We’ve often heard the term “retail quality” associated with a desired target quality for promotional products. It’s true, a lot of the same products used for giveaways are made at the same factories that make products for retail trade (and vice versa). The reality is though, you get what you pay for, and when a company wants a top retail quality product for inferior giveaway pricing you are going to have to fall short of the target perceived value.
In searching through promotional products, business owners and marketing managers often have to strike a balance between molding perceptions of their brand (that might transfer from giveaway products) and maintaining budgetary goals. The chasm between perceived retail quality and giveaway quality exists because retailers believe that the products they sell ARE their brand while many companies believe that promotional products giveaways are just a vehicle for impressions and do not translate into an embodiment of their brand. Or do they?
