Distributors are united by their shared role in the promotional products industry, but the similarities often end there. The industry encompasses a vast array of businesses, from small local outfits to multimillion-dollar giants, and several distinct trends emerge as revenue grows, including increases in client retention, order size, international clients, company store offerings and AI usage. Use these snapshots of five different revenue classes to benchmark your company and see how it compares to industry averages.
Extra Small Distributors | ($100K and Under in Revenue)
Extra Small Distributors
($100K and Under in Revenue)
Top 5 Markets
1. Education
2. Construction
3. Nonprofit
4. Government
5. Associations & Clubs
Top 5 Products
1. T-Shirts
2. Caps/Headwear
3. Drinkware
4. Writing Instruments
5. Polos
are currently using AI
sell company stores to clients
Median Number of Clients Served
35
Percentage of Clients Retained
73%
sell to customers outside the U.S. & Canada
Average Value of Orders
$945
Median Number of Orders
102
Top 3 Challenges
1. Increasing size of customer base
2. Remaining profitable under pressure to cut prices
3. Finding new product ideas to present to clients
Small Distributors | ($100K+ to $250K in revenue)
Small Distributors
($100K+ to $250K in revenue)
Top 5 Markets
1. Education
2. Construction
3. Nonprofit
4. Manufacturing
5. Associations & Clubs
Top 5 Products
1. T-Shirts
2. Caps/Headwear
3. Drinkware
4. Polos
5. Writing Instruments
are currently using AI
sell company stores to clients
Median Number of Clients Served
54
Percentage of Clients Retained
81%
sell to customers outside the U.S. & Canada
Average Value of Orders
$1,215
Median Number of Orders
202
Top 3 Challenges
1. Increasing size of customer base
2. Remaining profitable under pressure to cut prices
3. Retaining best customers
Medium Distributors | ($250K+ to $1M in revenue)
Medium Distributors
($250K+ to $1M in revenue)
Top 5 Markets
1. Education
2. Healthcare
3. Construction
4. Nonprofit
5. Manufacturing
Top 5 Products
1. T-Shirts
2. Polos
3. Caps/Headwear
4. Drinkware
5. Bags
are currently using AI
sell company stores to clients
Median Number of Clients Served
90
Percentage of Clients Retained
83%
sell to customers outside the U.S. & Canada
Average Value of Orders
$1,442
Median Number of Orders
480
Top 3 Challenges
1. Increasing size of customer base
2. Remaining profitable under pressure to cut prices
3. Retaining best customers
Large Distributors | ($1M+ to $5M in revenue)
Large Distributors
($1M+ to $5M in revenue)
Top 5 Markets
1. Education
2. Healthcare
3. Manufacturing
4. Technology
5. Restaurants/Travel/Lodging
Top 5 Products
1. T-Shirts
2. Polos
3. Drinkware
4. Caps/Headwear
5. Bags
are currently using AI
sell company stores to clients
Median Number of Clients Served
200
Percentage of Clients Retained
83%
sell to customers outside the U.S. & Canada
Average Value of Orders
$1,871
Median Number of Orders
1,000
Top 3 Challenges
1. Increasing size of customer base
2. Remaining profitable under pressure to cut prices
3. Finding new ideas to present to clients
Extra Large Distributors | (Over $5M in Revenue)
Extra Large Distributors
(Over $5M in Revenue)
Top 5 Markets
1. Education
2. Healthcare
3. Construction
4. Finance/Insurance
5. Manufacturing
Top 5 Products
1. T-Shirts
2. Drinkware
3. Caps/Headwear
4. Polos
5. Bags
are currently using AI
sell company stores to clients
Median Number of Clients Served
240
Percentage of Clients Retained
84%
sell to customers outside the U.S. & Canada
Average Value of Orders
$1,814
Median Number of Orders
9,750
Top 3 Challenges
1. Increasing size of customer base
2. Remaining profitable under pressure to cut prices
3. Recruiting and retaining well-qualified employees