If you know the date you need your merchandise by, you can set that date first and see only the products that can reach you in time. That matters because dispatch across our range runs from 5 days to 22 days, so you stop discovering lead times one product page at a time.

The spread is wider than most people expect. A screen printed canvas tote runs 5 days, a roll of branded Love Hearts 7, a Moleskine notebook 8, a women's hoodie 10, and a full colour bamboo fan

Nothing about looking at those five products would tell you which is which. Start with the date instead of the product Most people shop for merchandise the way they'd shop for anything else, by finding something they like and then checking whether they can have it. With branded products that's the wrong way round, because the constraint most likely to rule an item out is the calendar rather than the price or the colour.

If your event date is fixed and everything else is flexible, set the date first. What's left is a range you can choose from freely, knowing every option in it arrives in time. You're then making the decision that actually deserves your attention, which is what your audience will keep, rather than the one the site should have made for you.

How the date filter works Set the date you need your products by, and the range narrows to the items we can produce and deliver on or before it. Products that can't make your deadline drop out of view.

Each product then shows its own guaranteed delivery date, so you can confirm the specific date for the item you've chosen before you order. The two work together: the date filter finds you candidates, and the product page commits to a date.

Why lead times vary so much Three things drive the difference, and none of them is obvious from a photograph.

The branding method. Screen printing a flat cotton bag is quick. Printing full colour across a 210 x 380mm bamboo fan is not.

How the product is held. Something stocked in the tens of thousands moves faster than something held in hundreds.

The product itself. Garments need picking by size and colour, which adds a step that a box of identical pens doesn't have.

That's why we publish a dispatch figure per product rather than a single site-wide lead time. A site-wide figure would either be so cautious it was useless or so optimistic it was dishonest.

Working backwards from an event Work backwards from the date you need boxes on site, rather than from the date of the event itself.

For an exhibition, that's the build day rather than the opening. For a conference with a venue delivery, add a day and check somebody will be there to sign for it. For anything going to a home address, allow for the fact that nobody is in during the day.

Then set that date. If nothing in the category can meet it, you've found that out in under a minute, and that's the point to ring us. You can start from the full product range and set your date on any category. Some products move faster than their standard date and some can't, and we'll tell you which is which for the quantity you want. You can also browse express products if your deadline is close.

One thing that catches people out: nothing goes into production until you've approved your Visual Proof™, so your own approval time counts. Decide in advance who signs off the proof and tell them it's coming.

Frequently asked questions Can I shop promotional products by the date I need them? Yes. Set the date you need your products by and the range narrows to the items we can deliver on or before it. Every product then shows its own guaranteed delivery date so you can confirm before ordering.

How far in advance should I order merchandise for a trade show? It depends heavily on the product. Dispatch at Hotline Promotional Products runs from 5 days on a screen printed canvas tote to 22 days on a full colour bamboo fan. Rather than working to a general rule, set your show date on the site and you'll see exactly what can still make it.

Why do lead times vary so much between products? Because the branding method, how deeply the product is stocked and the product itself all affect production. Screen printing a cotton bag is quick, printing full colour across a large bamboo fan is not, and garments need picking by size and colour.

What's the difference between shopping by date and the guaranteed delivery date? Shopping by date starts with your deadline and narrows the range to what can meet it. The guaranteed delivery date is the commitment shown on each product page once you've chosen. You use one to find products and the other to confirm when they arrive.

I need branded merchandise next week and haven't ordered anything. What can I get? Set next week's date and you'll see everything we can still deliver in time. Some products dispatch in 5 days. If the range that comes back doesn't work for you, ring us with your date and quantity and we'll tell you honestly what's achievable.

Does the date account for the time I take to approve my proof? Your own approval time counts towards your deadline, because nothing goes into production until you've signed off your Visual Proof. Proofs come back within 20 minutes during working hours, so the fastest thing you can do is decide in advance who approves it.

Can I order for a fixed event date without knowing which product I want? Yes, and that's the better way round. Set the date first, then choose from what's left. It stops you falling for a product that was never going to arrive in time.

Do express products have different delivery dates? Yes. Every product carries its own dispatch figure and its own guaranteed date, so the express range shows dates accordingly. Set your date and compare what comes back.