Industry Solution

Deliver events merchandise on deadline, every time

Events and exhibition merchandise suppliers face immovable deadlines and last-minute changes. Zigaflow keeps your quoting, production and delivery on track when the pressure is on.

Order #EV-8821 — Exhibition Stand PackConfirmedEVENTThe Promotional Show — NEC BirminghamStand E24 · 3-day show · delivery to hall by 7 AprITEMQTYCOSTSELLBranded tote bags — full colour print500£900£1,500Branded pens — 2-colour logo1,000£380£750Branded USB 16GB — laser engraved200£400£700Pencom ballpoint + notebook set100£280£480MARGIN40.1%Cost £1,960 · Sell £3,430DELIVERYDirect to NEC hall EMidocean + PencomPOs confirmedSHOW DATE9-11 Apr 2025Delivery: 7 Apr
About This Solution

The operations platform for events merchandise suppliers

Events merchandise is unforgiving. A trade show has a fixed date, and if your order is late, your client has nothing to give away. Every job is a project with a hard deadline.

Zigaflow gives you visibility across every active job - what has been ordered, what is in production and what is at risk - so you can intervene early rather than apologise late.

Key Facts
  • Most UK exhibition merchandise suppliers manage 50-200 active orders simultaneously across trade shows, conferences, and corporate events.
  • Lead times are typically 2-6 weeks, with rush orders for last-minute event bookings creating frequent production bottlenecks.
  • Orders commonly combine printed, embroidered, and branded items from multiple suppliers, requiring complex multi-line purchase coordination.
  • Clients frequently request artwork proofs, sample approvals, and last-minute quantity changes, causing version control and margin erosion issues.
  • Many suppliers rely on spreadsheets and email chains, losing track of artwork sign-offs, deadlines, and supplier confirmations across concurrent jobs.
How It Works

Up and running in four simple steps

1

Enquiry Capture and Brief Intake

Enquiries arrive via website forms, phone, email, or exhibition industry portals such as BPMA directories, referencing event dates, product types, quantities, and branding requirements. Each enquiry is logged as a lead with key details including event date, delivery deadline, product categories, and estimated budget captured at the point of contact.

2

Quote and Proof Submission

Quotes are built line by line covering product unit costs, print or embroidery setup charges, carriage, and any rush premiums, with margin applied per line before sending a branded proposal to the client. Artwork proofs and product visuals are attached to the quote record so clients can approve specifications and quantities before the order is confirmed in writing.

3

Order and Production Management

Confirmed orders are broken into supplier purchase orders for each decorated or printed product, with artwork files, print specifications, and delivery addresses attached to each PO sent to the relevant decorator or manufacturer. Job progress is tracked against the event date, with milestone alerts for proof approval, production completion, and despatch to the exhibition venue or client warehouse.

4

Invoicing and Accounts Sync

Sales invoices are raised on despatch or at agreed billing milestones, with deposit invoices issued at order confirmation for high-value or bespoke merchandise jobs. Invoice data, payments received, and supplier purchase costs sync to accounting software such as Xero or QuickBooks, giving a clear view of job profitability per event or client account.

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Common Challenges

The problems we solve

Built specifically for your industry - Zigaflow tackles the operational headaches that generic software ignores.

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Last-minute changes derail jobs

Clients change quantities, swap product choices or request new artwork days before an event. Tracking changes across email threads puts jobs at risk.

How Zigaflow helps

All client communications and job changes are logged against the order in Zigaflow, with revised supplier orders issued immediately.

Integrations

Works with your existing tools

Accounting, Payments & More
Direct Supplier Feeds
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