Consider you’re at an event and spot someone wearing a hoodie with your company’s logo. What would you think? You’d probably think, “Wow, this company must be great to work for.” Well, the truth is, you’re not alone.
We all quickly judge businesses based on the information we can gather about them. Corporate swag helps companies shape those perceptions by presenting them positively. In this guide, we’ll explore how to create a company swag store to boost your business’s image and make your employees and customers feel appreciated.
One effective way to get started is using Giftpack’s company branded swag solution. The gift packs we create can help you identify your target audience, improve your company swag store, and boost your next marketing campaign.
What Is A Company Swag Store?
A company swag store is like your brand’s personal boutique, filled with branded merchandise that employees, customers, and fans can purchase or receive as gifts. Think of it as a one-stop shop where you can find everything from apparel and tech gadgets to office supplies—all customized with your company’s logo.
Why Set Up a Swag Store?
Setting up a swag store is more than just offering cool gear. It’s a smart business move. According to a study by the Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI), promotional products are among the most cost-effective and high-impact marketing tools.
When they crunched the numbers, they found that swag's cost per impression (CPI) outperformed both print and digital ads regarding ROI. Every time someone uses or wears your branded item, it generates more value for your brand than many traditional advertising methods
How Does a Company Swag Store Boost Your Brand?
So, when you set up a swag store, you’re not just giving away or selling merchandise—you’re investing in a marketing strategy that keeps your brand in front of people’s eyes for a long time. Whether it’s a customer wearing your branded hoodie in public or an employee using a branded notebook in meetings, these items are constant reminders of your company. Plus, they help create a sense of unity among your team and build stronger connections with your clients.
Why a Company Swag Store Is a Smart Business Move
In short, a company swag store is a powerful tool for boosting brand recognition, fostering employee pride, and enhancing customer loyalty—all while providing a better return on investment than many other marketing efforts.
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• Company Swag Ideas • Promotional Marketing • Conference Swag • Best Promotional Products • Event Marketing Strategies • Cheap Swag Ideas • Giveaway Ideas For Events • Marketing Products For Small Business • Swag Items For Employees
What Are The Benefits Of Setting Up A Company Swag Store?
Boost Your Brand Recognition
One of the most significant benefits of having a company swag store is the boost in brand recognition. When your employees and customers wear or use items featuring your logo, they act as walking advertisements.
Every time someone sees your branded apparel, tech gadgets, or office supplies, your brand gets more exposure. This constant visibility helps keep your company top-of-mind, making it more likely that people will choose your products or services over competitors when needed.
Improve Employee Engagement and Collaboration
Swag can also significantly contribute to fostering a sense of unity and collaboration among your employees. When team members use the same branded items—a notebook, a water bottle, or a piece of tech gear—it creates a sense of belonging and shared identity.
This can translate into a more cohesive work environment where collaboration comes naturally. A robust and collaborative workplace culture boosts productivity and enhances your company’s reputation, making it easier to attract top talent.
Enhance Marketing Efforts
Your swag store isn’t just about selling merchandise; it’s a powerful marketing tool. Branded items, such as social media giveaways or purchase bonuses, can be used in marketing campaigns. These items provide ongoing advertising with minimal additional cost, offering a high return on investment.
According to one study, 85% of product recipients did business with the advertiser who gave them the item. Whether through physical visibility or digital promotions, your swag items keep your brand in front of new and existing audiences.
Build Stronger Client and Customer Relationships
Gifting branded swag to your clients and customers is a thoughtful way to build stronger relationships. Whether celebrating a business milestone or spreading holiday cheer, offering branded merchandise shows appreciation and reinforces your commitment to your clients.
These gestures can help you build trust and loyalty, which are crucial for long-term success. A robust and trustworthy brand image is often the difference between retaining customers and losing them to competitors.
Refine Your Logistics and Fulfillment Processes
Running a swag store also helps you refine your logistics and fulfillment processes. Regularly distributing branded items can fine-tune your operations, ensuring timely deliveries and smooth purchasing.
