A Guide For Choosing A Reliable Custom Patch Provider

Custom patches are an excellent way to spread, a message or show support for a cause. Did you know they’re also a unique way to enhance brand awareness promote your business, school, club, nonprofit or other organization? The right patches can do wonders for your branding and marketing efforts. 

If you’re new to custom patches, you might be wondering where to buy them. A quick online search will reveal plenty of providers, including both local suppliers and online businesses. 

It’s easy to be overwhelmed by the range of prospective providers such as search can offer. Although you might be tempted just to pick a name at random, a little bit of research can show you which patch sellers are most responsive to your needs, best able to handle the size of your order, and can provide the best combination of service, pricing and quality.

It's not hard to find a great patch supplier when you follow a few simple steps.

What to Look For in a Patch Provider

Don't just pick a patch supplier without doing a little checking first. You want a provider that offers the trifecta of outstanding quality, top-notch customer service, and excellent pricing. It can be done.

Take a look at the company’s track record. How long have they been in business? It’s easy to start a business, especially online, but keeping customers satisfied and coming back for repeat business is much harder. Ideally, you want a provider who has been in business for at least 10 years or more.

At Patches4Less.com, our track record speaks for itself. We have been serving customers online for 20 years, including everyone from local sports teams to Fortune 500 companies. Our graphic artists have the experience to work with you to create patches you can be proud of.

Next, consider communications. A good company will have easy to find contact information on their website. They will respond promptly to your phone or email inquiries. And they’ll be happy to answer any questions before you order.

When you’re dealing with provider representatives, you should be able to express your opinions and concerns freely. Your sales representative should be prepared to answer questions you might have about patch types, sizes, pricing and more. Don’t settle for anything less than a full customer service orientation.

Local Embroidery Shops vs. Ordering Online

You might be considering a local embroidery shop for your patches Lots of local embroidery shops offer custom patches. While they might be ok for ordering just a few patches, with larger orders you’re likely to be better satisfied by ordering online.

Let’s consider a few of the reasons for ordering online.

Small Shops, Higher Prices

Local embroidery shops once were the only place you could get embroidered patches. They had the equipment others didn’t, and the expertise to use it. They were able to set their prices accordingly. 

However, small shops tend to have several drawbacks. 

Any business, large or small, has overhead. That’s the cost of operating the business, things such as rent, electricity, water, property taxes and other such things. Small shops generally have a smaller customer base to spread those costs over, so they have to charge higher prices.

On the other hand, an online business can have lower operating costs, and will typically have a larger customer base to spread them over. Plus, when it comes to direct costs of materials used in patches such as thread and cloth, bigger suppliers such as online businesses can take advantage of economies of scale to buy in bulk. They can pass those savings along to customers in the form of lower prices.

Production Capacity

Not all small shops can handle high-volume orders. They may have smaller, slower equipment that could delay or even prevent their ability to produce and deliver your patches in a timely fashion. They also might not have backup options if equipment breaks down, which could further delay your order.

At Patches4Less.com, we have access to state of the art production equipment. We can produce and ship your order quickly to meet your timeline and volume requirements. And all our factories include redundant equipment to minimize downtime.

What About Service?

You might think a small, local shop could provide better customer service. At Patches4Less.com, we’re determined to disprove that. We’re dedicated to providing outstanding customer service to every customer. Our experienced staff will do everything within our power to ensure your complete satisfaction with your custom patches.

For example, we will send you a free digital proof of your patch design. You will have the opportunity to revise your patch until it meets your expectations before production begins. 

We maintain a rigorous quality control system. Each patch is carefully inspected by hand before being shipped to you. And we stand behind every product we sell with our 100% satisfaction guarantee.

 Flexibility Matters

Whether online or in-person a good patch supplier should be able to offer you a full range of options for your custom patches. That includes the ability to supply embroidered, woven, PVC and printed patches. Their staff should be experienced enough to be able to advise you on which type will work best for your specific needs.

Look for a Customer-Focused Attitude

Any patch company worth doing business with will be able to show you samples of their work, including digital proofs. A customer service mentality should be apparent from your first contact.

At Patches4Less.com, we will work with you every step of the way from designing your patches to production. We offer a full range of patch options to make your patches the best they can be. That includes patch size, shapes, thread colors, borders, attachment and backing options and more.

What Are You Waiting For?

If you’re considering using custom patches for identification, brand awareness, promotional events or any other reason, you owe it to yourself to contact Patches4Less.com. With a simple phone call, email or Free Quote form, we can help you design and create patches that will be memorable, professional and top quality. Contact us today to find out what custom patches can do for you!