Vendor Network
Behind the Blue Wall
The Instant Imprints franchise vendor network helps support the products, equipment, and materials our centers use every day.
Instant Imprints centers operate with a strong production component. Of the five main services we offer, several can be produced in-house. Because of that, centers need reliable access to the right materials, equipment, and products.
Raw materials need to come in before finished products can go out. Therefore, a strong supply chain matters.
Why the Vendor Network Matters
Every supply chain is only as strong as its weakest link. In our business, many of those links are vendors.
As the franchisor, Instant Imprints works to identify vendor relationships that can help support the brand, the centers, and the customers we serve.
That is why we maintain a Preferred Vendor List for the countries where we operate, including the United States and Canada.
Preferred Vendors
Preferred Vendors provide franchisees with equipment, materials, and products that support center operations.
These vendors help owners source the items they need to produce customer orders, manage workflow, and serve their local markets.
We review vendors based on several important criteria.
- National presence: Vendors should support product and equipment availability across a growing system in a timely and cost-effective way.
- Price: Vendors should provide competitive pricing and show a willingness to adjust pricing as the system grows.
- Usability: Products, materials, and equipment should perform well for the work our centers do. The Partner Support Team reviews and tests products before recommending them when appropriate.
Types of Vendors
The Preferred Vendor List includes three general types of vendors: required, recommended, and regional.
Required Vendors
Required Vendors are vendors the brand expects the system to use without exception or deviation.
These are often equipment vendors. This consistency matters because franchisees make significant purchases when opening and operating their centers.
Using required vendors also helps create consistency across a multi-national brand.
Recommended Vendors
Recommended Vendors make up much of the vendor network.
These vendors have been reviewed against the criteria above. In many cases, they provide strong options for the products, materials, or services our centers need.
Franchisees may sometimes choose another vendor when they believe it is in the best interest of their center. However, we encourage owners to consider those decisions carefully because vendor consistency can help strengthen the overall brand.
Regional Vendors
Regional Vendors may support needs that depend on geography, shipping costs, service requirements, or local availability.
For example, some products may be too large, heavy, or time-sensitive to ship from a distant supplier. In other cases, equipment service or on-site support may require a local or regional provider.
Supporting Franchise Owners
A strong franchise vendor network helps owners spend less time searching for suppliers and more time serving customers.
It also supports consistency, quality, pricing, training, and operational efficiency across the system.
For prospective franchisees, this network is one more example of how Instant Imprints works to support center operations behind the scenes.
Making logos stand out.
We provide quality embroidery services on practically anything you can imagine. Our centers have state-of-the-art embroidery machines to provide you with anything from individual personalization to thousands of pieces. You can count on us to make your brand more visible.
Big or small, fancy and fast.
With wide format and digital printing equipment, our centers can produce nearly any sign, banner or display a business or organization may require, including retractable banner stands, A-frames, tradeshow booths and much more. For permanent or temporary use, indoors or out.
Personalized shirts with your logo or design.
We create t-shirts with custom designs using the latest technologies in direct to garment, heat transfers, lettering and screen printing which allows for maximum flexibility with order size and a fast turnaround to customize each order.
Items that stand out and are remembered.
There is no shortage of ways to promote your business. From branded pens to drinkware to flashlights, there are endless options at your disposal. Talk to us about finding the right solution for you and your customers.
Effectively communicate with ink and paper.
Let us help you create the printed materials that will promote both your brand and your message. Customized brochures, flyers, business cards, postcards, manuals, mailers and more designed to make you more visible to your customers.