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The Ultimate Gemnote Review: Features, Pricing, and More
The Ultimate Gemnote Review: Features, Pricing, and More
The Ultimate Gemnote Review: Features, Pricing, and More
Gemnote is a corporate gifting platform known for its focus on sustainable swag. In this review, we take an in-depth look at its core features, pricing structure, and limitations to give you a comprehensive overview of the swag platform.
Gemnote is a corporate gifting platform known for its focus on sustainable swag. In this review, we take an in-depth look at its core features, pricing structure, and limitations to give you a comprehensive overview of the swag platform.
Gemnote is a corporate gifting platform known for its focus on sustainable swag. In this review, we take an in-depth look at its core features, pricing structure, and limitations to give you a comprehensive overview of the swag platform.
Jun 7, 2025
•
5
min read
Gemnote has been in the corporate gifting industry for a decade now. But does its tenure translate into exceptional swag solutions?
In this review, we’ll be going over Gemnote’s key features, pricing, advantages, disadvantages, and use cases, giving you insights about the swag platform and helping you decide if it’s the right one for your swag needs.
Gemnote Overview
Gemnote is a corporate gifting platform that offers its users branded solutions through swag, handling design, production, storage, and shipping. Founded in 2015 by its current CEO, Ashley Wong Tsui, the company is headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area, California.
Main Features
One-time projects
Gemnote offers ‘one-time projects’ where you won’t need to pay a subscription fee to avail of its services. As the name suggests, one-time projects are on an as-needed basis. You will need to work with your dedicated customer success manager to finalize your chosen swag, including its colors, quantity, and customization. You can also use the platform’s software feature, Project, to track the shipment status of your swag packages.
Different shipping options
Gemnote offers three types of shipping solutions for your swag, which include direct shipping, drop shipping, and split shipping. Direct shipping allows you to send your swag directly to a single location, whether it’s your office, an event venue, or a warehouse. It’s the one most suitable for bulk swag orders, as it’s the most economical shipping option Gemnote offers. The next one, drop shipping, enables you to have your swag sent directly to multiple recipients at different locations. This option can be convenient if you want to send personalized swag or gifts directly to your recipient. The last option is split shipping, which is a combination of direct and drop shipping. This alternative is the most flexible, as you can divide your order, choosing which ones should be sent to a central location and which should be shipped directly to your recipient.
Redemption pages
With redemption pages, you can feature products from your swag inventory and share a link with your recipients, which will then enable them to choose and redeem their preferred swag. You can also opt to display or hide the images of the swag or gifts if you wish to surprise your giftee. In this case, your recipient will need to add their shipping information and sizing (if applicable).
Pricing
Gemnote has four pricing tiers that you can choose from. The actual prices for these options are undisclosed, so you’ll need to request a demo or contact the platform’s support team. The tiers include a similar set of features (except the Basic plan) but differ primarily in order volume and capacity. Let’s break them down!
Basic
The Basic tier is presumably Gemnote’s cheapest option. Under this tier, you can send a maximum of 10 swag packages per month and can store up to 250 swag items in Gemnote’s warehouse. You can also choose to direct ship, drop ship, or bulk ship your swag, depending on your needs. You’ll also have access to the platform’s redemption pages under this tier.
Starter
Start has the same features as the Basic tier, except its monthly sends are now 25 packages per month, and you can also store up to 500 swag or gift items in Gemnote’s warehouse. Additional features such as the e-commerce store (or swag store) and Shopify integration are now available for this tier.
Business
This next tier has everything that Starter offers. What’s different is that the monthly packages you can send are now up to 50, and the warehousing capacity offered for your items is now 1,000.
Partnership
Partnership is Gemnote’s highest tier, with the highest quantity of items you can send and store. For the monthly sends, you can now send 100 packages per month. Meanwhile, for the warehousing, up to 2,000 items can be stored in Gemnote’s warehouse. All the features in Starter and Business are also available in this tier.
