Branded Merchandise & Uniform Solutions: Inventory vs. On Demand

Running a business means making decisions all day, every day—including how to handle your branded merch and uniforms. Do you stock up in bulk or go the on-demand route? If you’re not totally sure, you’re not alone (and you’re asking the right question).

Inventory-Based Branded Merchandise

Most businesses use inventory-based branded merchandise systems. This means that you order your company uniforms, branded equipment, and accessories in bulk, storing it yourself (or somewhere else), and pulling from it as needed. 

Pros:

• Independence: You have complete management over your inventory. You’re in total control all throughout the process. Once you’ve purchased your inventory, it’s yours to maintain, which brings a level of freedom into the picture. 
• Lower cost per unit: Bulk orders usually come with discounts that scale with the total amount of an item being ordered.
• Immediate availability: When you have items already on-hand, there’s no need to wait for a shipment to arrive. This can be a distinct advantage in some marketplaces.  
• Consistency: When products are made at the same time, their consistency is ensured.
  

Cons:

• Storage needs: You’ll need physical space to keep your inventory.
• Management: You are responsible for everything related to your inventory and merchandise orders, from storage to distribution and re-ordering.
• Risk of overordering: Order too much, and you’re stuck with extras gathering dust, not to mention the sunk cost.
• Higher upfront costs: You’re paying for everything up front, whether you use it or not.

On-Demand Branded Merchandise

On-demand merchandising is exactly as it sounds. Instead of stockpiling boxes of merch, you only procure and ship items when someone places an order. 

Pros:

• No storage required: No shelves, no boxes, no sorting.
• Lower upfront costs: Because products are on-demand, you don’t need to invest a substantial amount in one large initial investment. 
• Lower risk: On-demand is very low-risk. You only have to purchase inventory based on the current demand. In other words, you’re not sinking money into products that might not move.
• Customizable One-time Orders:  Personalized, limited-run, or seasonal designs? No problem.
  

Cons:

• Higher per-unit cost: No bulk pricing here.
• Longer wait times: Items take time to produce and ship.
• Less consistency: You might see slight variations in shipping times.

Get the Best of Both Models with Accent Branding

When it comes to acquiring and shipping your company apparel and branded merchandise, you don’t have to choose between the above models—-Accent Branding’s online company stores give you the best of both worlds! 

With our program, you’ll get a personalized digital storefront with your company’s branding, plus a super simple ordering system that anyone on your team can use without asking a dozen questions. We find, order, track, and ship all inventory, so you don’t need to spend time worrying about it. You can even preview branded product samples before placing orders.

Need fulfillment? We handle it. Want to warehouse your go-to items? We’ve got the space. Prefer to keep things lean with print-on-demand? Done—uniforms and branded merch, all handled with quick turnarounds and custom branding baked in, with a fully staffed support center to handle any technical issues you might run into.

Accent Branding: The Ultimate Branded Merchandise Solution

Whether you’re leaning toward inventory or on-demand, or need a mix of both, Accent Branding makes the process easy and stress-free. Let’s simplify your branded gear game—reach out and we’ll get it dialed in.