Whether you’re running a digital store where items are shipped directly to buyers or a physical store where customers can browse in person, maintaining consistent and efficient logistics is vital to keeping your customers satisfied.
Ensure Brand Consistency
You spent time creating a brand identity that tells your story. For the message to come across clearly, it’s crucial to have brand consistency across all areas of your organization, including websites, advertisements, and promotional supplies. Clothing for your employees must match the logo on the front of your building.
Pens and notebooks in your school gift shop must have the same colors as your school website. With a company swag store, your brand colors, logos, and fonts will be consistent from product to product and will be designed with your approval. That means you get to show off your
Cost-Effective Branded Merch Management
Considering that a lot of time and money goes into ordering promotional products and supplies, you’re probably wondering how an online company swag store can reduce your costs. If you’re a customer with Crestline, a company swag store is completely free. You’ll control your budget and only pay when you order products.
As a bonus, you won’t need to store physical items in your store, reducing the need for additional space (more on that below). When items are in storage, they can get ruined or go out of date—no need to worry about that with a corporate swag store.
Stress-Free Site Management
Opening your e-commerce store can cost you thousands of dollars, and you’ll have to manage the orders and inventory yourself. With our company swag store services, we handle everything from website design and setup to ordering processes and shipping.
We will brand your online store with your logo and colors and display your desired products. Your online pop-up shop will also be easy to navigate for users. With product keyword search and unlimited categories and subcategories, products can be found quickly and are displayed beautifully with enlarged product images and detailed descriptions.
Boost Employee Engagement
According to a recent Gallup poll, only 32 percent of workers feel engaged in the workplace. The study shows that the issues often come from the top down, with employees feeling like their efforts aren’t recognized. If you want to improve productivity and cultivate a more inspiring work environment, you’ll want to find ways to show appreciation to employees.
One way to combat negative attitudes toward a job is to incentivize your staff to keep up the hard work. You can do that by setting up a swag store for employees. For milestones, you can offer staff points that can translate to gift codes to spend at your web store, such as:
- Years of company service
- Exceptional achievements
- Wellness program participation
- Contest wins
When you take the time to recognize the value employees bring to your business, they will appreciate the efforts you make. In return, you’ll see higher retention rates, increased motivation, and employees who want to come to work.
How To Set Up A Swag Store For Employees & Customers In 10 Easy Steps
1. Evaluate Current Swag Management to Determine if a Swag Store is Right for Your Company
First, examine your current swag situation. Do you order a lot of branded items each year? Is managing and distributing swag taking up too much of your team's time and office space? If yes, consider launching a swag store. This can help streamline the process and make accessing your branded merchandise easier for employees and customers.
2. Plan Out the Swag You’ll Offer for Your Store
Consider the type of swag that best represents your brand and resonates with your audience. Are you looking to provide items primarily for your employees, or do you also want to offer them to clients and prospects? Choose items that align with your company’s mission and values whether it’s:
- Branded water bottles
- Functional backpacks
- Stylish apparel
Having a clear idea of what you want will make it easier to select a vendor and stay within your budget.
3. Find the Right Swag Vendor
Once you know what swag items you want, it’s time to find the right vendor. Think of this like buying a car—you’ll want to test a few options, compare features, and ensure it fits your budget. Vet at least three different companies to understand pricing and what they offer. This will help you create a pros and cons list to decide which vendor best suits your needs.
4. Get Approval from Your Company
Now that you’ve found the ideal vendor, it’s time to get everyone on board. To do this, gather data that supports the need for a swag store. How much time are employees spending on swag-related tasks?
What are your current swag costs, including packaging and shipping? How much inventory is sitting unused? Presenting this data will help make a strong case for launching the store.
5. Check with IT and Legal Before Signing a Contract
Before you move forward, get the green light from your IT and Legal teams. IT must ensure the vendor’s platform is compatible with your systems and meets security standards. Legal will review the contract to make sure everything aligns with your company’s policies. Getting their approval early on can save you headaches down the road.
