FAQs About Promotional Products

Promotional products are items customized with your logo and branding to give away to clients, employees, and prospects. The goal of promotional items is to create brand awareness, engage customers, and leave a lasting impression after your interaction. They help your business by boosting visibility, increasing brand recall, and building customer loyalty.

Check out our blog for further information on promotional products and how they can be an effective part of your marketing strategy.

Choosing the right promotional product depends on your target audience, your industry, the event or occasion, and your marketing goals. Start by considering which items are most useful or appealing to your customers. For instance, technology gadgets might be ideal for a younger, tech-savvy crowd, while eco-friendly products could resonate with environmentally conscious consumers.

Think about where and how your product will be used. Examples include at a conference or trade show, or as a thank-you gift. Then select something practical, relevant, and aligned with your brand’s values and image. We make it easy to find something with our Shop by Occasion and Shop by Occupation categories.

The most popular promotional items tend to be practical, high-use products that provide everyday value. From our 20+ years of experience at TaxRation, we often see companies buying:

• Custom apparel like T-shirts, hats, and jackets
• Drinkware such as water bottles, mugs, and tumblers
• Tech accessories like wireless chargers and power banks
• Office supplies like pens, notebooks, and planners
• Bags, including totes, backpacks, and drawstring bags

The method for adding your artwork will depend on the product you choose to customize. The most common imprint techniques include screen printing, full-color printing, pad printing, embroidery, laser engraving, dye sublimation, and debossing. Our art page has more detailed information on each of these imprint methods.

Each item has its own minimum order quantity. Corporate gifts and premium products tend to have lower minimums. Browse our low to no minimum category to find promotional items that fit your needs.

Of course! All products in our catalog can be customized with the same designs or a simpler version, depending on space and size. We do charge a setup fee for each product to create the correct templates for your logo to be transferred to the items.

We have a wide variety of eco-friendly products, from t-shirts and pens to items made from sustainable materials like bamboo. We even have a whole collection of promotional products that are made from recycled plastics recovered from the ocean.

Our preferred file formats are vector files with the fonts converted to outlines or curves. This includes AI, EPS, PDF, and SVG files. We also accept PSD, PNG, and JPG raster format files, but they must be high resolution and large enough to fully cover the imprint area, plus an additional 1/4″ bleed on all sides. For best results, 300-600 dots per inch (DPI) at full print size.

You’ll find a button to upload your artwork on the shopping cart page once you’ve added your items to your cart. It’s quickest to upload your artwork here, but you also have the option to email us at art@TaxRation.com for larger files or send us a link to a Google Drive file.

We do offer color matching on select products. We use Pantone Solid Coated Colors. If you need an exact PMS match, please contact us.

An imprint area is the designated area on a promotional product where your logo, text, and/or custom designs can be printed.

We cannot offer a larger imprint area outside of the listed specifications. The area is predetermined for our machinery to provide the best quality prints for your promotional product. Select products can have multiple imprints or imprint locations for an additional fee.

Process printing uses tiny dots of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black ink printed on a white base to create a full-color image.

We partner with Dreamstime to offer digital imagery for your artwork. You can choose an image from their catalog and/or add your own text. We do not offer graphic design services or create unique artwork for our clients. Visit our Artwork Tips page for more information on imprints, fonts, and clip art.

TaxRation keeps your artwork on file so we can easily reference it for future orders. This allows us to replicate your design accurately and streamline the reordering process. We’ll have it ready for repeat orders or if you want to use a previous design on a new product.

You always receive a free digital proof from the TaxRation graphic designers before any payment is processed or your order is finalized. In fact, we provide unlimited revisions if you’d like to request changes. Nothing is charged or sent to production until you give us the green light to make sure your products look exactly how you’d like.

The number of colors you can choose varies by product. The product page will have options for additional imprint colors if they are available. Product descriptions may also indicate options for more colors and imprint areas for an additional fee. When in doubt, you can always contact our team for more help.

The cost of an additional color will be different depending on the item. In most cases, there will be an additional setup fee for the screen and a per-unit color charge for the ink.

Most logos can be embroidered for under 10,000 stitches. Each logo is different, but as a reference point, a single square inch of embroidery takes about 2,000 stitches. If you are also adding text to your embroidery design, a single ¼” embroidered letter is about 100 stitches.

