Expert Global Sourcing

RP & Associates has the ability to source products around the world. Our sourcing division is made up of two components, international and domestic. We have an international presence to ensure you have access to high-quality products at factory-direct pricing. We also have relationships with domestic companies if you need to buy locally and receive your products quickly.

International Sourcing

When you want to get the product you desire, we are able to search for a match in factories all around the world. We get pricing and samples from a variety companies and compare the quality and specifications of the items received. Each of the items undergoes a thorough quality control and inspection process before being deemed a viable option. Once an item is selected, it can be customized using various printing methods. Production time on international items is often the time needed to imprint the item if it's in inventory. If the item is not in inventory and needs to be produced, this process can take up to 30 days.

Whether buying an item that needs to be produced or from inventory, shipping time is much longer for international orders. With these type of orders, most products are shipped by boat, which takes approximately 30 days. Items can air-freighted in (sent by plane), however this is a far more expensive option and is only cost efficient on small items like sun glasses, key chains, etc. A hybrid approach is to ship the items via boat, but have the first batch air-freighted in; this way you have initial inventory and only pay a fraction of the air-freight costs. Due to the nearly unlimited number of products available around the world, we do not have an international inventory system. Please contact us and one of our global sourcing experts will do a custom search tailored to your needs.

Domestic Sourcing

Domestically sourced products are typically customized and shipped from within the United States. These items are manufactured in the United States in some cases, while in others it is only the imprinting that happens locally. Domestically sourced items are typically priced slightly higher than international products, however they will arrive much sooner since they are shipping from within the United States. International shipping typically takes 3 days, whereas domestic shipping usually takes no more than a week. In some cases though, international sourcing can be good for small items even if you need them quickly. This is because if the item is small enough and fits into just a few boxes, the added air-freight cost can be less than the mark-up when purchasing domestically. If you'd like to search our domestic inventory click here.