What lead time should I allow for a charity fundraising merchandise order?

Standard decorated orders typically need 10 to 15 working days from artwork approval. For orders going to a live event, build in at least 5 additional working days to allow for delivery, inspection, and any last-minute issues. If the brief arrives with less than 3 weeks to the event, treat it as a rush order and confirm production timelines with the supplier before committing to a delivery date.

Should I take a deposit from a charity client?

Yes. The fact that the client is a charity does not change the supplier payment terms you are working to. Most branded merchandise orders carry setup and decoration costs that are charged regardless of the final outcome. Take a deposit that covers at least those costs before placing any purchase orders with suppliers.

How do I handle charity merchandise that the client needs to resell to raise funds?

For resale merchandise, the charity typically needs a lower unit cost to make a margin on each item sold. Discuss order quantities carefully, since the pricing breaks that make resale viable often require larger volumes than the charity's initial budget allows. Also confirm the VAT position, as the treatment of merchandise sold by charities to raise funds differs from standard commercial sales and your accountant or the charity's finance team should advise.

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Workflow Scenario

Promotional Merchandise - Charity Fundraising Merchandise Order

From brief to branded box - every stage tracked.

Step by step

Collect the briefLeads

Record products, quantities, event date, budget, brand assets, and delivery requirements. Confirm whether items are for resale or giveaway, as this affects pricing and VAT treatment.

Source and priceRFQs

Select suppliers, confirm production lead times against the event date, and build a quote including unit costs, setup fees, run charges, and decoration costs per method.

Issue the quoteQuotes

Issue the quote with a clear validity period and a stated confirmation deadline that allows sufficient production time. Flag any timeline risks explicitly in the quote.

Take deposit and confirm orderInvoices

Obtain written quote approval and raise the deposit invoice. Wait for payment confirmation before committing to any supplier purchase orders.

Place supplier purchase ordersPurchase Orders

Raise a PO for each supplier specifying decoration method, PMS colour references, print sizes, and required delivery date. Attach artwork files or references as needed.

Artwork proofingQuotes

Submit artwork for production proofing. Share the decorator's proof with the charity client, record the date sent, and set a firm approval deadline of at least 10 working days before the event.

Proof sign-off and productionPurchase Orders

Obtain written proof approval before production begins. Track any revision cycles. Do not proceed to production on verbal approval - a written record is essential if a dispute arises over the final goods.

Delivery check and final invoiceInvoices

Confirm delivery, quality check against the order spec, and raise the final invoice for the outstanding balance less deposit received. Log the event date and product spec for future re-orders.

What this workflow solves

The charity hasn't confirmed their artwork until days before the event deadline, leaving no time to arrange reprints if the proof is rejected.

The order spans several product lines with different suppliers and decoration methods, making it hard to track which items have been approved and which are still in proof stage.

The charity is requesting volume pricing but the quantities are too low to hit the supplier's minimum order quantity for the most competitive unit cost.

Frequently asked questions

Modules used

Leads Quotes RFQs Purchase Orders Invoices

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