After over 20 years in the industry, I am still amazed by the suppliers and promotional products distributors that pad every bill with over runs.

The explanation is that they can not print exactly the 1000 widgets you order with your logo.  It is said that they will run extras so that if some are damaged in printing they will have extras to ship your order complete.  The interesting thing is this is called an over / under run policy by which the advertising specialty company can send you up to a percentage usually 5-10% more or less than what you have ordered.

Thus if you have ordered 1000 personalized tote bags, you could get 900-1100 and will be billed accordingly.  The scam as I see it comes when the supplier ALWAYS will ship exactly 10% over, and bill you for them.

They never seem to have under runs.  Imagine that, they would then have to bill you for up to 10% less than what you have ordered.

We have an exact quantity policy.  Which means you get and are invoiced for the exact quantity you have ordered.  If we happen to run extras we will either throw them in at no charge or contact you to see if you would be willing to purchase the additional promotional products at a discounted rate.

To me it’s like owning a decent restaurant.  If we have some extra good soup, the chef can bring it out to his clients as a free bonus.  But a good promotional products company, like a good restaurant, would not dream of bringing out the extra soup that you had not requested, placing it on your table and then adding it to your bill.

Or one would think they would not do this.  The truth of the matter is that most promotional products suppliers, while boasting low pricing, will in fact negate any cost savings you have  by padding the bill with over runs. I find it an embarrassment to the industry.