Factors affecting the Price of Promotional Products
David Platt • 28 October 2025
A guide to the price of branded merchandise
This is an explanation of the factors that affect the price of promotional branded merchandise. Whilst every product will have a different price point based on the quality of that product and the materials from which it is constructed, each individual product will have a price which varies because of
1. Quantity ordered
2. The chosen decoration method
3. The logo and the number of colours
4. Shipping costs
You can watch the Video below or on YouTube
1. Quantity
Branded promotional goods are very sensitive to quantity. That's not just because of volume discounts, although there are discounts, it's because by definition, they're branded.
What that means is that whether you are printing, embroidering or laser engraving, there's a setup cost. This is the initial expense of translating the artwork ready for the decoration process
.
Set up costs vary widely. It could be £25, £50 or much more depending on the method of decoration. But if it was £50, for example, and the quantity was 50, then of course you've got to pay at least a pound a unit to cover the setup costs. A quantity of a hundred and that goes down to 50p per unit, etc, etc.. You get the idea. What it means is that branded promotional goods are very sensitive, to the quantity that you order. It makes small quantities particularly expensive.
2. Method of branding
Second is the nature of the branding. I mentioned embroidery and print. Depending upon the nature of the branding that you go for, that setup, cost will vary even for the same logo
Embroidery particularly is quite high on the set up costs. Pad printing being quite low. So, your choice of branding mechanism affects the price. Some items can only be branded by one method, but a T shirt has 4 or 5 possibilities (Screen, Embroidery, Transfer, DTG).
The number of branding positions also adds to the cost – this occurs on clothing when branded to front, sleeve and nape of neck for example
Not only are the set up costs different for each type of decoration costs the ‘run-on’ costs can vary as well.
Of course, each method of decoration has its advantages and disadvantages – not surprisingly the higher the costs the higher the quality of the finished logo.
3. The logo and number of colours
The nature of your logo will affect the costs. Some branding methods with low costs are well suited simple block colours and designs but cannot handle tones. Screen printing for example would work well for this logo:
But not this one with its shading and tones:
You can of course create tones and shading in the branding but that may affect the costs.
The one factor that does affect the cost is the number of colours for say screen or pad printing because it will add to the cost of set-up. So, if it's one colour, it's much cheaper than when you get to three or four colours.
And therefore, not only does the price go up, because of the additional set up, but also the sensitivity to quantity goes up.
4. Shipping
Final point, and this is the one to watch for, is shipping costs. Most promotional goods companies will quote the price but not the delivery charge. Now that's fair because of course they don't where it's going unless you state it in when you make your enquiry. Final destination can make it quite expensive and can be a large part of the total price, whether it's UK, Europe, Singapore… particularly if the item is heavy like a notebook.
So those are the factors to consider - quantity, the nature of your branding, the number of colours in your logo and the shipping costs.
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Statisics on the UK market for eco promotional products - size and attitude
T he Changing Cost of Eco-Friendly Products: Is There Still a Premium? SUMMARY • Eco-friendly promotional products used to be 25-30% more expensive • In recent years the volume of eco friendly products has grown substantially • So, the price differences have eroded • Eco and non-eco are now comparable in price – the product features and embellishments are more important to the price, than the eco status In recent years, the market for eco-friendly promotional products has undergone significant changes. Hi, I'm David from Pavilion, and I'm here to explore just how much the pricing paradigm has shifted for products branded as "eco" compared to their standard counterparts. If you'd asked me this question five years ago, I would have estimated a premium of 20-30% for eco products. However, the last half-decade has brought some surprising developments. Eco Products Go Mainstream Eco products have become increasingly mainstream, leading to higher volumes and reduced manufacturing costs. To understand how this has affected pricing, I conducted a survey comparing various popular products. Comparative Survey of Eco Versus Standard Products **Notebooks**: I started with notebooks, considering a batch of 100 with a one-color print. Comparing a standard hard-backed notebook made from PU (polyurethane) to a recycled PU version revealed minimal price differences—around 5%. While eco options like recycled leather or apple peel versions are pricier (£12-14 each), they compare more to luxury brands like Moleskine.
Searching for a branded gift or promotional product? Finding it hard to discover something new, something different? This post will give you a different way of finding what you are looking for by explaining how the industry works and why endless browsing may not be the right approach - or you can watch the video here 1. Understanding how the promotional products industry works a. Promotional Products Distributors The web sites you see on Google are numerous – indeed there are 2,873 distributors in the UK, each selling branded merchandise and each with a website. The web sites vary from the aesthetically pleasing to the overcrowded. BUT you will see the same products on many different web sites – why? b. Promotional Products Manufacturers The number of actual manufacturers is relatively small – a few hundred – each making a single product line, whether that be bags, notebooks, pens or clothing. But the vast majority of the manufacturers will only sell to the Trade – you will find it difficult to access them without the distributor. c. Merchandise Wholesalers In addition to the manufacturers, there an even smaller number of ‘wholesalers’. These Trade only suppliers will stock a huge range of products from many different sources and brand the product with your logo. They may also allow electronic feeds of their products to the distributor websites. d. Images of products So, as you search the myriad of websites presented by Google, you are looking at distributors with potentially the same product lines. ‘But they appear different’ – I hear you say. Yes, that is because each distributor, ourselves included, chooses what we believe to be the best promotional products for a particular price and quality, and the best images. Three problems We may have chosen the wrong products We may have chosen the wrong image The products constantly change so it is really tough to keep the website updated But, remember all the distributors buy from the same sources and virtually all could supply ANY of the products you see….. 2. I don’t know what I am looking for but will know it when I see it! This is true for 95% plus of everyone searching. You do however have some basic parameters: Rough cost per item Estimate of the quantity An understanding of who it’s for An understanding of your brand How the product will be used TIMING This last one is the ‘real kicker’ – you may find what you want but not be able to get it in time – in our experience this happens so often. 3. Alternative approach – a guide So, what is the alternative approach? Have the distributor do the work for you – for FREE We spend every day looking at products, attending industry exhibitions and meeting with manufacturers and wholesalers. We know what is available and when. We can help you clarify a brief and then present you with ideas. We can even quote on a product you have seen elsewhere. See us as your guide. OUR PROMISE – no pushy sales people – happy to chat by email or WhatsApp if you prefer.