6. Place Your Initial Swag Order
With approvals in place, it’s time to place your first order. Start by selecting the high-priority items you want to feature in your store. Don’t hesitate to ask your vendor for advice on trending items—they often have insights into what works well in your industry. Once you’ve chosen your products, work with your vendor to finalize the designs and order details.
7. Set Up Users for the Store
During onboarding, identify which employees need access to the swag store platform. Determine who will be administrators, who will approve orders, and who will simply browse and order items. Ensure everyone is trained on using the platform before the store goes live.
8. Communicate the Launch Internally
Before your store goes live, it’s crucial to have an internal communication plan. Create and distribute materials explaining how the store works and what employees expect. You might also consider hosting training sessions to ensure everyone feels comfortable using the store from day one.
9. Test Everything Before Going Live
Testing is vital to a smooth launch. Work with your vendor to place a test order and walk through the process to ensure everything works as expected. This is your chance to catch and fix any issues before employees and customers start using the store.
10. Be Ready to Troubleshoot on Launch Day
Even with the best preparation, launch day may have a few hiccups. Make sure you have a team ready to handle any problems and answer questions as they arise. Having support from your vendor on standby can also help quickly resolve any issues and ensure a successful launch.
12 Best Company Swag Store Vendors & Software To Choose From
1. Giftpack: The Corporate Gifting Game-Changer
At Giftpack, our driving force is to simplify the corporate gifting process while maximizing the impact of each gift. Utilizing our custom AI algorithm, we create highly customized scenario swag box options for you. We deliver globally and have an extremely user-friendly platform. We curate the most fitting gifts from a vast catalog of over 3.5 million products worldwide (and this number is ever-increasing).
By carefully considering an individual's basic demographics, preferences, social media activity, and digital footprint, we tailor each gift selection process regardless of whether the recipient is an employee, a customer, a VIP client, a friend, or a family member. With a wide range of locally and globally sourced gifts, we ensure that personalized gifting is accessible and achievable on a large scale, delivering meaningful connections across the globe.
Try Giftpack's client gifting service for free today.
2. Swag.com: Trendy Swag for the Modern Consumer
Swag.com is one of the most popular promotional product companies and leading luxury company swag vendors. The shop carries branded versions of many name-brand products, such as Bose, North Face, and Incase.
This vendor also offers unexpected options such as BBQ rubs or speaker coolers that elevate swag beyond the standard pens, T-shirts, and keychains. Of course, these sellers provide the classics like:
- Blankets
- Shirts
- Stickers
With such a wide array of choices, Swag.com is fit for organizations of all sizes, tastes, and budgets.
Noteworthy Offerings
- Boozy popcorn
- Amazon Kindle
- American Apparel tees
- Tile Mate
- Moleskine Journal
- YETI tumblers
3. Teepublic: Give Your Team a Voice
Teepublic is not exclusively a corporate swag vendor, yet it makes it easy for companies to set up online swag shops for employees. The site also enables artists to set up online storefronts and design various apparel, stationery, and home goods.
Because uploading multiple designs to the platform is straightforward and users can choose from many apparel options, Teepublic makes it easy for employees to show solidarity and company pride without sacrificing individuality or personal style. Plus, the site frequently has sales and special deals.
Noteworthy Offerings
- Phone cases
- Masks
- V-neck tees
- Tapestries
4. BrandVia: Unlocking the Power of Employee Engagement
BrandVia is a corporate swag company that offers fulfillment services, custom packaging, and branded products. The company’s primary mission is to invoke virtual engagement by sending employees, customers, and event attendees products that surprise and delight. This vendor works to source from sustainable manufacturers and support small businesses while investing in product innovation that helps bring new and unique items to market.
The online shop has collections of BIPOC-owned, female-owned, local, and sustainable products. BrandVia also offers partners the option of creating microsites and is devoted to maintaining secure web portals for all users. This vendor can also help organizations set up brick-and-mortar swag stores on corporate campuses.