Additional fees
There are also other fees that you need to know if you choose Gemnote. While these aren’t applicable to every user, it’s important to also discuss them to avoid any surprise charges in your invoice.
Design team fees
If you wish to have a design team to work on customizing your swag, Gemnote offers one at a price. For basic design tasks, you’ll need to pay $90 per hour. If it’s simple design work like text logos, it’s priced at $120 per hour, with a minimum of 1 hour. Now, if you need complex designs like illustrations, then you’ll need to pay $150 per hour with a minimum of 2 hours. These costs can add up quickly depending on the complexity of your design request.
Rush production fee
Gemnote also offers rush order options if you want to expedite your swag delivery. This comes with a $200 processing fee that will be charged to you. Do note that rush orders will be accepted only if Gemnote’s vendors confirm that your swag request can be met on time. As such, there’s still no guarantee that you can have your swag orders expedited even if you’re willing to pay $200.
Warehousing fee for one-off projects
For one-off projects, if your inventory remains in Gemnote’s warehouse for more than 30 days after your project’s completion, you will be charged a warehousing fee. Gemnote doesn’t explicitly state how much this is.
Fee for third-party product fulfillment
Gemnote charges a 20% handling fee per unit for third-party swag or gifts in your order. So, if you want to include a swag made by a different vendor or swag platform, then you’ll need to be prepared to pay. However, this feature is still on a case-by-case basis, so you must contact the platform’s support team to see if it can accommodate your request.
Less than minimum (LTM) fee
The platform has a minimum order quantity of 50 for most items. But, it also mentions having the ability to accommodate orders that are below this set minimum, particularly for premium apparel and bags. These below minimum orders, though, will incur you a less than minimum (LTM) fee. The cost per unit will increase as the same decoration fee will still be applied to fewer units.
Custom taxes, duties, and other fees
While Gemnote will handle all the necessary customs documentation and forms for international swag shipment, you will still be responsible for paying the customs taxes, duties, and other incurred fees associated with these international swag orders.
Pros and Cons
Pros
✅ Customer success manager: Regardless of your subscription tier, a dedicated success manager will be assigned to you, assisting you in your swag orders.
✅ Order samples for swag: Gemnote can send you samples of your swag or gift orders before the whole batch goes into production. This will allow you to double-check the items’ quality.
✅ Sustainable approach to swag: The platform partners with green suppliers to offer a catalog of sustainable swag and relies on recyclable packaging to minimize waste. It also works with international carriers that prioritize carbon-offset programs.
Cons
❌ No On Demand swag and gift cards: Gemnote has a minimum order quantity of 50 items; this means that they don’t offer On Demand swag, where you can buy only 1 item as needed. Additionally, the platform doesn’t offer gift cards, further limiting the options it offers.
❌ Can’t build a swag store within the platform: E-commerce store is Gemnote’s version of a swag store, and while it offers this feature, it’s not built directly on its platform. Instead, you’ll need to use Shopify to host your swag store. This adds steps and complexity to a supposedly streamlined process.
❌ Expensive international shipping costs: The costs for shipping swag internationally with Gemnote can be quite pricey, ranging from $22.28 (Canada) up to $125.01 (South Africa). Such costs will accumulate, especially if you have global teams or recipients.
❌ Lots of additional costs: As stated above, Gemnote can charge you extra fees for various features. As such, if you’re looking for inclusive pricing, the platform may not fit you.
❌ Lack of native integrations: Gemnote only offers Shopify app integration and doesn’t have any native HRIS or CRM integration to make your swag management and processes more streamlined.
Gemnote is best for…
… US-based teams with domestic recipients 👍
If you’re in the US, then you’ll benefit from Gemnote’s US-focused operations, shipping, and prices. Domestic orders are generally fulfilled faster and are more cost-effective in the long run due to fewer customs issues and logistics complexity.
… teams with one-time projects or events 👍
Gemnote’s offering of one-off projects can be suitable for you if you don’t have a recurring swag campaign. If you only need to have swag or gifts sent to a marketing event or conference once, the one-time project option can save you from having to pay a subscription fee.
