Frequently Asked Questions

An Advanced-Online company store is a program that is responsible for producing, displaying, selling, maintaining, and distributing company branded products.

Programs can have multiple names, like ordering portal, e-store, e-commerce site, or corporate store, but they all have the same goals and benefits.

A centralized online company store can control brand access, product cost, approval structures, shipping, and departmental/individual spending. These programs can virtually eliminate back-orders, obsolete inventory, optimize processes, and heighten accountability. They also minimize risks associated with obsolete inventory and inventory exposure when combined with on-demand production.

There are numerous benefits we can offer your organization. To name a few, we can help you: Ensure brand consistency, eliminate inventory liability, increase your buying power, boost your bottom line with budget control, generate royalty income, and more.

To learn more about the value we can provide your organization, visit our advantages or comparison pages. Or give us a call at 972-471-5400.

The more complicated your business structure, the more value we can be to you in centralizing your ordering processes, providing you with consistent and controlled branded merchandise, and offering a broad range of product availability. Our program has the built-in ability to provide multiple brands/divisions in one website, helping consolidate your communication to the field.

Yes, you can. Each group in your organization can enter through a portal that displays only the products and materials specific to their job role, department, or brand identity.

• We own and control every aspect of our business model including the technology and the production floor.
• We produce large and small orders economically, there are no minimum orders.
• Less than one quarter of one percent of our items are back-ordered each day, so you won’t have to wait weeks for products. Standard promotional, apparel and print products typically ship in 24-48 hours and customized items in 72 hours.
• You can customize your products and view a proof online in one simple action.
• Our business is financially stable. Advanced-Online has low debt levels. All capital purchases are paid off in 36 months. We have been in business for more than 30 years and won’t disappear tomorrow like many vendors in this business.
• Orders are produced on-demand to limit inventory exposure.

See our complete list of Advanced-Online vs. Standard Online Solution Providers comparison.

On-demand production is a production model where goods are not premade and are only produced when they are ordered. This revolutionary model allows for much greater flexibility in terms of product offering, as there is no inventory commitment.

With Advanced-Online, you can choose from over a thousand different on-demand items to stock in your online store. Once an order is placed on the web it hits our system then routes to the appropriate production department for fulfillment.

Absolutely. We own thousands of inventory items which are all stocked at our facility. When ordered, those items are then picked and decorated in-house by our production staff. Thanks to our 80,000 square foot production warehouse, we host a wide array of production methods under one roof.

We created our online company store web platform and still own it to this day. We’ve also created numerous tools (such as sales reporting) that are available to all of our clients.

There are several billing options for company spending. Monthly statements detailing each transaction, electronic invoicing via email, and electronic statement billing are all options. Invoice detail can include appropriate cost center information. Personal employee orders are paid by personal credit card.

All programs come complete with a budget control feature and approval hierarchy that can be adjusted to fit any requirements.

With budget control, you can place controls on individuals or departments based on company spending or divisional spending. You are able to apply approval options based on your scenario.

The budget control feature is automated so it will hold an order that has exceeded spending or quantity limitations. One of three actions will happen: An order over budget can be sent to the appropriate authority for approval, the program will ask for a personal credit card to purchase the remaining balance, or the program will not allow the order to be processed.

There are several types of approval processes available that can be used alone or simultaneously. There are dollar spending limit approvals, product quantity limits, specific product approvals, freight option approvals, and other options.

We also have multi-level approvals for orders up to 4 levels of approvals. Each approval can be tied to a specific dollar amount including the multi-level approvals. Once an order is placed online, an email is sent to their approver(s).

We currently accept:

• Credit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover)
• PayPal
• Corporate purchasing cards
• Electronic invoicing
• Statement billing

Yes, you are welcome to use your own freight account if your rates are better than ours. We allow you to switch to our account or yours at any time.

Yes, shipping charges can be applied to the specific company cost center(s) associated with each order.

Yes, we do offer shipping to multiple locations. Just let your program manager know and they will get all the information needed to make it happen. Know that orders going to multiple locations are subject to additional fees.

No. Products online can be ordered in a quantity of one.

Price breaks are available on the site. For any orders that involve a higher volume amount than what’s listed on the site, your program manager will be able to assist. Alternatively, you can also contact Advanced-Online Customer Service at 972-471-5400. Business Hours: M – F, 7:30AM – 5:30 PM CST

Yes, you can customize products that have been set up for personalization. During set up, you’ll select the items you want to allow your end users to customize and tell us what the parameters are allowed for customization. We’ll set up a definable template that allows end users to input personal information or select pre-approved information from a drop-down menu.

Yes. We call our definable templates mtools (marketing tools). These templates allow end users to personalize their promo, print, or apparel item(s). Anything can be customized with a logo, name, contact information, special message, or picture. Enter in the information you need or choose from drop-down menus, then view a proof online and order. Note that even personalized items are still held to the same brand standards as normal on-demand items.