Advertising Specialties

[levelbest]

A few weeks back, someone was talking of a free or inexpensive way to join an association to start selling or obtain ad specialties.

Can whomever responded repost the address and info here?

[signman]

it was me....just go to www.upic.org and look for the link to 'join'.
Doesn't cost you a dime, gets you a listing 'number' and then you'll start getting emails every day with promotional flyers from thousands of suppliers, links to other promotional companies, you can pay $85 (I think) this fall and starting January get catalogs from every supplier listed in UPIC, I think we stopped counting at 3,000......but once you have that number it proves to any supplier that you are a 'rep', not an end user.

[levelbest]

So you signed up for the UPIC Directory?

How did you handle this... did you send in invoices or what? Or did I sign up for the wrong thing?


How can I qualify for a UPIC?

You can automatically qualify (upon verification) for a UPIC if you are a PPAI member, Regional Association member, Adventures in Advertising Franchisee, Proforma Franchisee, Press-A-Print Operator, Distributor member of DistributorCentral, or a SAGE subscriber. You may also qualify if you are an ASI subscriber, but you must provide documentation.

If you do not meet any of the above qualifying criteria, depending on your company category, you can qualify by providing the following:


Distributors:

Either provide three invoices from three different promotional product suppliers for at least $100 each (not for samples) dated within the last six months, or be sponsored by at least five members of PPAI. sponsorships must be in writing.

Be in the promotional products industry for at least three months.

Have a promotional products annual sales volume of at least $15,000.


Suppliers:

Either provide six purchase orders from at least four different promotional product distributors, or, be sponsored by at least five members of PPAI. Sponsorships must be in writing.

Be in the promotional products industry for at least six months.

Have a promotional products annual sales volume of at least $50,000.


Supplier Reps/Multiline Reps:

Must represent at least one supplier who has a UPIC.

Provide a letter of recommendation from the supplier on the supplier's letterhead.


Business Services:

Six purchase orders from at least four different promotional product distributors or suppliers, or be sponsored by at least five members of PPAI. Sponsorships must be in writing.

Be in the promotional products industry for at least six months.

[signman]

I've had several friends in the business get their UPIC number by calling the UPIC office and deal direct with a 'live' person.
Here's things to remember:
1) as an embroiderer, you ARE a 'supplier', because you are buying a product, embellishing it, and selling it to businesses
2) Melco counts as a supplier
3) almost all clothing suppliers (Sanmar, Alpha, etc.) have an ASI, PPAI, or UPIC number-and each one counts as one of YOUR suppliers.
4) if you buy or have work done by another business (i.e., had my shop do an order of teeshirts for one of your customers) THAT business also counts as a 'supplier'
The shops I've helped were able to get a UPIC number by talking directly to someone there, or if they had to prove they did 'sales' would run a couple of client orders through my company. There are also many suppliers that will sell to 'non-listed' companies and that gets you your first couple of 'orders' to qualify.
UPIC costs nothing...and the paperwork to join isn't that bad.
Roland