standard is about 95–105% of the ordered quantity because of how decoration equipment runs. If 520 ship on a 500-piece order, you pay for 520. If 488 ship, you pay for 488.
Need an exact headcount for a giveaway? Tell us at quoting. We will note it. Exact-count guarantees are not always available.
Can I order several products in one order?
Yes. Kits, welcome boxes, and trade-show sets are normal.
One quote can include multiple items, suppliers, decoration methods, and ship dates. Each product keeps its own production clock, so pieces may arrive on different days.
We track each line and tell you the dates up front.
What is included in a quote versus added later?
A complete quote should show product, decoration, setup, extra imprint colors or locations, samples if requested, packaging, and freight.
Unit price alone is not the delivered cost. Two “$4.50” items can be far apart once screens, second-location imprint, and shipping are added.
If a line is estimated — freight on an unknown ship-to, for example — we will label it as an estimate.
What decoration methods do you offer?
The common methods are screen print, pad print, embroidery, laser engraving, full-color digital / sublimation, and heat transfer.
- Screen / pad print: best for simple spot colors on pens, drinkware, bags
- Embroidery: apparel and hats; stitch file required
- Laser: metal and some drinkware; no color fill
- Full-color digital / sublimation: photos and gradients; PMS is approximate
- DTG / DTF: small apparel runs and complex art
The product and the artwork decide the method. We will not pick a process that makes your logo look cheap just because it is faster.
Pricing & Payment Promotional Products FAQs
Why is your price different from the supplier catalog?
You are seeing a distributor quote, not a consumer checkout price.
Suppliers publish list prices and sell to distributors at wholesale. Your Trendy Promo quote includes product, applicable setup, and the service of artwork, proofing, order management, and quality oversight.
We itemize the quote. No surprise checkout fees after you have already approved a proof.
What are setup fees, and do I pay them on every reorder?
A setup fee covers the screen, plate, or embroidery digitizing for your art. Typical range is $25–$75 per color or location.
Reorders of the same product and same art are often cheaper. Many suppliers waive or reduce setup if the file is still on hand, commonly within 12 months.
We check that before we quote a reorder.
Do you match or beat a competitor’s price?
Yes, when the quote is truly comparable.
Send a written quote for the same product, same quantity, same decoration method, and the same in-hands date. If we can source that spec, we will match it or come in lower.
We will not undercut a different item, a lighter material, fewer imprint colors, or a slower delivery just to win the line. Tell us the budget and the date first — a better product mix often beats a race to the lowest unit price.
Email the competing quote to [sales@trendypromo.com](mailto:sales@trendypromo.com) with your in-hands date.
What payment methods do you accept?
We accept major credit cards and ACH before production starts.
That prepaid step is how custom-decorated orders work: once the factory starts, the goods cannot be sold to anyone else. Card and ACH are processed after you have a quote and, on decorated orders, after the e-proof is ready to approve.
If your company pays by wire, say so on the quote request and we will send instructions. [Request a quote](/contact).
When is payment due?
Payment is due before production begins.
The production clock does not start until the e-proof is approved in writing and payment has cleared. Rush dates are no exception.
Large or multi-supplier programs may be billed by line if items leave different factories on different days. We will show that on the quote so you are not surprised.
Do you charge sales tax?
Yes where we are required to collect it.
Orders shipping to Illinois include Illinois sales tax unless you send a valid Illinois exemption or resale certificate before invoicing. We cannot refund tax after an invoice is paid.
Shipments to other states are taxed only where we have a collection obligation. Send exemption paperwork with the quote request so it is on the invoice the first time.
Is there a deposit on large or rush orders?
Decorated orders are prepaid before the supplier starts. Rush work is the same — the factory will not hold a 24-hour line on an unpaid order.
On a large multi-item program we may collect payment per line as each item is released to production. Custom goods cannot be resold if payment does not clear.
Production, Rush & Timelines Promotional Products FAQs
How long does an order take?
Plan on 2–4 calendar weeks for a standard popular product, from approved proof and cleared payment to delivery.
Production is typically 5–15 business days after those two items are in. Ground freight adds about 2–7 business days depending on the ship-to.
Slow proof approval is the most common delay. If you have a hard date, give us the in-hands date on the first email — not after you pick a product.
See [24-Hour Rush](/24-hour-rush) when the calendar is tight.
What is an in-hands date?
