They say, "Never judge a book by its cover."
We say, "Never judge a deal by its price tag."
Look up medal pricing online, and you'll see that buying straight from an overseas factory is often cheaper than buying from a supplier.
Naturally, you might think: "Why would I pay the supplier - aka the middleman - more when I can go straight to the source and save?"
But here’s what most people don't realise: buying direct isn’t always the money-saver it seems.
We've watched plenty of people go factory-direct in the last 50 years, trying to cut costs, only to fork out more in the long run.
In this article, you'll learn why this happens, so you can decide if buying direct is truly worth it.
Because at Badges And Medals, we believe in getting the most out of your medals - no matter where you buy.
Most suppliers get their medals made in overseas factories - the same factories that you could buy from yourself.
This is because labour and materials in those countries is often much cheaper than where your supplier is based.
So, why are factory-direct medals cheaper than those from a supplier?
Well, it's simple.
Factories can offer lower prices because they cut out all the extras - things like ethics certifications or good customer service.
On the surface, it looks like a win.
After all, who needs top-notch customer service when you're saving hundreds if not thousands of dollars, right?
But here’s what most buyers don't realise until it's too late…
The low factory price often only covers the making of the medal.
This means everything else is on you.
And when you start adding up those extras, your "cheaper" option starts to become, well, expensive.
Here are some of the biggest hidden costs buyers face when going factory-direct:
Most factories need you to pay in full before they even start making your medals.
That means you send your money, then hope that everything turns out the way you envisioned.
But if it doesn’t?
Well, by then, they've already got your money.
And, according to many of our customers, getting the factory to refund or fix an order can be a nightmare.
One of our clients learned this the hard way.
They ordered custom medals with a factory, but when they arrived, but the ribbons were all wrong.
They paid hundreds of dollars to send them back to the factory, only for them to fix the ribbons… but not attach them to their medals.
Instead, every medal and ribbon was in its own individual bag.
Because of this, our client had to pay some of their staff to spend the night before their event putting everything together.
It was stressful… and expensive. In the end, our client had to pay for both overseas shipping and extra staff hours.
And this isn’t an isolated case.
We’ve also had clients who couldn’t get a refund, which forced them to spend more on a rushed re-do.
The bottom line is that buying overseas is a gamble - one that can cost you big.
When you buy direct, the factory usually won’t design your medals for you.
That leaves you with two choices: design them yourself or hire someone to do it.
Neither option is as simple - or as cheap - as it sounds.
Some of our clients have told us that before they partnered with us they spent thousands - yes, four figures - on a graphic designer.
Others left it up to their marketing team, only to realise it took far longer (and cost far more in payroll) than they expected.
In the end, whatever savings you think you're getting by buying direct can wiped out by your design costs.
(Especially when you consider that most suppliers have a team of experts who will design your medals for free.)
Even if you or your designer nails the design, there's no guarantee it'll come out the way you wanted.
We've seen this go wrong in two big ways.
First, most people don't know how medals are made.
They think it's like printing a design on a t-shirt.
They don't realise that there's a lot you can and can't do, design wise.
This can lead to a disconnect between the design you approve and the product you get.
For example, if the lines between colours are too thin on the design, then the colours can bleed together on the medal.
And the factory won't question it, because it's what you said you wanted.
Second, even a perfect design can turn into a bad medal.
Let’s say you or your designer does understand medal manufacturing and submits a flawless design.
That still doesn’t mean the factory will execute it properly.
Just because a factory says they can make your medal doesn’t mean they can do it well.
Some cut corners, some lack experience, and others overpromise what they can actually produce.
The result? A medal that falls far short of your expectations.
Either way - whether the issue is in the design itself or the factory’s execution - the factory often shrugs its shoulders (see point #1).
You’re stuck with what they sent you, or you have to pay again for a full remake.
This isn't something we're making up…
This is the most common frustration we've heard from customers who used to buying direct.
Most factories will include shipping costs in your quote.
But what they won't include - or sometimes even mention - are goods and services taxes (aka GST or VAT) and import fees.
These costs can vary widely depending on the size of your order and where the medals are being shipped.
And by the time you find out about them, you order is already sitting at customs… leaving you no choice but to pay.
Your total could be up to 28% higher because of goods and services taxes, and up to 29.5% higher because of import fees.
Once factories ship your medals, they often consider their job done, leaving you to deal with the rest.
This means it's often up to you to ensure the medals arrive in time for your event.
If your shipment gets delayed and starts looking like it will be late, the cost of fixing this falls straight on your shoulders.
That “cheap” order suddenly isn't so cheap anymore when you have to pay through the nose for late-minute rush charges.
Or worse, head down to the post office to mail everyone their medals… individually.
We get it. The price of buying medals directly from an overseas factory can look pretty tempting.
But now you know that buying direct can often lead to far more costs and frustration than you originally anticipated.
You end up spending more time, money, and energy than you'd planned - and that’s something no one wants.
At Badges And Medals, we’ve seen this happen countless times, and we’re here to tell you there’s a better way: medal suppliers.
Sure, suppliers might look pricier up front, but the expert design help, quality guarantees, and shipping support give you far more bang for your buck.
So, if you’re ready to make sure you’re getting the best deal - without the hidden surprises - read our article: 'Why Choosing A Supplier Beats Buying Medals Direct'.