Top 10 Tips for Buying Custom USB Memory Sticks

There is a real growth in the demand for custom USB Memory sticks but for many the world of promotional memory sticks, branded memory sticks, printed memory sticks and custom USB memory sticks is all a bit of a mystery. To help you understand what they are and how to go about ordering them here’s our top 10 tips:

1. Understand what a customised memory stick is. They should not be confused with standard “factory owned” designs that simply have your brand or logo printed onto them. A custom USB Memory stick is manufactured specifically for you and you will “own” the finished design.
2. Typically custom USB memory sticks are manufactured in a 2 dimensional or 3 dimensional shapes to represent your brand, product or in a shape that works with your advertising and marketing campaign. Pretty much anything can be manufactured so don’t be afraid to ask for what might seem impossible. Custom sticks in the shape of bottles, cans, fruits, cars, forklifts, footballs, baseballs, cartoon characters, badges, poker chips, bullets and even tampons have been manufactured.
3. Choose your material – Custom USB Memory sticks can be manufactured from a range of materials including but not limited to plastic, PVC, ABS, Silicon, PET, rubber, wood, leather and metal. If in any doubt ask your supplier and get some samples so you can feel/see how the material influences the finished product. Be aware that for some intricate designs the factories may not be able to manufacture them in all of the materials available.
4. Be clear in your brief to your supplier. Most good suppliers will have their own in-house design team and be able to work up concepts and ideas for you and they should be willing to do this free of charge. The requirement on you is to articulate what you want, how its going to be used and to provide some context. If your supplier is expecting you to deliver a finished design and drawing for the factory to work from then they are probably best avoided. There are experts in the field of custom USB memory sticks so work with one of these.
5. Allow sufficient time. Ideally your supplier is going to need around 4 weeks to deliver your custom USB memory sticks so factor this into your project plan. This time allows for the development of the concept, the completion of design drawings and mocks ups for approval, a physical sample, modifications and the final delivery.
6. Insist on a physical sample. Whilst photographs from the factory of the manufactured custom sticks are “ok” they are no substitute for seeing and handling the real thing. Your supplier should also be keen to do this for you, as they will want you to approve the production against a real sample.
7. Make sure the right grade of flash memory is being used. Grade A memory chips are new and give you access to the full amount of advertised memory on the Chip. All other grades of memory chip make less of the advertised memory available for use and in some cases are re-cycled. In other words they are memory chips taken out of used kit or recovered from USB sticks that have failed the build QA process. If you end up with anything other than Grade A memory chips you are likely to experience a higher failure rate, you won’t be able to store as much information on the stick as expected and its possible you’ll overpay for what you’re getting. Always check with your supplier that they are using Grade A memory chips. 
8. Choose the right memory capacity for your project. There’s no point going to all the trouble of getting your own custom USB memory sticks designed and manufactured and then skimping on the memory. Typical memory sizes used today are 1GB but there is a trend towards 2GB as the price differential between the two capacities drops.
9. RoHS Compliance – although the memory sticks are being manufactured for you and not for general sale they still need to be RoHS compliant. RoHS stands for the Restriction of Hazardous Substances and it applies to thousands of electrical and computer parts and components imported into the EU. This is EU Legislation and you must comply with it. Finding out you have imported non-RoHS compliant products and then pushing the blame back to your supplier won’t wash. The fines are significant so ensure you ask the right questions and get copies of RoHS certificates.
10. Choose the right supplier/partner. Lots of companies offer standard printed and promotional USB memory sticks but far fewer have any experience in the delivery of custom USB memory sticks. If in any doubt ask for references, get samples and read up on any cases studies. A custom USB memory stick requires time, energy and money so don’t waste any of these valuable resources.