1: What is the difference between regular USB memory and COB memory?
All of our USB’s are manufactured with high quality components, including memory chips by Toshiba, Samsung, Micron, Intel and Hynix. Our USB quality control is tops in the industry, as evidenced by our near ZERO percent reported quality issues. Most standard USB’s do have a separate memory chip and controller card, which is a larger overall component size than the smaller COB chip components.
Certain USB styles require COB memory, or “Chip-on-Board” memory components. Credit card USB’s, key USB’s and mini USB models use COB chips which are a combined chip and controller in one component unit. The benefits of COB memory are mainly to produce smaller, thinner and lighter weight USB’s. We always list the memory type in our quotes and confirmations.
2: What is the minimum quantity for bulk or imprinted flash drives?
For bulk or imprinted orders our minimum order is 25 units. For bulk, non-imprinted orders with higher capacities of 32 GB & up, we may be able to deliver lower quantities. Please contact us with your requirements. We’ll try to accommodate your order if we can!
3: What is the normal delivery time for flash drives?
All of our USB orders are custom produced. For imprinted orders, our “real-time” normal production and delivery time is consistently within 10 days (to your door) from the point you approve everything. (For unimprinted orders, our “real time” production and delivery time is about 5 days). Custom PVC orders or large volume imprinted orders may take a little longer than the normal 10 days. We always advise on timelines in our quotes or confirmations.
4: Do you have a rush service?
Our “real-time” delivery times are very consistent at 10 days to your door, and are mostly affected by when weekends or holidays occur in the ordering, production and shipping processes! We have found that taking on rush orders is extremely risky, as there are too many factors that are simply out of anyone’s control (mostly flight delays or customs delays). We are always willing to try to shave a day or two off our normal delivery time, but in reality, that is still not guaranteed, with all the other factors involved. We can certainly review each situation individually and let you know.
5: Why do I need to get a quote?
Flash memory pricing is updated weekly, but can fluctuate daily, depending on the current market pricing for flash memory. As a Canadian based supplier, we also allow for the fluctuation of the Canadian Dollar versus the US Dollar. Getting a quote is the best way to get the most recent and most accurate flash drive pricing.
6: What countries do you ship to?
Our biggest customer base is in Canada and the USA. We also have clients worldwide and can service most countries.
7: Do you carry other flash drive models?
Yes. We have many other styles that we don’t show on our website. If you have something specific in mind, please contact us!
8: Can you supply custom shaped flash drives?
Yes. Send us your idea or design for a special quote. Most custom flash drive styles are made in the PVC flexible material for maximum colors and impact.
9: What are the maximum imprint areas for flash drives?
Most flash drives are quite small, with very small imprint areas. In fact, our most popular NU0001 style has a maximum imprint or laser area of about 25mm wide by 13mm high (1″ by 1/2″ approx). Many models can be imprinted on both sides. Some models have larger areas, like the card style for example. Always keep the finished size in mind when considering your layout.
10: What flash drive imprinting methods do you offer?
The imprint method depends on the flash drive material and imprint area, as well as the complexity of your design. Laser engraving is best on stainless steel metal, bamboo or wood. Spot color screen printing is best on plastic, wood or coated metal. Pad printing is best on curved surface flash drives. Dome decals are used on many styles, especially if you need a full color design on the smaller flash drives. Your printed logo is protected by a special epoxy acrylic. Full color digital imprinting is best done on card style flash drives, however it can also be done on many other models. We will advise you on the best imprint method.
11: Is shipping included in your quote?
Most of our quotes and orders will include shipping and delivery to your location. For rare situations, there may be other charges due for added services like expediting or insurance, for remote location deliveries, or for duty and taxes that may be due for international shipments.
12: Is the set-up and imprinting cost included?
Yes. Our regular production quotes include set-up and imprinting, lasering or dome decals as requested or required. Exception: If we have to re-draw or re-create your artwork or logo, there may be graphics charges. We always advise and get your approval prior to proceeding.
13: What do you require for artwork?
