This article isn’t just for the single person looking for a better way to carry shopping items. It is for the HR rep looking for corporate gifts. It is for the group leaders looking for a group item. It is for the event planners that need something to give to the guests and visitors. It is literally for anyone who needs a personalized bag or promotional gift that is both useful, visible, and relevant.

What is a shopping bag?

You may think that this is a very easy answer but stop and pause for a moment. You have been hoodwinked! Why? You have been led to believe that only the bags that they have at the stores are adequate shopping bags. That is just flat wrong. Anything that you are able to put in literally any bag and carry out of the store qualifies that bag to be a shopping bag. This is great! It means that it opens up a world of potential marketing and stylistic considerations. So, what can be a shopping bag? Let’s talk about the different options you have.

There are a few broad categories based on the shape of a bag. There are tote bags, beach bags, and grocery bags. These all have slightly different variations on the dimensions. The tote bag is linear and often has rounded corners. These bags are great for smaller events that don’t’ require a lot of items to carry. These make great bags if you are only grabbing a few small items or want to limit yourself to whatever fits in the bag.

The grocery bag is very similar to the tote bag. However, it differs in that the corners tend to be squared to accommodate boxes of food, like cereal and milk. This makes the bag slightly bigger and user friendly when there are a lot of items to pack up at the store. However, the standard grocery bag is often made of lower quality material. For a better purchase, you would want to go with a canvas or cotton tote with the dimensions of a grocery tote.

Finally, there is the beach tote. This is a classic bag that tends to be longer than it is taller. It is made with a wide-open top as compared to the linear tote to allow ease of access. You don’t want to have to take everything out to get to the bottom if you are on the beach because that would mean that everything will get sandy. These are great for shopping because they can fit oversized items and carry lots of goods from just about any store you can image.

Besides the dimensions, you need to consider the material of the bag. Most bags come in only a few options. However, these options will give you enough variability that you won’t need to look elsewhere. The material choices are recycled plastic, cotton, canvas, heavy cotton, heavy canvas, clear plastic, or polyester. There are some other specialty materials like burlap and rope that are a great special item for special occasions. The more wear your bag will get the better the material should be.

How do you find a shopping bag supplier?

Not all shopping bag suppliers are the same. You want a supplier that can get you the quantity that you need in the quality that your desire with the customization that you asked for. Most local big box retail stores will not suffice when you are trying to fulfill a bulk order for similar or the same items. Instead, you will need to find an online wholesale site like Tote Bag Factory that can offer you deep discounts on a shopping bag order with no minimum and complete customization. Other retails may not have all of the same product that you will need. Further, most won’t be able to sell you the shopping bag and customize the bag at the same time. This will force you to buy the bags from one place and take them somewhere else to be personalized at a separate cost. This will waste your time and money and only lead to complete frustration throughout the process.

Should you customize the shopping bag?

This should never be a hard question, or even a question at all. Custom shopping bags are always preferred and always the better option. They are hotly desired and make incredible gifts. If you are questioning the choice, it is most likely because the quote you are getting isn’t a wholesale prices that includes customization and they are charging you too much. Instead, use a site like Tote Bag Factory that can offer you everything you need in the same order without issue or fail each time.

Your friends and guests will love the custom design and will use it for years. Without a custom design the bags look like a gift that you just found on the bottom of your closet. Don’t be that person! Always give the best, just don’t buy the most expensive gift on the market. There are better products from suppliers and manufacturers that deliver the same quality and quantity for less money out of your pocket.