In today's competitive business landscape, having company-branded swag plays a crucial role in enhancing brand identity and fostering a sense of belonging among employees. 

When it comes to finding the right platform to create and distribute company-branded swag, SwagUp emerges as a top contender. With its user-friendly interface, comprehensive suite of services, and commitment to quality, SwagUp provides a one-stop solution for businesses looking to elevate their branding efforts.

In this article, we will explore the features, benefits, drawbacks, and considerations of using SwagUp as a platform for your company's swag needs. Let's dive in and find out if SwagUp is the right fit for your business.

SwagUp Review: An Overview

SwagUp offers businesses an end-to-end solution for creating and distributing custom swag. The company's services are designed to help brands create memorable experiences with their customers by leveraging the power of custom merchandise.

SwagUp operates on a simple, three-step process: design, pack, and send. The platform offers a vast selection of swag items, from t-shirts and hoodies to notepads and bottles, and even tech gadgets. Users can customize these items using a digital design studio, giving them control over the look and feel of their merchandise.

After designing, SwagUp takes care of inventory and storage, freeing businesses from logistical hassles. Lastly, when it's time to distribute the swag, whether as corporate gifts, event giveaways, or employee welcome kits, SwagUp ships them, no matter where recipients are located globally.

SwagUp serves multiple functions, each of which contributes to streamlining brand promotion strategies. It acts as a creative hub, enabling users to design unique, branded merchandise that can resonate with their target audience. It also works as an inventory management tool, taking care of storage and shipment. As such, it removes the logistics burden from companies.

With its global shipping capability, it amplifies a brand's reach. With it, you’re able to deliver swag to customers, clients, or employees around the world. This not only enhances brand visibility but also nurtures loyalty and engagement.

The Main Features Of SwagUp

Below are some of the key features of this platform:

Design

SwagUp provides a comprehensive design service at no extra charge. From conceptualization to the final product, SwagUp's team of experienced designers handles every aspect of the design process. As a result, you can ensure that your brand is well-represented and your swag items are aesthetically appealing.

Inventory Management

SwagUp also offers an inventory management feature, which aims to declutter your workspace. They store your swag items and actively monitor your inventory levels. When your supplies are running low, they will notify you, ensuring you never run out of your branded merchandise.

Swag Management Dashboard

The platform features a centralized swag management dashboard that makes the management of your swag items effortless. Here, you can oversee all the aspects of your swag process, from design and production to inventory and distribution, all in one place.

Global Fulfillment Covered

SwagUp has a global fulfillment feature. They handle the logistics of delivering your swag items to your clients or team members, wherever they are in the world. This feature removes the burden of shipping and logistics from your shoulders.

Swag Shops

With the SwagUp Shopify app, you can set up and manage an online swag store. This allows you to easily sell your swag items to your customers, team members, or fans.

API & Integrations

With SwagUp's API and integration feature, you can quickly integrate the swag packs into your existing workflows. This means that you can automate the process of ordering, sending, and tracking your swag items, saving you time and effort.

Reporting

SwagUp equips users with a detailed reporting feature to effectively track the progress of their swag items. Through this feature, users can generate comprehensive reports that give insight into the performance of their branded merchandise. 

It provides key metrics such as: 

• The number of items that have been distributed

• The most popular items 

• How quickly inventory is being depleted

This data-driven approach allows users to make informed decisions about future designs and purchases. As such, you can ensure that your branded merchandise continues to engage and resonate with your target audience.

SwagUp Pricing

SwagUp offers four distinct plans tailored to varying user requirements: Basic, Silver, Gold, and Platinum.

• The Basic plan is free and is a great entry point for those testing the waters. It includes access to a comprehensive self-service dashboard account.

• The Silver plan is priced at $99/month. It includes everything from the basic plan, along with the advantage of a dedicated account team, extended catalog ordering, and 3rd party storage and fulfillment.