Noteworthy Offerings
- A taco night gift set
- A work-from-home bundle
- Dylan’s Candy Bar chocolates
- A photo frame with a wireless charging pad
- Candy cocktail-inspired garnishes
- Silicone jar spatula complete the set
5. Everything Branded: A Corporate Gifting Wonderland
Everything Branded’s claim to fame is the variety of its offerings. As the name suggests, this company prints logos and names on many items. The site carries hundreds of product options, including hard-to-find-elsewhere offerings such as:
- Massage rollers
- Trampoline socks
- Mini USB humidifiers
Everything Branded caters to companies that prefer choices and novelty regarding swag. Quantities vary per product. Most items are available individually as a sample and in amounts ranging from 25, 50, hundreds, or thousands.
Noteworthy Offerings
- USB bracelets
- Combo bottle opener/phone stand keychains
- Novelty pens
- Tech wallets
- Sunburn alert stickers
- Car phone mounts
- Pop-up lanterns
6. SwagUp: The Ultimate Swag Management Tool
SwagUp is one of the top branded merchandise companies. This vendor offers an easy-to-use online platform for managing promotional materials. The software allows users to add logos, company names, and designs to products like:
- Socks
- Bags
- Bottles
- Clothes
- Headphones
- Stickers
Orders can be made from pre-made packages or custom-built boxes, and items can be ordered in bulk. SwagUp also offers warehousing and fulfillment services, and you can even send third-party objects for them to house and ship.
Noteworthy Offerings
- Collapsible cups
- Recycled ¼ zip sweatshirt
- Nike club fleece hoodie
- Water cooler backpacks
- Handheld Bluetooth speaker
- Turkish towel
7. Printfection: A Practical Approach to Swag
Printfection is one of the more practical corporate swag stores. This vendor offers drop shipping, printing, giveaways, and order fulfillment services. Printfection has an impressive swag catalog with several name brands and products ranging from home goods to wellness to apparel, tech, and novelties. The site can ship to:
- Employees
- Leads
- Customers
- Event attendees
One of the platform's neatest features is the integration. Users can place orders through:
- Salesforce
- Chrome
- Slack apps
Making it easier to manage merchandising.
Noteworthy Offerings
- Bamboo lap desk
- Self-cleaning insulated bottles
- Desk cleaner robot
- Mini video conference lighting kit
- Wooden stacking zen stones
8. Epromos: Your Corporate Gifting Search Engine
Epromos offers a staggering 15,000 item options and a simple search engine that makes it easy to find products that fit types and price ranges. Another feature worth mentioning is the company’s rush shipping options, which allow processing and shipping in as little as one business day.
The company also offers artwork design services and customizable fulfillment options. Epromos has responsive customer service and frequently hosts deals and sales.
Noteworthy Offerings
- Webcam covers
- Baby bottles and sippy cups
- Safety goggles
- Ultra-plush robes
- Vacuum-insulated bottles
- Combo pens
- Screen cleaners
9. Halo Branded Solutions: Innovative Swag Solutions
Halo Branded Solutions is a swag fulfillment and logistics company that provides solutions for merchandising and promos, recognition and incentives, and uniforms. The company has locations in the US and Europe and sources items worldwide.
This site aims to be innovative and constantly adds new standout objects to its offerings. Halo also offers the ability to develop unique custom products.
Noteworthy Offerings
- Pedometers
- State-shaped stationery
- Spa kits
- Wireless pod chargers
- Phone holders with cleaning cloths
- Shaped stress reliever toys
- Shot glass serving sets
- Portable cutlery sets
10. 4Imprint: A Classic Company Swag Vendor
4Imprint is one of the most popular promotional product companies. This vendor sells lots of essential swag, such as:
- Shirts
- Notepads
- Pens
- Mugs
In various styles. The company’s mission is to make swag easy to order and affordable. The design submission and proof process is quick and straightforward, and the seller also offers rush shipping options. 4imprint prides itself on service and offers to cover the costs if the item arrives late. The company also periodically sends regular customers samples and information on new products.