… enterprises prioritizing sustainable gifting 👍
Want eco-friendly swag and gift options? Need sustainable packaging for your gifts? Wish to lower your carbon footprint? If you answered yes to these questions, then Gemnote can be a good option for you. This is mainly because of the platform’s commitment to sustainable efforts in its overall processes, including sourcing, packaging, and distribution.
Gemnote may not be a good fit for…
… leaders looking to automate swag and gift sending 👎
One of Gemnote’s main weaknesses is its lack of native integrations. With no HRIS or CRM integration supported, Gemnote won’t be able to easily synchronize your employee records or customer data or automate order triggers based on predefined events. For busy and larger teams, this may be a huge drawback.
… businesses needing flexible swag and gift options 👎
If you’re a business that wants to send swag to a couple of loyal customers, prefer tailored swag for your recipients, or simply need gift cards, then Gemnote is an automatic no. This is because the platform doesn’t offer On Demand swag and instead focuses on bulk swag orders with an MOQ of 50 items. The one-time projects can’t be an alternative to this either, as that option focuses on using bulk swag for one-time events, rather than one-item orders. Additionally, the lack of gift card options further limits the platform’s offering, especially for remote giftees. As such, you might find yourself having limited swag and gift options with Gemnote.
… global companies that regularly send to international recipients 👎
With the costs of international shipping reaching as high as $125, it will be costly to send swag to your teams, clients, and partners who are outside of the US. This also means that if you regularly need to send swag to your global recipients, you will incur higher shipping costs, which may not be sustainable in the long run.
Gemnote is a corporate gifting platform that’s focused on delivering sustainable swag solutions to its users. Its one-off project is an especially interesting feature that’s suitable for one-time events or swag needs. However, its drawbacks, from its lack of On Demand swag, gift cards, and built-in software integrations to exorbitant international shipping costs, reduce Gemnote’s appeal, particularly if you’re looking for flexible and more cost-effective swag solutions.
Looking for global swag solutions? Explore the best Gemnote alternatives
Suppose lower international shipping rates, On Demand swag, digital gift cards, or native integrations are your priorities. In that case, exploring Gemnote’s alternatives can help you find a platform that better aligns with your needs. We’ve compiled a list of selected Gemnote competitors to help you identify which one will work best for your corporate gifting needs.
Gemnote vs PerkUp, the #1 platform for affordable international swag
Gemnote and PerkUp both offer a sustainable approach to swag management and fulfillment. But what are their other differences? What does PerkUp offer that Gemnote doesn’t? Why is PerkUp the platform you need to choose if you have global teams and recipients? Most importantly, what makes companies like Microsoft and MFCP trust PerkUp for their swag and gifting needs?
This is because, unlike Gemnote, PerkUp is designed for scale and flexibility, supporting bulk swag, On Demand swag, gift, and gift card options, built-in software integrations for HRIS and CRM, and global fulfillment. There are many more differences between these two companies, which we’ve laid out in our detailed comparison of Gemnote and PerkUp.
Gemnote has been in the corporate gifting industry for a decade now. But does its tenure translate into exceptional swag solutions?
In this review, we’ll be going over Gemnote’s key features, pricing, advantages, disadvantages, and use cases, giving you insights about the swag platform and helping you decide if it’s the right one for your swag needs.
Gemnote Overview
Gemnote is a corporate gifting platform that offers its users branded solutions through swag, handling design, production, storage, and shipping. Founded in 2015 by its current CEO, Ashley Wong Tsui, the company is headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area, California.
Main Features
One-time projects
Gemnote offers ‘one-time projects’ where you won’t need to pay a subscription fee to avail of its services. As the name suggests, one-time projects are on an as-needed basis. You will need to work with your dedicated customer success manager to finalize your chosen swag, including its colors, quantity, and customization. You can also use the platform’s software feature, Project, to track the shipment status of your swag packages.