The in-hands date is the day the product must be physically in your hands — not the ship date.
If the event is October 15, do not give us October 15 as the in-hands date. Give us October 10 and keep a 3–5 business day buffer.
We work backward from that date to see which products, suppliers, and rush options can make it.
When does the production clock start?
It starts when both are true: you approved the e-proof in writing, and payment has cleared.
Paying without approving the proof does not start production. Approving the proof without payment does not start it either.
Can you do 24-hour or rush production?
Yes on many items. Not on every item.
Some suppliers offer 24-hour or 3-business-day decoration after proof approval and payment. Rush carries a premium and still needs transit time after the product leaves the factory.
Battery-powered tech, complex apparel, premium brand programs, and multi-location kits rarely make a true 24-hour promise. Tell us the in-hands date first and we will only recommend products that can hit it.
Shop current [24-Hour Rush](/24-hour-rush) items or [request a rush quote](/contact).
Can you guarantee a delivery date?
We give realistic dates with buffer. We do not issue a blanket “guaranteed by X” on every order.
We control sourcing, artwork, and the supplier handoff. We do not control UPS, FedEx, weather, or a factory force majeure. If we or the supplier miss a commitment we made, we make it right. If a carrier exception or weather event causes the miss, we help you find the next best option.
What if product arrives after my event?
If the delay was our error or the supplier’s missed commitment, we take responsibility: replacement, expedite, credit, or refund depending on the case.
If the delay was a carrier exception, weather, or a documented force majeure, we still help, but we cannot absorb costs we did not cause.
This is why we push back on dates that are too tight to be safe.
Why do power banks and other tech take longer?
Battery-powered items often need extra documentation and handling, which can block air freight and add days versus a comparable non-battery product.
A power bank ordered on the same day as a tumbler often lands later. If the date is tight, a non-battery rush item is usually the safer choice.
Before you lock a tech SKU to an event date, ask us to confirm the applicable safety documentation and battery-shipping requirements for that specific product.
Do you hold inventory for us?
Not on a standard one-off order. Those decorate and ship from the supplier.
Standing inventory is a company-store or kit-program decision. We can warehouse a short core list, decorate the rest on demand, or run a hybrid. See [Company Stores](#company-stores).
Cancellations & Returns Promotional Products FAQs
Can I cancel after I place the order?
Yes before production. No after the factory has started.
- Before proof approval: cancel for a small admin fee, typically $25–$50
- After proof approval, before production: cancel, but setup and art fees already incurred are billed
- After production starts: the order cannot be canceled
- After production finishes: no cancellation. The goods were made for your brand only
If you have any doubt, call before you approve the proof.
What if the product does not match the proof?
Contact us within 5 business days of delivery.
If color, placement, product, imprint, or construction is substantially different from the approved proof, photograph it and email [claims@trendypromo.com](mailto:claims@trendypromo.com) with your order number.
We will reprint, credit, or refund when the error was not on the proof you signed. We cannot reprint an error that was visible on an approved proof.
Full policy: [Returns](/return-policy).
What if I change my mind?
Change-of-mind returns are not available once production has started.
Custom imprint cannot go back on a shelf. If plans change, tell us immediately. Options exist only if the factory has not started.
Can I return blank (undecorated) products?
Yes, within 15 days, unused, in original packaging, with a Return Authorization number.
Returns without an RA# are refused. Return freight is yours unless the return is our error. A 15% restocking fee may apply.
If you are unsure about a product, ask for a blank spec sample before you imprint a large run.
Shipping & Delivery Promotional Products FAQs
Do you ship all 50 states?
Yes. Most orders go UPS or FedEx Ground. 2-day and overnight are available.
Freight is calculated from actual weight, dimensions, and address. Freight and any handling charges will be shown or estimated on the quote whenever they can be determined in advance.
Split shipments to multiple offices are available. Tell us at quoting so each address is in the freight number.
Can you ship to a trade show, hotel, or venue?
Yes. We do this constantly.
Venue dock and handling fees are charged by the venue, not by us, and they can be large.
Receiving windows vary by venue. Send us the exhibitor kit or hotel receiving instructions before we ship so we can use the correct address, labeling requirements, and delivery window.
Put the event name, company, booth number, and on-site contact on the label when those details are in the kit.
What if the carton arrives damaged?
Do not throw the box away.