Embroidery is a detailed process. You can use different colors on your design for a fee, but please note that a limited color palette is generally best for embroidered logos.

When a design is printed all the way to the edge of the paper or product, that is called a full bleed imprint. You can find full-bleed options in some of our coasters, table covers, brochures, flyers, and microfiber cloths.

We can print QR codes on most products, but the QR code and your logo must both comfortably share the imprint area. The imprint area must be large enough to print a clear image of the code. Printing a QR code smaller than 0.8 inches will likely result in an inability to scan the code. We recommend at least a 1-inch x 1-inch imprint area on a product with a flat, non-glossy surface. Use high contrast colors (dark ink on light materials or vice versa), for increased scan performance.

Shipping costs are calculated based on the weight of the products in your order and the destination. Rates are determined by UPS. You’ll see the exact shipping cost during the checkout process before finalizing your order.

You have the option to choose your shipping speed. We use UPS to ship our products and offer next-day, two-day, three-day, and standard ground shipping.

All of our orders are shipped via UPS.

Some customers prefer to use their own UPS or FedEx accounts for shipping. If you’d like us to ship using your account, please provide your UPS or FedEx account number, the associated shipping address, and any relevant shipping details.

When you reach the checkout page, please select “Use my own shipping, details in comments” and include your account information in the Order Comments section. Alternatively, you may send the details directly to us via email.

If you would like to ship each item individually to a different address, please send a spreadsheet with all recipient information once your order has been submitted.

Be sure to note that you want drop shipping within the Order Comments and select this as your chosen Shipping Method.

We have two main types of drop shipping available at TaxRation. When you check out, note within the Order Comments that you’d like to drop ship and select this as your shipping method.

To send bulk quantities of items to a limited number of locations, please place one of the delivery addresses within the checkout page. Additional addresses should be included in the Order Comments field, or they can be sent directly by email after your order has been placed.

For shipping individual items, contact us after placing your order to provide a spreadsheet with the recipients’ information. Our team will explain the fulfillment cost, production time, and shipping costs, as these will differ on each project.

We ship products from multiple production facilities located throughout the United States. The exact shipping location depends on the specific item and where it’s being produced. For the most accurate shipping timeline and details, please contact our team.

If your order has not yet been processed or sent to our production team, you can request a delivery address change by contacting our team.

If your order has already been processed, we’ll check with our production team to see if an address change is still possible. Please note: once the order is in the hands of UPS, our ability to make changes is limited and may result in delays to your delivery. Reaching out as soon as possible gives us the best chance to accommodate your request.

Because we ship via UPS, we are unable to deliver to APO addresses. UPS does not service these military post offices. If you have an alternative shipping address, please provide that address when placing your order or contact us for assistance.

Once your order has shipped, a tracking number will be emailed to you so you can easily follow its progress. You can also log into your account on our website to view tracking information for any of your orders.

If you can’t find your tracking details, contact our team.

We can request a blind shipment, but please note that it is not guaranteed. While we have experience working with resellers, including many companies that need help fulfilling items they cannot produce in-house, we are not a dedicated merchandise fulfillment company.

Although we’ll do our best to accommodate blind shipping requests, we cannot guarantee that our company information won’t appear somewhere on the shipment (such as on packing slips or shipping labels).

We only ship within the United States (including Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico) and Canada.

For all other shipping destinations, you’ll need to use a reshipping service. If you choose this option, we will ship your order to the reshipper’s provided address. From there, you’ll be responsible for coordinating the final delivery details—including the destination, shipping method, and any additional costs—directly with the reshipping company.

We accept all major credit cards, checks, echecks, ACH payments, and money orders.

When paying by check or money order, orders are not processed until the payment method has been received and cleared through the bank. This may delay your order by up to 7 to 14 business days.

There are several common reasons why a credit card may be declined, including:

• Daily spending limits set by your bank
• Insufficient funds in your account
• An expired or canceled card
• Billing information entered doesn’t match what your bank has on file

If your card is declined, double-check your details and contact your card issuer for more information. You can also reach out to our team for assistance.

Your credit card will be charged only after you approve all digital proofs. Once approved, your payment is processed, and the order is submitted to our production team.