Different shipping options
Gemnote offers three types of shipping solutions for your swag, which include direct shipping, drop shipping, and split shipping. Direct shipping allows you to send your swag directly to a single location, whether it’s your office, an event venue, or a warehouse. It’s the one most suitable for bulk swag orders, as it’s the most economical shipping option Gemnote offers. The next one, drop shipping, enables you to have your swag sent directly to multiple recipients at different locations. This option can be convenient if you want to send personalized swag or gifts directly to your recipient. The last option is split shipping, which is a combination of direct and drop shipping. This alternative is the most flexible, as you can divide your order, choosing which ones should be sent to a central location and which should be shipped directly to your recipient.
Redemption pages
With redemption pages, you can feature products from your swag inventory and share a link with your recipients, which will then enable them to choose and redeem their preferred swag. You can also opt to display or hide the images of the swag or gifts if you wish to surprise your giftee. In this case, your recipient will need to add their shipping information and sizing (if applicable).
Pricing
Gemnote has four pricing tiers that you can choose from. The actual prices for these options are undisclosed, so you’ll need to request a demo or contact the platform’s support team. The tiers include a similar set of features (except the Basic plan) but differ primarily in order volume and capacity. Let’s break them down!
Basic
The Basic tier is presumably Gemnote’s cheapest option. Under this tier, you can send a maximum of 10 swag packages per month and can store up to 250 swag items in Gemnote’s warehouse. You can also choose to direct ship, drop ship, or bulk ship your swag, depending on your needs. You’ll also have access to the platform’s redemption pages under this tier.
Starter
Start has the same features as the Basic tier, except its monthly sends are now 25 packages per month, and you can also store up to 500 swag or gift items in Gemnote’s warehouse. Additional features such as the e-commerce store (or swag store) and Shopify integration are now available for this tier.
Business
This next tier has everything that Starter offers. What’s different is that the monthly packages you can send are now up to 50, and the warehousing capacity offered for your items is now 1,000.
Partnership
Partnership is Gemnote’s highest tier, with the highest quantity of items you can send and store. For the monthly sends, you can now send 100 packages per month. Meanwhile, for the warehousing, up to 2,000 items can be stored in Gemnote’s warehouse. All the features in Starter and Business are also available in this tier.
Additional fees
There are also other fees that you need to know if you choose Gemnote. While these aren’t applicable to every user, it’s important to also discuss them to avoid any surprise charges in your invoice.
Design team fees
If you wish to have a design team to work on customizing your swag, Gemnote offers one at a price. For basic design tasks, you’ll need to pay $90 per hour. If it’s simple design work like text logos, it’s priced at $120 per hour, with a minimum of 1 hour. Now, if you need complex designs like illustrations, then you’ll need to pay $150 per hour with a minimum of 2 hours. These costs can add up quickly depending on the complexity of your design request.
Rush production fee
Gemnote also offers rush order options if you want to expedite your swag delivery. This comes with a $200 processing fee that will be charged to you. Do note that rush orders will be accepted only if Gemnote’s vendors confirm that your swag request can be met on time. As such, there’s still no guarantee that you can have your swag orders expedited even if you’re willing to pay $200.
Warehousing fee for one-off projects
For one-off projects, if your inventory remains in Gemnote’s warehouse for more than 30 days after your project’s completion, you will be charged a warehousing fee. Gemnote doesn’t explicitly state how much this is.
Fee for third-party product fulfillment
Gemnote charges a 20% handling fee per unit for third-party swag or gifts in your order. So, if you want to include a swag made by a different vendor or swag platform, then you’ll need to be prepared to pay. However, this feature is still on a case-by-case basis, so you must contact the platform’s support team to see if it can accommodate your request.
Less than minimum (LTM) fee
The platform has a minimum order quantity of 50 for most items. But, it also mentions having the ability to accommodate orders that are below this set minimum, particularly for premium apparel and bags. These below minimum orders, though, will incur you a less than minimum (LTM) fee. The cost per unit will increase as the same decoration fee will still be applied to fewer units.
