It’s totally understandable that when buying promotional USB Sticks, the most research is done around price and getting the most bang for your buck, after all, everyone wants a good deal right?
The problem with focussing only on price and buying cheap USB sticks is that the majority of the time, quality is compromised and you could end up in a bit of a muddle with non-working USB sticks, unhappy clients, and corrupted files.
We’ve rounded up the most common problems with cheap USB sticks:
• They can be slow – most cheaper sticks only have read/write speeds of 2-3MB, so if you’re loading the data files onto the USB sticks yourself you might be in it for the long haul! Slow speeds also means your customer’s aren’t likely to use them over and over again, so any potential brand advocates are lost.
• They’re made from cheap components – These are recycled or Grade B components which will have a high failure rate. Sometimes PCs and Macs won’t even recognise them! Or even worse, the data you’ve spent ages loading onto each stick could get corrupted…
• They may have a low grade flash – We got quite technical in this blog post and explained the differences in flash grades, all are described as “Grade A” but they can be very different, with one having a higher failure rate and a shorter life span.
• The warranty is compromised – Some suppliers are interested in quick, cheap business and don’t like to stick around when things go wrong.
• They’re bad for your brand – Printed or personalised USB sticks are mini ambassadors for your business, so if they don’t work or load incredibly slowly, it can look bad for your brand and reputation.
What to Look Out For
Fear not though, as we have some tips to look out for when buying branded USB sticks [link] that’ll keep the chances of a failed USB to a minimum.
• Ask lots of questions – Ask your account manager about the quality of the components inside your USBs, they should be able to confirm this on your order too.
• Read the terms and conditions – Again, your account manager will supply you with the terms and conditions of your purchase. Make sure you read these carefully as it’ll cover any warranty included.
• Read Review Sites – These are great for finding out more about who you’re about to do business with. We’d recommend Trust Pilot as a first port of call.