• The Gold plan, available for $499/month, is more exhaustive in its offerings. It includes everything in the Silver plan plus shipping discounts, storage discounts, and more.

• For those seeking the most comprehensive solution, the Platinum plan at $999/month provides everything from the Gold plan, but with free storage, free expedited production, shipping insurance, and more.

One thing to note is that SwagUp does apply additional charges for services such as packing, storage, and shipping. These costs can vary based on the scale and complexity of your swag needs. 

Visit SwagUp's pricing page for a detailed breakdown of these costs. This way, you can better budget your expenditure and align it with your marketing needs while leveraging SwagUp's services.

Pros And Cons Of SwagUp

Pros

• User-friendly interface: SwagUp's platform is intuitive and easy to navigate, even for first-time users.

• Customization: There is a broad range of products available for customization, allowing businesses to create unique, personalized items.

• Quality production: The merchandise produced by SwagUp is of high quality.

• Efficient fulfillment and delivery: SwagUp is efficient when it comes to packing and shipping orders, often delivering ahead of the expected timeline.

• Scalable solutions: The platform provides scalable solutions to accommodate both small businesses and large corporations.

• Data-driven insights: SwagUp uses analytics to provide businesses with valuable insights into the performance of their swag.

Cons

• Hidden costs: There can be additional costs for packing, storage, and shipping that are not immediately apparent.

• Expensive international shipping: While SwagUp does offer international delivery, the service can be expensive.

• Focus on swag: One of the biggest drawbacks of SwagUp is its narrow focus on company swag. While that might be useful for companies looking to distribute promotional items, it's not the right fit for those looking for employee recognition programs or other types of gifts.

• Limited customizability: While SwagUp offers a selection of products that can be customized, the platform's customization options can be somewhat limited. Users may not be able to tailor products to their exact specifications, which may be frustrating for some businesses looking for unique promotional materials.

• Customer service concerns: There can be some issues with customer service such as delayed responses and difficulties navigating resolutions to issues. These difficulties can become problematic when dealing with time-sensitive orders or resolving shipment issues.

Related: 20 Best Corporate Gifting Platforms To Keep Your Employees Engaged

Who Is SwagUp Best For?

SwagUp serves an array of clients, but it shines particularly for businesses looking to augment their brand visibility and engagement through customized merchandise. 

Whether you're a small startup wanting unique promotional items or a large corporation seeking scalable swag solutions, SwagUp can cater to your needs.

However, if you're looking for a more comprehensive platform that extends beyond distributing promotional merchandise to engaging employees, SwagUp might not be the right fit. It's essential to assess your business needs and objectives before settling on a swag management platform. Remember that a platform great at one task may not necessarily excel at others.

To check out some of your other options, read our guide to the best SwagUp competitors and alternatives. 

Key Takeaways

In summary, SwagUp offers a range of appealing features such as high-quality merchandise, efficient delivery, excellent customer service, and data-driven insights for swag performance. However, it does have its drawbacks, such as hidden costs and expensive international shipping, which may deter some potential users.

In addition, if you’re looking for a platform that not only helps you create and distribute company swag but also enables you to reward your employees, then SwagUp isn’t the right choice. 

For high-quality company-branded swag and an array of other awesome employee gifting options, check out PerkUp. PerkUp offers an extensive variety of gifts and rewards to motivate and engage employees. 

Like SwagUp, it can cater to businesses of different sizes and cover all your branded swag needs. You can easily create your own company swag store, make single unit or bulk orders, and ship to over 130 countries. 

However, PerkUp distinguishes itself with a unique focus on employee motivation and engagement. It provides companies with an innovative tool to foster a positive and productive work environment.

PerkUp stands out with its ability to seamlessly integrate with your existing HRIS tools. This integration allows for a smooth and efficient process when managing employee rewards, making PerkUp a convenient and user-friendly solution for enhancing employee motivation and engagement. Book a demo today!