If you choose to order an item without customization, your order is processed within 1 business day. Because there is no proofing process for blank items, your card will be charged as soon as the order is submitted to production.

We charge sales tax on orders shipped to any state that requires us to collect the appropriate sales tax at the time of sale. The amount of sales tax is calculated based on the state and local rates in effect at the time the order is placed. Certain states may not charge tax on some products such as apparel and food. These exclusions, when applicable by state, will be excluded from the sales tax calculation.

If your organization is exempt from being charged sales tax or you are an organization with 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, please email your tax-exempt certificate to taxexempt@TaxRation.com so we can update our records for any existing and future orders. Once this is verified and updated in our system, no sales tax will be charged on any orders placed by your organization.

We do accept purchase orders. To submit your order, select the option to Pay later (card, check, or other). You can then email us with a copy of the purchase order.

Please note that if you are not a municipal or government customer, you will additionally need to submit a credit application to be approved on the terms of the purchase order. The credit application will need to be reviewed by our accounting team before the PO can be accepted; this process typically takes 1 to 2 weeks.

We do recommend that if your order is needed urgently or in the immediate future, to place your first order with a credit card while your application is being processed.

At this time, we accept credit cards issued by US-based banks only.

We stand behind our 4All Promise. If your order differs from your approved proof or order details, we’ll remake, refund, or credit the order.

Customers will have 60 days after delivery to contact TaxRation regarding a return. If a refund is issued, it will be processed within 2-3 days. Call our toll-free number 855.425.5999 or email us at sales@TaxRation.com for help.

Before your order goes into production, you have the option to cancel or make changes. Your payment method will not be charged until you approve the digital proof. During the proofing phase, you can request unlimited revisions and adjustments to your design to ensure your logo placement and products are exactly as you want.

Yes, many items can be ordered in multiple colors as long as the artwork printed is exactly the same on each color. Please note that there may be minimum order quantities and a limit on the number of colors allowed for the breakdown.

For specific details, please reach out to our team.

Yes! To place a repeat order with the same items and customizations, simply log into your account and go to Order History. From there, select Reorder under the order details. Please note that artwork cannot be changed when using the reorder option. If you need to update item quantities, sizes, colors, or billing/shipping information, please include those details in the Order Comments section.

You can also contact our team by email or phone to place your reorder.

Yes! Please specify the quantity needed for each size when placing your order.

We offer a 5% Non-Profit Discount with a valid Tax Exempt certificate. This discount applies to your order total but cannot be combined with other coupons, free shipping offers, or Rock Bottom Priced items.

Each individual item has a specific imprint location, size, and corresponding setup fee. When you order customized promotional products, screens, plates, and dies are created and set up properly by our print team to add your logo to the items. The setup fee covers the time and tools required for this process.

If you reorder the same product with the same artwork, the setup fee will be waived. You can also change the color of the product or the individual imprint colors without a new setup fee.

However, any other change to the design will incur a new setup fee.

An electronic proof is a digital representation of the product with your logo added. Before any of our orders are sent to production, we send a digital proof for your approval. If you aren’t satisfied with your digital proof, we can make changes and send a follow-up. We want you to be happy with the logo placement and promotional products you receive. We offer unlimited e-proofs until you are ready for us to send to production.

Unless you are ordering blank products without an imprint, you are required to approve your proof. This is to be certain that you are happy with the design placement and avoid any unnecessary mistakes when your products are printed.

To help you feel confident before you buy, we make it easy to get product samples (including free samples on items under $10). They’re a great way to know exactly what you’re getting, and in some cases, we may recommend or require a sample when we believe it will help ensure the product meets your expectations. We reserve the right to decline a sample request at any time. Samples ship with a random imprint to help you evaluate the imprint quality.

To get a sample of a product, fill out a Sample Request Form or give us a call. We will contact you if there are any fees related to your sample request.

Yes, you may order any quantity above the minimum order quantity listed for each product.

If your company owns the trademark or copyright, we’re happy to print it on your promotional items. Any customer providing any artwork expressly acknowledges and represents they have all legal rights and full authority to use the provided artwork, and that such use does not violate or infringe upon the rights of any third party, including, but not limited to, any federal, state, local, or foreign trademark or copyright rights.

Yes! We can print your school’s logo, mascot, or other information on most items.

