Tech accessories and products continue to permeate the promotional products industry as smart phone and tablet usage reach unprecedented levels. Products like chargers, speakers, virtual reality headsets, flash drives, ear buds, headphones, battery packs, cases, organizers, and styluses are compact, lightweight — and appreciated by recipients!
A recent survey conducted by the Pew Research Center reports that 68 percent of adults have a smartphone; and tablet ownership is up to 45 percent among adults. Numbers like this will only increase as technology becomes more sophisticated — and the promotional products industry is capitalizing on these market trends.
According to Margit Fawbush of BIC Graphic, trends in promotional tech products and accessories continue to evolve and track major releases by top smartphones and computer brands. Athena Promo’s Steve Davis agrees about this market mirroring retail trends, noting that promotional products and accessories in this market focus on mobile and tech products, and are driven by tech trends in consumer electronics. “Demand is increasing substantially and 2017 will be a fantastic year for the industry,” she maintains.
Earbuds and headphone sales are extremely strong in this category, Gwen Brey of Beacon Promotions maintains. “We are seeing more interest in Bluetooth® items and items that are UL approved,” she comments. “Advertisers want their name associated with quality products. Most people correlate quality with a Bluetooth® product or products that have been tested by the Underwriters Laboratories testing facility.” She adds that demand continues to be strong as customers are continually searching for something new in different since tech products evolve so quickly.
Dan Jellinek of The Magnet Group notes that trends the company is seeing are following the consumer market, namely in the virtual reality sector. “Virtual Reality headsets have hit the market strong and are getting a tremendous amount of press and support through rapidly growing apps and content,” he elaborates.
Tech products designed for multiple uses are trending at Compass Industries. Gary Rosenberg questions, “How can one product be used in more than one way thereby making it a ‘multi-tool’? Can it be used for more than just a tech purpose?” He reports that demand has been so strong since the company introduced two items during the 2016 holiday season that it has added a third items for 2017 and are continually exploring other possible products.
Promotional products suppliers have been working tirelessly to introduce new tech products and accessories to the market and keep up with continually evolving technology. The Magnet Group recently introduced two pairs of headsets, the TEK 200 and TEK 201. “These products have a tremendous imprint area, and we are very pleased with the sell-through,” Jellinek comments. “They give you the ability to create a virtual reality experience and are designed to use your phone screen as the ‘expensive’ component — enabling a low cost yet fantastic experience.”
The #32029 Arnold Aluminum Power Bank (8000mAh) from BIC Graphic is small, sleek, and perfect for on-the-go travelers who need serious power, Fawbush notes. “It easily will fit in your pocket and provide reliable power when you need it most. This power bank is UL listed, has a built-in LED flashlight, and dual outputs which allow you to charge multiple devices at the same time.” The company’s #32024 Crank It Up Wireless Bluetooth® Speaker is portable and wireless. The company’s myCharge® portable charger line offers Peak Power™ technology, which Fawbush explains allows the company to maximize the amount of available power into the portable charger based on the input source (car, wall outlet, computer), which allows for faster recharging.
BIG Graphic has also unveiled several tech accessories. The #32025 Oh So Cool USB Hub Organizer acts as a cup to hold pens, highlighters, scissors, markers, phone, etc., but also adds three extra USB ports to a computer. The #32035 Advocate Audio Travel Set is a high quality carrying case for easy transportation and storage that includes portable earbuds for on-the-go listening. A five-way splitter also doubles as a phone/table stand.
BIC also has several styluses available, which Fawbush says are becoming more necessary as note-taking and drawing apps become more popular and higher-level functionality is developing. “Stylus pens use the touch screen keyboard more quickly, draw on the touch screen with more accuracy, project a more professional appearance when using a tablet, and keep the screen cleaner,” she affirms. “Multi-function pens are highly valued as a promotional product — whether it’s multi-color, dual function like highlighter/pen combos, or has a tech accessory built in like a phone stand or LED pointer. These extra features add interest and make a traditional promo products like a writing instrument even more practical.”
Rechargeable flashlight/power banks have been an outstanding product at Compass Industries, according to Rosenberg. “The first two we offered came in two sizes and had different functions,” he details. “Both could be used as an emergency power bank for a cell phone and they are powerful rechargeable flashlights. Our #3592, a magnetic rechargeable LED flashlight, work light and power bank has been an instant hit for many programs and uses.”
New from Beacon Promotions are Bluetooth® speakers and earbuds. According to Brey, company best sellers are its wireless earbuds, which are Bluetooth® compatible and feature arc supporters for improved stability; the 4 Port USB hub, which conveniently charges up to four different power devices at one time; and the portable USB water bottle humidifier. Powered by a micro USB cable, this item can moisturize the skin, increase humidity, reduce dust and bacteria, and remove odors/smells. Brey adds that it works with any size water bottle, but it must be refilled if water is below the filter. It also has a safety auto shut-off after eight hours.
At Athena Promo, Bluetooth® speakers, flash drives, power banks, and chargers have been popular, and the company plans on adding more products this year.
Slim power banks are hot sellers at SunJoy, with Harrison Fu pointing out their slim and compact design with big imprint area as being appealing to the promotional products industry. Best sellers include the Slim Power Bank with UL-certified Battery, Ultra Slim Power Bank with UL-certified Battery, Horizon Slim XL Power Bank, and Grandi Slim Power Bank.
When it comes to selling tech products and accessories, Davis at Athena Promo recommends distributors understand how each product works and its benefits. “Once you know how a given item works and how it is used in general, you can apply that knowledge when discussing these item options with customers,” he explains.
Showing how these tech products and accessories work—as well as offering a variety of price points and functionalities—is also key to making a successful sale, Rosenberg maintains. “Show it, people want it,” he stresses. “They can be presented to end-users for home, business use, or travel. They offer security, safety and reliability.” The Magnet Group’s Jellinek agrees with this method when it comes to selling the company’s Virtual Reality headsets. “Download some cool content on your phone, have it loaded and ready in your headset, and ask your client to put them on. Sold.”
Expanding on these views is Beacon Promotion’s Brey, who concludes, “There are several different uses for tech products. Some are looking for inexpensive items that are given out in volume. The popular items here are USB car chargers and wall adapters. But the more expensive items are usually used as gifts for anniversaries, performance incentives, or business gifts. This where the power banks, Bluetooth® speakers, and earbuds are great choices. The beauty of tech products is that any market can give these away, not just tech companies.”