Timelines and Deadlines
Where the time goes from product quote to delivery.
We know timelines are important to you. They’re possibly one of the most-asked questions we get in the initial stages of our process. Thankfully, even if your deadlines are not, promotional product timelines are flexible in most cases. The time it takes from the moment you request a quote, to the point where the products are signed for at your door can be shortened to an extent. We can push factories along, or you can invest in air freight. Very rarely are we asked to slow an order down and from this we’ve deduced that speed is often your priority.
It is important to note that it always pays to be prepared. Giving yourself a three-month period between the time you order merchandise and the time you actually need it is incredibly valuable. It means that you will be able to get the products you want, at the best price, without the stress of a tight deadline.
However, we know you’re busy. Promotional products aren’t always your first priority – and when they are it’s probably because you’ve planned the rest of the event detail and swag is the finishing touch. It’s coming up in a couple of weeks and you need that branded merch now. So, when production timelines are not progressing as you think they should, it could be for several reasons. We’re listing them below with the hope that it helps you better understand the hold up.
The Product
The product you choose determines how soon it gets to you:
Local stock
Some of our factories hold a range of stock on-hand, as well as manufacture to our clients’ needs. For the merchandise that is kept in-house, all it needs is the decoration applied. It’s called ‘local’ product and can be delivery-ready within 24 hours (more detail below).
Indent stock
The second most common product type is made-to-order. We have relationships with factories both in Australia and all over the world. Some manufacture your everyday products and others can make whatever you like. Our network of specialist manufacturers is what allows us to supply your brand’s unique products.
Speaking of factories all over the world – we may need to import the product you’re after. These products are called ‘indent’ stock. As you would have read in our custom products article, imported goods need longer timelines, obviously because of travel and sometimes because of customs delays.
When we’ve got the time to source your perfect promotional product, a massive variety of products is available. But when you’ve got a close deadline, the products become limited to what we can source with the shortest lead time. This means that you may not get the exact product that is perfectly on-brand at the best price.
Production Timelines
It makes sense that the more products you require, the longer they will take to produce. Our factories are used to producing merchandise in bulk, so they’re able to manufacture and decorate hundreds of products simultaneously. They can be fast – but you have to allow reasonable timelines to produce large orders.
For example, you can imagine that an order of 10,000+ units has got to take a bit of time.
The quickest time to dispatch that we can organise is under 24 hours. Rush jobs have a higher unit cost though and are only available depending on the product- and decoration type.
Further to that, how detailed your logo or design is may also influence your lead time. The trickier your logo or other decoration is to apply, the longer it will take. A simple one-colour logo can be printed in a matter of seconds. Depending on the decoration type (here’s a list of what’s possible), your intricate multi-colour logo can take up to 15 minutes to print or embroider and even longer for engraving.
Shipping – Indent Sea vs. Air Freight, Couriers, Customs
We touched on it earlier, but shipping is a major player when it comes to a product’s lead time. It’s the part that we can’t really control. For local stock, we can arrange couriers based on their speed and flexibility. Through our 20+ years of experience, we know the ones who can get the job done quickly. You can see our review on our couriers in another blog.
Indent orders, however, are mostly out of our hands once they leave port (sea/air). Unfortunately, we cannot predict the weather that may impact indent product freight. Nor can we hurry along products that are delayed in customs.
How can you make timelines shorter?
After placing the order – look out for the artwork proofs for approval. We send them to you as soon as the fectory send them to us. The faster you approve the proofs; the sooner production can start.
Similarly, make sure the artwork you send us is correct. The more times we go back and forth between you and the factory with artwork adjustments, the longer your order will take. Moving a phone number and changing the print orientation will take sometimes-precious hours.
Let us know the delivery address when you order. That way we can tell the factory when we book it with them and there’ll be no back and forth while the products sit there all dressed up but nowhere to go.
Finally, when you’re in a pinch and you need that merch faster than fast – paying a bit extra for express, rush or overnight shipping will shorten the timeline. Be sure to mention it as soon as you can, though, so we can arrange it.
Conclusion
In our business there are few worse things than missing a client’s deadline. We understand how important they are – so we will do all we can to get your products to you in a timely manner. Some products are available as quickly as the next day – but it’s best to get things done in advance.
Let us know how we can help with your next event or promo roll-out. And if you’re in need of ideas, try our Merch Matcher™.