Noteworthy Offerings
- Vacuum wine tumbler or camp mug
- Embroidered picnic blanket
- Color-in paper mousepad
11. Gemnote: Curated Swag Packages with a Personal Touch
Gemnote offers an alternative to mass-produced swag by assembling curated, custom packages. Curators work with companies to create one-of-a-kind gift sets that fit the organization’s tastes and budgets, to be facilitated and fulfilled via an online portal. This personalized approach makes swag feel more like a thoughtful present than a promotional item.
Gemote provides multiple ways to add logos or company names to items, including:
- Screen printing
- Imprinting
- Digital printing
- Embroidery
- Glass etching
- Leather embossing
This swag vendor is an excellent choice for organizations that prefer a more subtle touch with product promotion. Gemnote partners with quality brands like:
- Native Union
- Patagonia
- Herschel
- Fujifilm
Among others, to provide a more upscale workplace gifting experience.
Noteworthy Offerings
- Curated gift boxes
- Slippers, pocket-print tees
- Gourmet chocolates
- Aprons
- The North Face duffles
12. Zazzle: Custom Products for Unique Corporate Gifts
Zazzle is an online design platform that makes ordering customized products a breeze. Users can create their merchandise masterpieces, customize a pre-made product, or simply request elegant artwork from one of thousands of independent designers. With an emphasis on aesthetics and design, Zazzle feels more artistic than most other swag vendors.
The company also offers a robust Zazzle for Business section with:
- Branded apparel
- Face masks
- Wall art
- Games
- And more
The site also hosts an ideas area and has gift-finder tools that help stoke inspiration for corporate gifts or promotional items.
Noteworthy Offerings
- Baby clothes
- Pillows
- Face shields
- Appointment cards
- QR code keychains
- Stamps
- Playing cards
- Wine labels
5 Smart Use Cases Of Your Company Swag Store
1. Recognizing and Rewarding Employees: Swag to the Rescue
One of the best ways to boost morale at work is by acknowledging your employees' hard work. Whether it’s celebrating a top performer who crushed their sales goals this quarter or recognizing someone for perfect attendance, a company swag store makes it easy to reward them. You can let them choose their reward, like a new gadget for their desk or a wellness item to energize them. It’s a simple yet effective way to say, You’re doing a great job!
2. Must-Have Tradeshow Giveaways: How Company Swag Stores Keep You Prepared
Your company swag store isn’t just for employees—it’s also a lifesaver regarding trade shows. Need giveaways for your booth? No problem; your store has everything set up and ready to go.
Whether it’s:
- Branded tablecloths
- Booth displays
- Thank-you gifts for new contacts
Your store ensures you’re always prepared. Attendees and exhibitors can quickly grab some of your merch to take home, keeping your brand fresh in their minds.
3. Creating a Unified Look with Uniforms: Company Swag Stores Simplify the Process
Your company swag store is the perfect solution for creating a consistent, professional look across your team. Employees can order sizes directly from the store, from custom shirts and jackets to hats. No more guessing how many of each size to order! This way, your team looks great and becomes walking advertisements for your business.
4. Engaging Your Customers: Keep Them Coming Back for More
Keeping customers engaged is about staying top of mind, and your swag store can help. Setting up an online pop-up store with excellent branded items gives your customers a reason to come back and interact with your brand.
You could even run a customer rewards campaign where they can redeem codes for free merch, making your brand a part of their daily lives. Just stock your store with items they’ll love, like trendy tumblers, stylish apparel, and helpful desk supplies.
5. Easy Distribution for Multiple Locations: Eliminate Logistics Headaches
If you have multiple locations or franchises, a company swag store simplifies getting your branded gear where it needs to go. You can manage everything from your corporate office or let each location order what they need directly from the store.
Whether you’re shipping to a physical store, sending supplies to remote workers, or prepping for an online event, the store handles it all seamlessly. No more logistics headaches—just easy distribution wherever your team is.
Why Is Company Merch Called Swag?
Swag might seem like a trendy term, but it has a cool history explaining why it's used for company merch today. Swag originally came from the old Scandinavian word svagga, which meant to sway or hang loosely. Swag evolved in English to refer to a bag or bundle of goods as the kind of loot pirates might carry.