Custom taxes, duties, and other fees
While Gemnote will handle all the necessary customs documentation and forms for international swag shipment, you will still be responsible for paying the customs taxes, duties, and other incurred fees associated with these international swag orders.
Pros and Cons
Pros
✅ Customer success manager: Regardless of your subscription tier, a dedicated success manager will be assigned to you, assisting you in your swag orders.
✅ Order samples for swag: Gemnote can send you samples of your swag or gift orders before the whole batch goes into production. This will allow you to double-check the items’ quality.
✅ Sustainable approach to swag: The platform partners with green suppliers to offer a catalog of sustainable swag and relies on recyclable packaging to minimize waste. It also works with international carriers that prioritize carbon-offset programs.
Cons
❌ No On Demand swag and gift cards: Gemnote has a minimum order quantity of 50 items; this means that they don’t offer On Demand swag, where you can buy only 1 item as needed. Additionally, the platform doesn’t offer gift cards, further limiting the options it offers.
❌ Can’t build a swag store within the platform: E-commerce store is Gemnote’s version of a swag store, and while it offers this feature, it’s not built directly on its platform. Instead, you’ll need to use Shopify to host your swag store. This adds steps and complexity to a supposedly streamlined process.
❌ Expensive international shipping costs: The costs for shipping swag internationally with Gemnote can be quite pricey, ranging from $22.28 (Canada) up to $125.01 (South Africa). Such costs will accumulate, especially if you have global teams or recipients.
❌ Lots of additional costs: As stated above, Gemnote can charge you extra fees for various features. As such, if you’re looking for inclusive pricing, the platform may not fit you.
❌ Lack of native integrations: Gemnote only offers Shopify app integration and doesn’t have any native HRIS or CRM integration to make your swag management and processes more streamlined.
Gemnote is best for…
… US-based teams with domestic recipients 👍
If you’re in the US, then you’ll benefit from Gemnote’s US-focused operations, shipping, and prices. Domestic orders are generally fulfilled faster and are more cost-effective in the long run due to fewer customs issues and logistics complexity.
… teams with one-time projects or events 👍
Gemnote’s offering of one-off projects can be suitable for you if you don’t have a recurring swag campaign. If you only need to have swag or gifts sent to a marketing event or conference once, the one-time project option can save you from having to pay a subscription fee.
… enterprises prioritizing sustainable gifting 👍
Want eco-friendly swag and gift options? Need sustainable packaging for your gifts? Wish to lower your carbon footprint? If you answered yes to these questions, then Gemnote can be a good option for you. This is mainly because of the platform’s commitment to sustainable efforts in its overall processes, including sourcing, packaging, and distribution.
Gemnote may not be a good fit for…
… leaders looking to automate swag and gift sending 👎
One of Gemnote’s main weaknesses is its lack of native integrations. With no HRIS or CRM integration supported, Gemnote won’t be able to easily synchronize your employee records or customer data or automate order triggers based on predefined events. For busy and larger teams, this may be a huge drawback.
… businesses needing flexible swag and gift options 👎
If you’re a business that wants to send swag to a couple of loyal customers, prefer tailored swag for your recipients, or simply need gift cards, then Gemnote is an automatic no. This is because the platform doesn’t offer On Demand swag and instead focuses on bulk swag orders with an MOQ of 50 items. The one-time projects can’t be an alternative to this either, as that option focuses on using bulk swag for one-time events, rather than one-item orders. Additionally, the lack of gift card options further limits the platform’s offering, especially for remote giftees. As such, you might find yourself having limited swag and gift options with Gemnote.
… global companies that regularly send to international recipients 👎
With the costs of international shipping reaching as high as $125, it will be costly to send swag to your teams, clients, and partners who are outside of the US. This also means that if you regularly need to send swag to your global recipients, you will incur higher shipping costs, which may not be sustainable in the long run.
