Apparel Image Helps Businesses Leave Lasting Impressions, with a little help from Intelligent Office.

For Andy Furman, the apparel business is in his genes. Furman’s great-grandfather started a tailored clothing store in Michigan in 1911. Following in the footsteps of his grandfather and father before him, Furman started working in the family store at the age of 14.

“The one thing that my families’ business was known for throughout the Midwest was fantastic service, great quality product and living up to promises. That is what I have carried into my business today,” explains Furman.

Furman moved to Atlanta and started Apparel Image in 1993, a manufacturer of uniforms, identity apparel and promotional items.

“I went from selling thousand dollar suits to $3 t-shirts. Now I just have to sell more,” he continued.

What differentiates Apparel Image from some other premiums vendors is their longevity in the market and the fact that they actually do some of their own manufacturing both here and overseas.

“When I entered this business there were probably 1000 people in Atlanta selling apparel and another 5000 brokering premiums,” explains Furman. “Fifteen years later those businesses have skyrocketed to probably 5000 apparel and 15000 premiums vendors.”

With the tenuous market and the corresponding contraction in available marketing dollars, Furman expects to see a contraction in those numbers something that is already being reflected in the trade.

“The margins for overseas manufacturers are already very small. Those without fresh product, the right price and adequate inventory levels aren’t going to survive,” continues Furman. “That is going to have a direct impact on resellers, especially those that compete on price.”

How does that impact his customers and prospects? Furman predicts that buyers of promotional products accustomed to always going with the cheapest option will now more than ever run the risk of seeing their orders go unfilled.

“It is important in this economy for folks to rely on established providers who can weather this economic storm so they don’t get to trade shows and find those 500 T-shirts didn’t arrive on the floor,” warns Furman.

In addition to buying from established providers, Furman is encouraging his clients to select their promotional items more carefully. Pointing out that there are some tremendous values to be had as prices have dropped significantly in the past 18 months.

“You can always give them a pen but when the ink runs out, they chuck it in the trash,” continues Furman. “Now is the time to purchase that $6 flash drive that can be re-used by your client and leave a truly lasting impression.”

Furman has a warehouse for manufacturing but runs sales and marketing from Intelligent Office. In need of a professional mailing address, he became an IO client in 2000. Now when he needs to meet a client or vendor, he just books a conference room, a much better alternative to hosting them in his noisy warehouse.

For more information, visit www.apparelimage.com or contact Andy Furman at 770-777-1175 or via sales@apparelimage.com.