We stand behind the quality and accuracy of every item we produce. If your order differs from your approved proof or order details, we’ll remake, refund, or credit the order.

We know that sometimes, even when the imprint is perfect, a product may not meet expectations. If something about your order doesn’t feel right, contact us within 60 days of receiving it. We’ll evaluate the issue and work with you to find a fair solution.

The 4All Promise is our four-part commitment to you:

1. On Time, Every Time
2. Best Price Pledge
3. Perfect Product Guarantee
4. Real People, Real Care

For the full details, please visit our dedicated page for the 4All Promise.

Items that contain any chemical listed on California’s Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act will come with a warning label for consumers.

Of course! You are welcome to order promotional products and branded merchandise to resell to customers in your own stores and shops. Take advantage of our bulk discounts to get the biggest returns on your items.

TaxRation has an affiliate program for businesses and people with a strong online presence. You can find more information about how to sign up on our affiliate program page.

We do not mail job opportunity letters. Our job postings are managed through Paylocity’s applicant tracking system and distributed across several job boards, including LinkedIn and Indeed. All candidates must apply and go through an interview process. In addition, we have a dedicated job postings landing page where applicants can apply directly when positions are available. If you are interested in becoming part of the TaxRation team, follow us on LinkedIn to find out about new careers with our organization.

You can sign up for email special offers on our signup page. Just enter your email address and click “Subscribe”.

As part of our Best Price Pledge, some items are already marked down to our lowest possible price. We mark these products with a Rock Bottom Pricing badge.

Because these offers are already deeply discounted, additional coupons, discounts, or credits can’t be applied to products labeled Rock Bottom Pricing or Free Shipping.

Yes! You can view our current offers and discounts on our Specials page.

Please note that no coupons can be applied to Rock Bottom Pricing or Free Shipping products.

Production time refers to the number of business days it takes to create your custom product after the order is confirmed. Before production begins, we typically need 1–2 business days to create and approve the artwork, receive payment, and confirm the order. Once in production, your item is customized and prepared for shipping. Shipping time is additional and depends on the delivery method chosen.

Log in to your account on our website to view the status of any of your orders. If you need help or can’t find specific details, our team is happy to assist you!

Yes, as long as it’s greater than the minimum. You’ll find the minimum order quantity in the first column of the product pricing table. You must meet or exceed this amount to place an order. The next columns are our price breaks, showing discounted pricing for larger quantities.

Very rarely, we have products that ship in case quantities that cannot be broken up. These products can only be ordered in case quantity increments. This will be listed on the product page. If you’re interested in significantly larger quantities than those listed, please contact us for custom pricing and support.

Select items are available with Rush 1-Day Production for an additional cost per item. If a rush production option isn’t available for the product you’re interested in, we can often use expedited shipping options through UPS to help meet your timeline.

The 4All Promise includes our Best Price Pledge. If you find a lower advertised price for the same product, quantity, imprint method, and timeline within 30 days of your order, we’ll match the competitor’s price and refund the difference, plus an extra 10%. The competitor must be a promotional products company based in the U.S. To request a price adjustment, just email us a competitor quote or link showing the lower price.

You’re welcome to email your order request to sales@TaxRation.com.

To help us process your order quickly and accurately, please include the following information:

• Contact name and phone number
• Billing and shipping addresses
• Product details (item number, quantity, color, etc.)
• Artwork file(s)
• Required delivery date

Including your desired delivery date ensures we can meet your timeline or offer the best available options.

We’re happy to take your order over the phone. Please call us at 855.425.5999, and any member of our Customer Care team will be glad to assist you. Please have the following information ready:

• Contact name and phone number
• Billing and shipping addresses
• Product details (item number, quantity, color, etc.)
• Artwork file(s)
• Required delivery date

Providing your desired delivery date helps ensure we can meet your timeline or offer the best available options.

Occasionally, customers choose to purchase a pre-production or spec sample, which typically costs around $100 or more. This fee covers setup, screen creation, and production. Please note this fee is non-refundable. However, if you place a full order afterward, we will waive the setup fee.

We stand behind the quality and accuracy of every item we produce. If your order differs from your approved proof or order details, we’ll remake, refund, or credit the order. It’s an important part of the 4All Promise.