Gemnote is a corporate gifting platform that’s focused on delivering sustainable swag solutions to its users. Its one-off project is an especially interesting feature that’s suitable for one-time events or swag needs. However, its drawbacks, from its lack of On Demand swag, gift cards, and built-in software integrations to exorbitant international shipping costs, reduce Gemnote’s appeal, particularly if you’re looking for flexible and more cost-effective swag solutions.
Looking for global swag solutions? Explore the best Gemnote alternatives
Suppose lower international shipping rates, On Demand swag, digital gift cards, or native integrations are your priorities. In that case, exploring Gemnote’s alternatives can help you find a platform that better aligns with your needs. We’ve compiled a list of selected Gemnote competitors to help you identify which one will work best for your corporate gifting needs.
Gemnote vs PerkUp, the #1 platform for affordable international swag
Gemnote and PerkUp both offer a sustainable approach to swag management and fulfillment. But what are their other differences? What does PerkUp offer that Gemnote doesn’t? Why is PerkUp the platform you need to choose if you have global teams and recipients? Most importantly, what makes companies like Microsoft and MFCP trust PerkUp for their swag and gifting needs?
This is because, unlike Gemnote, PerkUp is designed for scale and flexibility, supporting bulk swag, On Demand swag, gift, and gift card options, built-in software integrations for HRIS and CRM, and global fulfillment. There are many more differences between these two companies, which we’ve laid out in our detailed comparison of Gemnote and PerkUp.
Gemnote has been in the corporate gifting industry for a decade now. But does its tenure translate into exceptional swag solutions?
In this review, we’ll be going over Gemnote’s key features, pricing, advantages, disadvantages, and use cases, giving you insights about the swag platform and helping you decide if it’s the right one for your swag needs.
Gemnote Overview
Gemnote is a corporate gifting platform that offers its users branded solutions through swag, handling design, production, storage, and shipping. Founded in 2015 by its current CEO, Ashley Wong Tsui, the company is headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area, California.
Main Features
One-time projects
Gemnote offers ‘one-time projects’ where you won’t need to pay a subscription fee to avail of its services. As the name suggests, one-time projects are on an as-needed basis. You will need to work with your dedicated customer success manager to finalize your chosen swag, including its colors, quantity, and customization. You can also use the platform’s software feature, Project, to track the shipment status of your swag packages.
Different shipping options
Gemnote offers three types of shipping solutions for your swag, which include direct shipping, drop shipping, and split shipping. Direct shipping allows you to send your swag directly to a single location, whether it’s your office, an event venue, or a warehouse. It’s the one most suitable for bulk swag orders, as it’s the most economical shipping option Gemnote offers. The next one, drop shipping, enables you to have your swag sent directly to multiple recipients at different locations. This option can be convenient if you want to send personalized swag or gifts directly to your recipient. The last option is split shipping, which is a combination of direct and drop shipping. This alternative is the most flexible, as you can divide your order, choosing which ones should be sent to a central location and which should be shipped directly to your recipient.
Redemption pages
With redemption pages, you can feature products from your swag inventory and share a link with your recipients, which will then enable them to choose and redeem their preferred swag. You can also opt to display or hide the images of the swag or gifts if you wish to surprise your giftee. In this case, your recipient will need to add their shipping information and sizing (if applicable).
Pricing
Gemnote has four pricing tiers that you can choose from. The actual prices for these options are undisclosed, so you’ll need to request a demo or contact the platform’s support team. The tiers include a similar set of features (except the Basic plan) but differ primarily in order volume and capacity. Let’s break them down!
Basic
The Basic tier is presumably Gemnote’s cheapest option. Under this tier, you can send a maximum of 10 swag packages per month and can store up to 250 swag items in Gemnote’s warehouse. You can also choose to direct ship, drop ship, or bulk ship your swag, depending on your needs. You’ll also have access to the platform’s redemption pages under this tier.
Starter
Start has the same features as the Basic tier, except its monthly sends are now 25 packages per month, and you can also store up to 500 swag or gift items in Gemnote’s warehouse. Additional features such as the e-commerce store (or swag store) and Shopify integration are now available for this tier.
