The offering of promotional IT products grows exponentially each year and these items can provide truly impactful brand reminders. Most people now have smart devices and are comfortable with a wider range of technology than ever before. Additionally, many hot desk, work partially or entirely from home, or spend time commuting where portable IT products can prove quite practical.
However, there are pitfalls to be mindful of before investing in such products. The old saying “You get what you pay for” is very apt when looking at certain types of IT merchandise.
Did you know, for example, that not all audio devices offer True Wireless Stereo (TWS) technology? This is where you can transit the left and right channels individually meaning that certain audio, depending on how it has been recorded, may come through to you through those two different channels.
When looking to invest in IT products, there are a range of things to be mindful of such as –
- What version of a product are you buying?
- What is the capacity?
- What about other features such as the frequency range, the music play time, the standby time, or the pixilation?
- What about the performance? For some products, such as VOIP headsets, the voice quality and range are very important.
Supply channels are becoming increasingly important in the purchase of promotional products of all kinds however they are extremely important with items that plug into a power supply or a costly device like a smart phone. With such products it is important to know what certification a product has to ensure that it is compliant with Australian Safety Standards.
Even a “simple USB” can fail to deliver what a customer was expecting if purchased through supply channels that have not been pre-screened and meet the requirements set out by the Australian Promotional Products Association (APPA). I have seen 2GB USBs produced with 2 x 1GB memory clips which may make the product more cost effective, but it fails to deliver what the client would be expecting.
When comparing promotional products, one must always ensure they are matching “apples with apples”. This can be somewhat tricky to do with some product lines, however not with most IT products – provided one has the right details to assess these differences.
Do you know what information to review and consider before selecting IT products to use as branded collateral?
“The SCOODA Quick Read” is a monthly educational series created on “all things promo”