Photograph the outer carton, the inner damage, and keep the packing. Email [claims@trendypromo.com](mailto:claims@trendypromo.com) within 5 business days. We file the carrier claim and work a replacement or credit.
Transit damage is the carrier’s liability. Factory defects are handled as a quality claim.
Do you ship internationally?
Not as a standard service.
Customs, duties, restricted materials, and timelines make promo freight hard to promise overseas. If you have an international need, ask. We will say yes only when we can do it reliably.
Can I pick up an order in the Chicago area?
Most orders ship from the decorating supplier, not from a Trendy Promo warehouse, so pickup is not the default.
If a specific program is being fulfilled locally, we will say so on that quote. Otherwise plan on UPS/FedEx to your office, home, or venue.
Product Selection Promotional Products FAQs
How do I choose the right product?
Match audience, budget, message, and context.
What do they actually carry or wear? A power bank is useful to almost everyone. A golf towel is useful if they golf. Kids’ items do not belong at a B2B software booth.
Trade-show giveaways should be light. Client gifts can be heavier. We will show more than one price tier. The best item is the one they keep, not the cheapest line in a catalog.
Start with [top products](/blog/top-25-promotional-products-for-businesses-in-the-usa) or [products by industry](/blog/promotional-products-by-industry).
What promotional products are popular right now?
Items people use daily: insulated drinkware, tech accessories, better apparel, bags, and notebooks with a decent finish.
Eco-forward materials — recycled PET, bamboo, organic cotton, FSC paper — are a normal request, not a niche.
Weak performers: pens that skip, generic stress balls, and anything chosen only because it was the lowest catalog price. Recipients can tell.
Can I get a sample before a large order?
Yes. For expensive or high-visibility runs, we recommend it.
A pre-production sample is the actual item with your art. It costs about the piece price plus setup and fast freight, and it adds time. A blank spec sample (no logo) is often little or no cost.
Not every supplier offers samples. We will tell you what is available on that SKU.
Do you offer eco-friendly products?
Yes. Ask us to filter for them at quoting.
We can filter for documented attributes such as recycled content, FSC-certified paper, OEKO-TEX-certified textiles, reusable designs, reduced packaging, and BPA-free materials where relevant. We prefer supplier-backed claims over vague “green” marketing.
Guide: [eco-friendly promotional products](/blog/eco-friendly-promotional-products-in-the-usa).
Can you decorate Nike, Yeti, Patagonia, or similar brands?
On select licensed programs, when the brand and supplier allow it.
Premium brand decoration is a separate path from generic catalog goods. Availability, decoration rules, and minimums are set by the brand. Yeti and some other marks are restricted.
Ask us to confirm the current program before you promise a specific brand to your boss or client. When it is available, perceived value is much higher than a generic substitute.
Browse [brands](/brands).
Do you have Made in USA products?
Yes. Availability depends on the category.
U.S.-made and U.S.-decorated options exist in apparel, drinkware, and several hard-goods lines. Lead times and price differ from import goods. If “Made in USA” is a requirement, say so in the first email so we do not shortlist the wrong factory.
How do apparel sizes work?
Give us a size run, not just a total quantity.
Build the size run from your actual workforce rather than guessing from a standard office size curve. Extended sizes may carry an upcharge, so include them in the initial quote.
Ask for a spec sample if fit matters. We can help build a size curve from headcount. See [bulk custom apparel](/blog/bulk-custom-apparel-with-logo).
Can promotional apparel be used as safety hi-vis?
Not unless the specific garment is documented as compliant.
Ordinary safety-colored promotional apparel should not be assumed to meet ANSI/ISEA 107 requirements. A yellow or orange event tee is not automatically Class 2 or Class 3 PPE.
If a jobsite requires certified hi-vis, tell us the class you need. We will source garments with current documentation for that standard — and skip anything that is only “safety colored.”
Company Stores Promotional Products FAQs
What is a company store?
A company store is a private, brand-approved online shelf — not a public catalog.
Employees, and sometimes partners or clients, order pre-approved items without a new quote each time. You decide the assortment, who can buy, who pays, and where it ships.
It is procurement with a login. It is not a random merch shop on the open internet.
Read [when a company store is worth building](/blog/when-a-company-store-is-worth-building).
When is a company store worth it?
When demand repeats.
Build a store if new hires arrive every month, field teams wear through caps, five managers keep ordering the same bottle, or you are tired of a new proof every time someone wants a hoodie.