Business
This next tier has everything that Starter offers. What’s different is that the monthly packages you can send are now up to 50, and the warehousing capacity offered for your items is now 1,000.
Partnership
Partnership is Gemnote’s highest tier, with the highest quantity of items you can send and store. For the monthly sends, you can now send 100 packages per month. Meanwhile, for the warehousing, up to 2,000 items can be stored in Gemnote’s warehouse. All the features in Starter and Business are also available in this tier.
Additional fees
There are also other fees that you need to know if you choose Gemnote. While these aren’t applicable to every user, it’s important to also discuss them to avoid any surprise charges in your invoice.
Design team fees
If you wish to have a design team to work on customizing your swag, Gemnote offers one at a price. For basic design tasks, you’ll need to pay $90 per hour. If it’s simple design work like text logos, it’s priced at $120 per hour, with a minimum of 1 hour. Now, if you need complex designs like illustrations, then you’ll need to pay $150 per hour with a minimum of 2 hours. These costs can add up quickly depending on the complexity of your design request.
Rush production fee
Gemnote also offers rush order options if you want to expedite your swag delivery. This comes with a $200 processing fee that will be charged to you. Do note that rush orders will be accepted only if Gemnote’s vendors confirm that your swag request can be met on time. As such, there’s still no guarantee that you can have your swag orders expedited even if you’re willing to pay $200.
Warehousing fee for one-off projects
For one-off projects, if your inventory remains in Gemnote’s warehouse for more than 30 days after your project’s completion, you will be charged a warehousing fee. Gemnote doesn’t explicitly state how much this is.
Fee for third-party product fulfillment
Gemnote charges a 20% handling fee per unit for third-party swag or gifts in your order. So, if you want to include a swag made by a different vendor or swag platform, then you’ll need to be prepared to pay. However, this feature is still on a case-by-case basis, so you must contact the platform’s support team to see if it can accommodate your request.
Less than minimum (LTM) fee
The platform has a minimum order quantity of 50 for most items. But, it also mentions having the ability to accommodate orders that are below this set minimum, particularly for premium apparel and bags. These below minimum orders, though, will incur you a less than minimum (LTM) fee. The cost per unit will increase as the same decoration fee will still be applied to fewer units.
Custom taxes, duties, and other fees
While Gemnote will handle all the necessary customs documentation and forms for international swag shipment, you will still be responsible for paying the customs taxes, duties, and other incurred fees associated with these international swag orders.
Pros and Cons
Pros
✅ Customer success manager: Regardless of your subscription tier, a dedicated success manager will be assigned to you, assisting you in your swag orders.
✅ Order samples for swag: Gemnote can send you samples of your swag or gift orders before the whole batch goes into production. This will allow you to double-check the items’ quality.
✅ Sustainable approach to swag: The platform partners with green suppliers to offer a catalog of sustainable swag and relies on recyclable packaging to minimize waste. It also works with international carriers that prioritize carbon-offset programs.
Cons
❌ No On Demand swag and gift cards: Gemnote has a minimum order quantity of 50 items; this means that they don’t offer On Demand swag, where you can buy only 1 item as needed. Additionally, the platform doesn’t offer gift cards, further limiting the options it offers.
❌ Can’t build a swag store within the platform: E-commerce store is Gemnote’s version of a swag store, and while it offers this feature, it’s not built directly on its platform. Instead, you’ll need to use Shopify to host your swag store. This adds steps and complexity to a supposedly streamlined process.
❌ Expensive international shipping costs: The costs for shipping swag internationally with Gemnote can be quite pricey, ranging from $22.28 (Canada) up to $125.01 (South Africa). Such costs will accumulate, especially if you have global teams or recipients.
❌ Lots of additional costs: As stated above, Gemnote can charge you extra fees for various features. As such, if you’re looking for inclusive pricing, the platform may not fit you.
❌ Lack of native integrations: Gemnote only offers Shopify app integration and doesn’t have any native HRIS or CRM integration to make your swag management and processes more streamlined.