For best quality, we prefer files in vector format (CorelDraw or Adobe Illustrator are the most common – in CDR, AI or EPS file formats). Also, send us a PDF to compare and verify your graphics file. If you don’t have vector graphics, send us a PDF or high resolution JPEG for evaluation and quote. For full color digital imprinting on card styles or domed decals, please send hi-res JPEG’s of your graphics or photos, and email or PDF us any other details or information that you want added to your graphics. Bottom Line: Send us the best of everything you have and we’ll sort it out!
14: Can you upload my data files to my flash drives and how is this done?
Yes. For regular production orders, we will upload up to 500 MB at no cost. You can send us your organized zip file on our Uploads page. See our valuable uploading tips and instructions on the Uploads page.
Please let us know if you require optional features like data protection, auto-run or custom linking. These options are done during the mass production of the memory chips. Please note that with today’s systems, the auto-run feature can trigger anti-virus or system protection error messages that can be confusing for end-users.
The cost to upload over 500 MB of data is very affordable. Please contact us for quote. Note that every end-user’s system is set-up differently to organize & display the flash drive operation and contents.
15: How do I know my order will be correct?
We email you with each stage of the project, from quote, to order confirmation, to artwork approval, to data upload approval. You review and approve every step, before we proceed. It’s a simple system and guarantees that your order is 100% correct.
16: What are the exact steps to placing an order?
- Request a quote, using our online Quote Form.
- We’ll email you with all pricing options & delivery details.
- Place order with our 2-Minute Order Form. Include all project details.
- Include your vector graphics file along with a PDF or hi-res JPEG to verify.
- Include your (optional) data upload files. Advise on any upload options.
- We’ll send confirmation and proof for approval, along with our payment options.
- Once approved, we’ll schedule your order immediately into production.
17: What can affect my flash drive order’s delivery time?
If you have an event date or scheduled distribution date, you should tell us at the time you get a quote, or place your order. Delivery times can be delayed by slow communications or responses to our confirmations. It’s quite rare that production or inventory problems affect our overall production cycle. The most common delays are mostly due to the wide range of shipping distances, unforeseen transport delays, possible customs or clearance delays, holidays, weekends, etc.
18: Is there a warranty on the USB’s?
Yes. While “duds” are an ongoing industry issue, they are extremely rare for us. We do offer a full 12 month warranty on any new, non-working USB’s. You are fully protected, in the rare event that you find that any USB’s are not functioning properly, out-of-the-box. Important: Be sure to test and/or re-format USB’s in other ports (both USB 2.0 and USB 3.0), and in other systems, before declaring them “dead”. Our 10 years of data shows that most user issues are solved with a simple 5 second FORMAT by your own system, using FAT32 for small file transfers, or exFAT for larger file transfers.
Per our factory warranty agreement, once you have tested correctly and determined the USB’s are non-working, please retain the non-working flash drives for return to us. At our discretion, we will credit or send replacement units ASAP, or we can add them to your next order, if you prefer.
19: I’m a photographer and my client says their USB is not working. What can I do?
If the USB worked for you, then logically it should work for your client. Over 99% of the USB problems reported to us are user-system related. Every system is set up differently, in terms of hardware settings, power and port settings, anti-virus settings and more. The most common problem is either a formatting issue, or perhaps an under-powered USB port on the user’s computer. We recommend testing the USB in other ports (and also on other computers), before declaring it to be “non-working”. Please note that our warranty does not cover damage or functionality problems caused by user-system issues. If the USB works for you out-of-the-box, it is considered “working”. If it does not work out-of-the-box, it is covered by our warranty.
Reminder: Always be sure to test USB’s in different ports and systems!…and be sure to try re-formatting the units in either FAT32 or exFAT to see which format works best for your specific system and requirements. Most photographers/videographers/imaging clients will find that exFAT works best for their larger file transfers.
20: Why should I order from Flash Drive Canada?
We are true Canadian owned and operated USB supplier, with an excellent business relationship with our factory partners in China. We have a near ZERO percent failure rate in our USB’s, plus our customers are fully covered by our 12 month warranty (see question 18). We may be the only USB supplier to have a perfect record of success in our order accuracy and our customer service and satisfaction ratings are BEST in the industry! We make EVERYONE look like a USB genius…and thousands of extremely happy customers can’t all be wrong!
