Forty years ago, a simple prediction was made famous, “If you build it, they will
come”. While that sentiment may have worked for a certain Iowa farmer, and for the
first league of company websites, we quickly learned “building it well,”
and then advertising the heck out of it, was the only way to grow site traffic and
customers. Later, user experience and customization entered the game and digital
transformation took over the headline news.
When it was time for Vantage to upgrade its website, adding resources and tools to
help customers flourish in the new digital landscape of the promotional products
market was the primary focus. After a year of consult with industry experts,
customers, and associates; here’s our starting lineup for the top 10 things you’ll
want to check out on the new Vantageapparel.com.
1. Order embroidered product with the new Design Tool
For the first time customers can place an order for blank (unimprinted) or
embroidered merchandise from any product page on vantageapparel.com. Decorated
orders entered this way are immediately added to the system and won’t be stuck on a
desk or inbox waiting for data entry.
To start an embroidery order, just click the “order decorated” button, select your
product color, sizes and quantities, imprint location, and imprint method. You’ll be
prompted to upload the art for the logo or you can choose the monogram option with a
variety of fonts and colors available to use. The design tool will calculate your
stitch count on the spot and price your order appropriately.
2. Place Express Reorders
Once a logo has been set-up and an order has gone through the system, it is
available in the myVantage dashboard for express reordering. Unlike the design tool,
this feature is not limited to just embroidery and is the fastest way to get your
order into production. Prior to checking out, there is an opportunity to adjust the
quantities if the exact number is not needed.
3. Inventory look ups by quantity and size scales
Real-time inventory, as well as future replenishment dates are readily accessible
from every product page. But what if you need 200 pieces for an event in 4 days? If
you know your order size scale, the new Quantity Quick Search feature available at
vantageapparel.com/inventory will return
only items with enough stock to cover your immediate needs. You’ll save time by
narrowing your search and avoid promoting items that may not be ready for an event.
4. Create, save, and share multiple mini catalogs
Mini-catalogs are not new to the Vantage Apparel website, but the experience
certainly is. The set-up is easy, and the layout looks much cleaner. Multiple
products can be added from a list, or from any product page while browsing through
the line. You can create and customize the assortment for multiple catalogs at one
time, save them, and reuse or edit them in a later session. Download a PDF file to
share with customers.
5. Create a free virtual sample
Interested in creating a quick virtual sample? With the virtual sample simulator,
you can upload a logo to any item to create instant mock-ups for presentation
purposes.
While viewing a product, scroll down to the “Marketing Studio” drop down and select
“Create a virtual”. You’ll be given step by step instructions for picking the style,
color, logo source, logo positioning, and any additional text. You can save your
creation as a high-quality jpeg image file or customize a product template PDF to
share.
6. Professional image downloads for marketing
Cross photoshoot off your to-do list and download the professional product images
available for use in selling Vantage items on your webstores, catalogs, social ads,
and more. With the new launch of vantageapparel.com, more options for models,
lifestyle, and backgrounds have been made available for immediate download. The
variety of photography is sure to cover your design style.
7. Customize marketing material
Among the marketing studio tools within myVantage, is a library of predesigned
flyers, merchandise collections and social media assets. Many of these files can be
customized online with a customer logo. The library is constantly updated with new
material and is a place on the site that should be visited throughout the month.
8. Live Chat with associates
Another neat feature on the website is the ability to chat with a bot or chat live
with Vantage associates. So many questions can be answered instantly and for those
that require a little more research, a member of the customer service team will
provide their expert guidance. Just look for the text bubble in the bottom right
hand corner of the site if you need an assist with the site features, a question
about ordering, or even a product recommendation.
9. Set up a free custom branded online catalog site
Another great offering Vantage has is on-demand webstores. The economic environment
of the pandemic paved the way for accelerated online demand within the promotional
products industry and Vantage can help your business take advantage of that. You can
research the various ecommerce options online, request a consult, or set up a free
branded catalog site to collect ‘wish lists’ from buyers.
10. Tune in weekly to the Vantage Vibe Live
Tuning in to the Vantage Vibe Live just got easier and can be done directly from the
homepage of the website. Scroll down for the latest and most popular episodes. While
you’re there, don’t forget to subscribe to the YouTube Channel so you don’t miss
anything.
If you’re not already signed up with MyVantage, we highly recommend creating your
own login so that you can access the full benefits and features of our new website.
If I had to bet the farm, I’d say you’ll be glad you added it to your roster.