Skip the store for a one-off offsite, a single welcome kit, or a once-a-year client gift. Those are cheaper as a quote or a kit program.
Company store vs kit program vs one-off order — which do I need?
Use the job, not the buzzword.
- One-off quote: one SKU, one date, one ship-to. Events and trade shows.
- Kit program: a fixed box that ships when something happens — day-one hire, anniversary, closed deal.
- Company store: an approved shelf people pull from all year.
Most teams need two of the three. Start with the one that removes the most chaos. Welcome kits: [employee welcome kit checklist](/blog/employee-welcome-kit-checklist).
How many products should a company store launch with?
Twelve to twenty live items.
A wall of colorways becomes leftover inventory. Launch a core set — one tee or polo, one mid-layer, one cap, one bottle, one bag, one desk item — with honest size runs. Add only what sells through.
Do you have to warehouse everything?
No. Hybrid is the usual answer.
Warehouse the two or three SKUs that move every week. Decorate the rest on demand. Warehousing is faster on core sizes and you own leftover risk. On-demand has less leftover and is slower on apparel.
Who pays in a company store — the company or the employee?
You choose before we pick products.
Common setups: company-paid credits for onboarding and recognition; employee card or payroll buy-in for extras; or a mix (credit covers the polo, the jacket is the difference).
Price is a filter. A $12 cap in a “free” store disappears. An $18 buy-in item sits. Decide the money rules first.
Can clients use the same store as employees?
Sometimes, as a gated second view.
Do not put employee tees and client gifts on one public grid. Different audience, different finish, different return rules. If anyone on the internet can buy the hoodie, you have a brand-control problem, not a store.
How do I start a company store with Trendy Promo?
Send headcount, locations, who pays, must-have items, first in-hands date, and brand rules.
We will tell you whether a store, a kit, or a one-off is the cheaper path. Then we help choose the assortment, lock decoration standards, set credits or checkout, and pick warehouse vs on-demand.
[Request a company store brief](/contact). There is no public self-serve builder — on purpose. The rules are the product.
Working With Trendy Promo Promotional Products FAQs
How do I request a quote?
Use the [contact / quote form](/contact) or email [sales@trendypromo.com](mailto:sales@trendypromo.com).
Include product or occasion, quantity, in-hands date, budget range, ship-to city, and a logo file. Incomplete briefs get slower quotes.
We typically respond within one business day during business hours. Mark urgent requests as time-sensitive. Phone: [888-200-8672](tel:+18882008672).
Will I work with the same person?
Yes. One account contact from first quote through delivery.
You will not re-explain the brief to a call center. That is the point of a boutique distributor versus a high-volume online catalog.
Do you keep artwork on file?
Yes for active customers.
Reorders can reference a prior order number. We also keep approved proofs. If the logo, colors, or phone number changed, tell us before the next run so we do not imprint last year’s mark.
How do I reorder?
Email your contact or sales@trendypromo.com with the last order number, quantity, and in-hands date.
If the product, art, and supplier file are still current, setup is often reduced or waived. We still send a proof if anything changed.
What happens when something goes wrong?
Email or call. Send photos. We tell you the fix and the timing.
We do not hide behind a two-week claim form. If it was our fault or the factory’s, we own it. Reputation is how the hard orders get handled, not the easy ones.
Claims: [claims@trendypromo.com](mailto:claims@trendypromo.com).
Do you work with nonprofits and tight budgets?
Yes.
We will work inside the number you actually have instead of padding a quote. 501(c)(3) organizations should send the Illinois or ship-to-state exemption certificate before invoicing so tax does not eat the budget.
What are your hours and response time?
Quote response is within one business day during normal U.S. business hours.
Phone and chat: [888-200-8672](tel:+18882008672). After-hours messages are picked up the next business morning. Rush dates still need a human to confirm the factory can hit them — chatbots cannot commit a 24-hour line.
Where is Trendy Promo located?
We are a U.S. distributor serving all 50 states, based in the Chicago area.
Most product ships from the decorating supplier closest to the job, not from a public retail counter. Nationwide programs, multi-office splits, and trade-show freight are normal.
How do you handle my logo and customer data?
Artwork is used to decorate your order and to keep a reorder file. We do not sell your files or your customer list.
Company-store address books stay in the program they belong to. If you need files returned or deleted after a project, email your account contact.