Case Study: What Sets Adform Creative Apart?

Consumers of today buy more and more online. Purchases are increasingly being made based on a relationship with an online platform versus a relationship with living soul. Companies such as Vistaprint, 4imprint, and Discount Mugs have grown substantially from the demand for quick and easy transactional business. 

At Adform Creative, although we offer online shopping, we prefer to support our clients with a dedicated account manager. For some companies, buying online makes sense. Other companies benefit from a dedicated account manager. To optimize quality, value, and outcome, it is advantageous to compare both experiences. 

Strategy

Online companies typically rely on a software or robot to populate products and are thus devoid the intellectual agility of combining product and design specifications to achieve unique marketing goals.   This is where off-line/relationship-based companies shine.   If one of your marketing goals is to get the most out of every dollar, working with a partner that understands strategy and the products which work well for accomplishing precise objectives can offer better results.  Having a long-term relationship can also provide brand consistency, a comfortable level of trust, and referral benefits.

User Experience 

For those who enjoy browsing an endless sea of product options, instead of being presented a hand-curated selection of best-sellers, an online retailer is best. Online companies offer a 24/7 buying experience and typically host easy-to-navigate online stores.  Off-line companies can be a life saver if you have better ways of spending your time than pouring for hours over an online store and want to leverage expertise in choosing products that are tried-and-true.   Maintaining a relationship with a company that can recommend swag may provide a more customized solution for meeting precise marketing and budgeting goals.

Pricing

Companies such as 4imprint, Vistaprint, and Discount Mugs offer rock-bottom pricing. A word of caution: quality often comes with a price tag. Nothing beats high-quality swag to promote your products, whether you're handing it out at conferences, mailing it to prospects, or sending out client gifts. The keyword, however, is high quality - cheap, poorly made swag will only do more harm than good.

Management & Problem Resolution

If you're planning a campaign or an event, an off-line company will likely be able to better navigate strict deadlines and complex project demands. If your need doesn't require the one-on-one attention of an account manger, online companies may provide a better email/chat service experience for simple questions.

Regarding problem resolution, most reputable companies will refund or replace products that are incorrect or damaged. However, should you run into a snag with your order, it can be difficult to communicate with and resolve a challenge when trying to track down a company lacking a brick-and-mortar presence. 

In conclusion, bear in mind that while many of the top online retailers have a similar level of quality, pricing, and service, not all companies are created equal. At Adform Creative we offer both online shopping and the personal touch of off-line client care.