Five buying guides for the decisions that come first
The five decisions that get made before a single item is designed, each written as a comparison rather than a recommendation.
Most merchandise programmes do not fail in production. They fail earlier, at the point where somebody decides how many to order, which supplier to trust and whether the deadline is realistic. These five guides take those decisions one at a time.
The supplier selection guide sets out what to ask a vendor before signing anything: who owns the tooling, what happens when the artwork is wrong, whether the quoted price holds when the quantity changes. The minimum quantity guide covers the point at which the per-unit price stops improving.
The price tier guide maps the four bands, starter to corporate, onto real programme sizes. The rush guide is honest about what a compressed lead time costs and which deadlines it can still meet. The multi-country guide covers the packaging, language and VAT differences that appear the moment a programme crosses a border.
Five guides
Each guide answers one decision. Read them in the order the programme reaches them rather than as a set.
Frequently Asked Questions
In what order should we use these guides?
Supplier selection and minimum quantity first, then the price band that follows from both, and the rush guide once a date is fixed.
Do the guides apply outside Italy?
The principles do. The multi-country guide covers the differences that matter most when a programme leaves Italy.
Can we get a written recommendation?
Yes. Send the brief and we reply with a written recommendation on supplier, band and quantity.
Describe the decision you need to make
Tell us what you are deciding, the quantity, the date and the delivery country. We answer with a written recommendation rather than a catalogue.