Gemnote is best for…
… US-based teams with domestic recipients 👍
If you’re in the US, then you’ll benefit from Gemnote’s US-focused operations, shipping, and prices. Domestic orders are generally fulfilled faster and are more cost-effective in the long run due to fewer customs issues and logistics complexity.
… teams with one-time projects or events 👍
Gemnote’s offering of one-off projects can be suitable for you if you don’t have a recurring swag campaign. If you only need to have swag or gifts sent to a marketing event or conference once, the one-time project option can save you from having to pay a subscription fee.
… enterprises prioritizing sustainable gifting 👍
Want eco-friendly swag and gift options? Need sustainable packaging for your gifts? Wish to lower your carbon footprint? If you answered yes to these questions, then Gemnote can be a good option for you. This is mainly because of the platform’s commitment to sustainable efforts in its overall processes, including sourcing, packaging, and distribution.
Gemnote may not be a good fit for…
… leaders looking to automate swag and gift sending 👎
One of Gemnote’s main weaknesses is its lack of native integrations. With no HRIS or CRM integration supported, Gemnote won’t be able to easily synchronize your employee records or customer data or automate order triggers based on predefined events. For busy and larger teams, this may be a huge drawback.
… businesses needing flexible swag and gift options 👎
If you’re a business that wants to send swag to a couple of loyal customers, prefer tailored swag for your recipients, or simply need gift cards, then Gemnote is an automatic no. This is because the platform doesn’t offer On Demand swag and instead focuses on bulk swag orders with an MOQ of 50 items. The one-time projects can’t be an alternative to this either, as that option focuses on using bulk swag for one-time events, rather than one-item orders. Additionally, the lack of gift card options further limits the platform’s offering, especially for remote giftees. As such, you might find yourself having limited swag and gift options with Gemnote.
… global companies that regularly send to international recipients 👎
With the costs of international shipping reaching as high as $125, it will be costly to send swag to your teams, clients, and partners who are outside of the US. This also means that if you regularly need to send swag to your global recipients, you will incur higher shipping costs, which may not be sustainable in the long run.
Gemnote is a corporate gifting platform that’s focused on delivering sustainable swag solutions to its users. Its one-off project is an especially interesting feature that’s suitable for one-time events or swag needs. However, its drawbacks, from its lack of On Demand swag, gift cards, and built-in software integrations to exorbitant international shipping costs, reduce Gemnote’s appeal, particularly if you’re looking for flexible and more cost-effective swag solutions.
Looking for global swag solutions? Explore the best Gemnote alternatives
Suppose lower international shipping rates, On Demand swag, digital gift cards, or native integrations are your priorities. In that case, exploring Gemnote’s alternatives can help you find a platform that better aligns with your needs. We’ve compiled a list of selected Gemnote competitors to help you identify which one will work best for your corporate gifting needs.
Gemnote vs PerkUp, the #1 platform for affordable international swag
Gemnote and PerkUp both offer a sustainable approach to swag management and fulfillment. But what are their other differences? What does PerkUp offer that Gemnote doesn’t? Why is PerkUp the platform you need to choose if you have global teams and recipients? Most importantly, what makes companies like Microsoft and MFCP trust PerkUp for their swag and gifting needs?
This is because, unlike Gemnote, PerkUp is designed for scale and flexibility, supporting bulk swag, On Demand swag, gift, and gift card options, built-in software integrations for HRIS and CRM, and global fulfillment. There are many more differences between these two companies, which we’ve laid out in our detailed comparison of Gemnote and PerkUp.
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Start sending incredible swag and gifts globally
Simplify and enhance your employee swag and gifting experience for better retention, engagement and productivity.
Start sending incredible swag and gifts globally
Simplify and enhance your employee swag and gifting experience for better retention, engagement and productivity.
Start sending incredible swag and gifts globally
Simplify and enhance your employee swag and gifting experience for better retention, engagement and productivity.