Eventually, it became slang for free stuff or promotional items. So, when companies give out branded merchandise—like:
- T-shirts
- Hats
- Mugs
It’s often called swag because it’s a fun, catchy way of saying, here’s some cool, free stuff to show off our brand! Swag has become a staple at conferences, trade shows, and company events, where everyone loves to grab a piece of the action. It’s not just about giving away freebies; it’s about connecting with your brand.
Who doesn’t love getting some swag? These days, marketers use swag to refer to free stuff employees and customers get from companies. In contrast, merch refers to company-branded merchandise sold by the company to its employees and customers.
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Common Mistakes With Setting Up A Company Swag Store And How To Avoid Them
Proof Before Printing
Proofreading swag designs can avert costly printing errors before placing your order. Typos or misplaced graphics can ruin the aesthetic of your items and diminish their promotional impact. To avoid these mistakes, establish a proofing process for your swag store.
Assign a dedicated individual or team to review every order aspect before printing, including spelling, graphic placement, and other critical details. This ensures that no item is printed with errors, saving you from the expense and waste of unusable products.
Stay Up to Date with Approvals
An efficient approval chain is crucial to preventing order mistakes. If approvers need to check their notifications or there are outdated roles in the chain, this can cause delays and errors.
To prevent this, keep the approval process streamlined by regularly updating the approval chain, ensuring that notifications are enabled, and consistently monitoring the approval queue. This will help avoid bottlenecks and keep orders flowing smoothly.
Avoid Losing Access to Your Company Swag Store
Losing access to your company swag store can disrupt operations, delaying orders and notifications. To prevent lockouts, ensure that multiple trusted individuals have access credentials. Keep login information securely stored and accessible to the right team members. This will help avoid any downtime and keep your store operational.
Limit Access Permissions
Over-assigning permissions can lead to errors in managing your swag store. To avoid this, limit access to a knowledgeable and dedicated team.
Ensure that these individuals understand the platform, are committed to maintaining consistent branding, and can manage approvals efficiently. This focused approach will minimize mistakes and keep the store running smoothly.
Promote Your Company's Swag Store
One of the most significant missed opportunities is failing to promote your company's swag store. Once the store is up and running, actively promote it to employees and customers. Utilize internal communications, social media, and corporate events to spread the word.
Offering swag as gifts or incentives can also increase engagement and brand loyalty. A well-promoted swag store can enhance company culture and customer connection.
Choose a Reliable Vendor
Your swag store’s success heavily depends on the reliability of your vendor. Low-quality products, incorrect orders, or shipping delays can damage your brand’s reputation. To avoid these issues, carefully vet potential vendors before committing.
Look for providers with:
- Track record of quality
- Reliability
- Excellent customer service
Partnering with a suitable vendor ensures your swag store delivers on its promise, maintaining your brand’s integrity and customer satisfaction.
Build A Meaningful Employee Recognition Program With Ease with Giftpack's Client Gifting Service
At Giftpack, our driving force is to simplify the corporate gifting process while maximizing the impact of each gift. Utilizing our custom AI algorithm, we create highly customized scenario swag box options for you. We deliver globally and have an extremely user-friendly platform. We curate the most fitting gifts from a vast catalog of over 3.5 million products worldwide (which is ever-increasing).
By carefully considering an individual's basic demographics, preferences, social media activity, and digital footprint, we tailor each gift selection process regardless if the recipient is an employee, a customer, a VIP client, a friend, or a family member. With a wide range of locally and globally sourced gifts, we ensure that personalized gifting is accessible and achievable on a large scale, delivering meaningful connections across the globe.
Try Giftpack's client gifting service for free today.
Related Reading
• Vistaprint Alternatives • Promotional Products Companies • Corporate Swag Vendors • Swagger Alternatives • Swagup Competitors • Zazzle Alternative • Custom Swag • Best Company Swag • Unique Swag Ideas • Best Swag Items • Swag Items for Events
Make your gifting efficient and improve employee attrition rates with Giftpack AI
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