Custom Promotional Products: Turnaround Times, Production & Shipping Guide

How long does it take to receive custom promotional products?

From the day you place your order to the day your products arrive, most Gimmees.com orders are delivered within 12 to 20 calendar days. The timeline has three phases:

• Proof approval: 1–3 business days to receive your proof, plus however long you take to approve it
• Production: 5–10 business days after proof approval, depending on the product
• Ground shipping: 3–5 business days from the production facility to your address

Real example: A stress toy (5-day production) ordered Monday with clean artwork, proof approved Tuesday — ships the following Tuesday, arrives by Friday. About 11 calendar days total.

Slower example: A vinyl card holder (8-day production) ordered Monday, proof approved Wednesday — ships the week after next, arrives 16–18 calendar days from order.

Every product page on Gimmees.com shows the production time before you order so you can plan accordingly.

What is the production time for promotional products?

Production time is the number of business days it takes to manufacture and imprint your product after your artwork proof is approved. It does not include proof time or shipping.

At Gimmees.com, production times range from 5 to 10 business days depending on the imprint method and product complexity:

• 5 business days: Items with one-color screen printing, digital imprint, or full-color pad printing — such as stress toys, pens, keychains, and magnets
• 7–8 business days: Items with foil hot stamping, debossing, or two-location imprints — such as vinyl card holders and padfolios
• 10 business days: Embroidered items, cut-and-sew apparel, and products requiring multiple imprint passes

How long does the proof and artwork approval process take?

You will receive your free virtual proof by email within 1 to 2 business days of placing your order. The proof is a digital mockup showing exactly how your logo will appear on the product — including placement, size, and color rendering.

From there, the timeline is in your hands:

• Same-day approval: Production starts the next business day — fastest possible path
• One revision round: Adds approximately 1 business day
• Multiple revisions: Each round adds roughly 1 business day

Revisions are free and unlimited — Gimmees.com will adjust your artwork until you are completely satisfied. But every revision round adds time, so submitting clean, print-ready artwork with your original order is the single most effective way to speed up your delivery.

Can I get promotional products in less than 2 weeks?

Yes — if you need items in under 2 weeks, look for products marked Rush Available on Gimmees.com and select an expedited shipping method at checkout.

A realistic rush timeline with a 5-day production item:

• Monday: Order placed with clean vector artwork
• Tuesday: Proof received and approved
• Tuesday–Tuesday: 5 business days production
• Wednesday–Thursday: 2-day shipping
• Total: ~10–11 calendar days

Timelines under 7 days are possible for select in-stock items — contact our team at 888-926-6385 before ordering to confirm availability. Rush production and expedited shipping add cost: budget an additional 25 to 60 percent over standard pricing for true rush orders.

How far in advance should I order promotional products for an event?

Order at least 3 to 4 weeks before your event date for standard orders with ground shipping. Here are recommended lead times by event type:

• Trade shows and conferences: 5–6 weeks — especially if ordering multiple products that must arrive together
• Corporate events and team meetings: 3–4 weeks — standard timeline is comfortable
• Golf tournaments: 3 weeks — pencils and tees produce quickly, but allow buffer
• Holiday gifts (Thanksgiving–Christmas): Order by early November — December shipping congestion adds 2–5 days to all carrier transit times
• Reorders of existing products: 2 weeks is often sufficient since artwork is already on file

What shipping carriers does Gimmees.com use?

Gimmees.com ships via UPS and FedEx for most orders. The carrier used for your specific order depends on the product supplier's shipping agreements and your delivery location.

• Standard ground shipping: UPS Ground or FedEx Ground — included in your quote
• Expedited options: UPS 2-Day, FedEx 2Day, UPS Next Day Air — available at checkout for an additional charge

All orders ship from the supplier's US production facility — not from a central Gimmees.com warehouse. The shipping origin point is factored into the transit time shown in your instant quote, so the estimated delivery date you see at checkout is accurate for your location.

Is shipping included in the price at Gimmees.com?

Yes. Ground shipping to one US address is included in the total shown in your Gimmees.com instant quote. There are no surprise shipping charges added at checkout.

Shipping cost is calculated based on product weight, quantity ordered, and your delivery zip code — then displayed as a separate line item in your quote so you can see exactly what you are paying for. The total in your quote is your total.

Expedited shipping (2-day or overnight) is available for an additional charge shown clearly at checkout. Standard ground shipping is always included.

Does Gimmees.com ship to Canada or internationally?

Gimmees.com primarily serves US-based businesses and ships to addresses within the contiguous 48 states as standard. Shipping to Canada is available on a limited basis for select products.

If you need delivery to a Canadian address, contact our team before placing your order:

• Phone: 888-926-6385, Monday–Friday 10 AM–6 PM Eastern
• Email: info@gimmees.com

International shipping outside of Canada is not available through the standard checkout. Canadian orders may be subject to customs clearance delays and import duties not included in the Gimmees.com quote.

Can I ship promotional products to multiple addresses?

Standard orders at Gimmees.com ship to one address per order. This is the most cost-effective approach for most B2B buyers — ship to your office or warehouse, then distribute internally.

If you need shipments to multiple locations — distributing to regional sales offices, mailing kits to event attendees, or fulfilling a drop-ship program — contact our team before placing your order to discuss options. Additional per-address fees may apply for multi-location deliveries.

What if my promotional products arrive late or damaged?

Gimmees.com stands behind every order. If your products arrive with a production defect, imprint error, or damage caused during shipping, contact us immediately:

• Phone: 888-926-6385
• Email: info@gimmees.com
• Hours: Monday–Friday, 10 AM–6 PM Eastern

For production or imprint errors on our part, Gimmees.com will reprint or refund the affected items. For carrier-caused damage, we will file a claim on your behalf. Gimmees.com has maintained a 5.0 Google Store Rating since 2004 by resolving issues promptly and fairly.

How do I track my promotional product order?

Once your order ships, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with your tracking number. You can track your shipment at:

• ups.com/track for UPS shipments
• fedex.com/tracking for FedEx shipments

You can also check order status by logging into your Gimmees.com account under My Orders, or by calling 888-926-6385 Monday–Friday, 10 AM–6 PM Eastern.

What file format should I submit for the fastest proof turnaround?

Submit your artwork as a vector file for the fastest proof turnaround:

• AI (Adobe Illustrator) — preferred
• EPS — widely accepted by all imprint methods
• PDF with fonts converted to outlines — excellent for most products

Vector files allow infinite scaling without quality loss and typically result in same-day or next-business-day proof delivery. They rarely need revisions.

If you only have a raster file (JPG, PNG, BMP), our art team will work with it — but low-resolution files may require a vector redraw, adding 1 to 2 business days. Our artwork assistance is free regardless of what you submit.

Can I reorder promotional products faster the second time?

Yes — reorders are significantly faster. Because your artwork is already on file and approved, Gimmees.com waives the setup charge and can often skip the proof approval step entirely for exact reorders of the same product with the same artwork.

Reorder advantages:

• No setup charge — saves $50–$75
• Faster timeline — up to 2–4 business days shorter than a new order
• Same volume pricing — quantity discounts still apply
• One-click reorder — log in to My Orders and reorder any previous product

For B2B customers who order the same promotional products quarterly or annually — insurance card holders, golf pencils, sports calendars — reorders are the most economical and fastest way to maintain a consistent supply of branded materials.