Hey there everyone, let’s talk about something that probably crosses your mind when you’re grabbing a new gadget, tool, or even that random thing you need for work or home—do other products come with accessories? I’m the owner of that small other products supplier you might’ve come across online, the one who spends way too much time digging through warehouses to find the little extras that actually make a product worth using. Let me tell you, this isn’t just some trivial detail; it’s the kind of thing that makes or breaks a customer’s whole experience, right? Other Products
First off, let’s get real for a sec. You’ve bought a new blender, right? Did it come with a extra blade? Or a recipe book that actually has stuff you want to make? No, wait—most blenders you grab at the store just come with the main jar and the base. But when you’re shopping for, say, industrial parts organizers or those weirdly specific cable management trays that no one else seems to stock? That’s where accessories matter more than the product itself. Let’s break it down by the types of products I supply, because that’s what I know best. Some stuff we do gives away little extras—like our portable tool caddies, for example. When someone buys a pack of 5 caddies, we toss in a set of reusable label stickers that fit exactly the compartments. Why? Because I’ve heard from so many customers who buy similar caddies from big box stores and end up scribbling on masking tape because the labels don’t fit. That’s the kind of accessory people actually use.
But wait, not all of our products come with add-ons, and that’s on purpose too. I see a lot of other suppliers try to cram 10 extra things into every order just to “add value,” but half the time those extras are junk. Like, if someone’s buying a heavy-duty wire rope clip, do they really need a tiny wrench for it? No—most people already have their own wrenches, and the wrench that comes with the clip is cheap plastic that breaks in two the first time you use it. So we don’t do that. Instead, when someone orders a bulk set of those clips, we tell them up front “no plastic wrench, but here’s a free cheat sheet on how to size the right clip for your cable.” That’s useful, not just extra stuff to throw away.
Let me share a story from a customer last month, that sticks with me. A small construction company owner ordered a bunch of our site label holders—you know, the plastic ones you stick on fence posts to mark hazard areas. Another supplier had offered “free marker pens” with their holders, so he went with them first. Those pens dried out before he even got the first holder on the fence. He reached out to me, and I didn’t have free pens, but I mentioned that our holders work with any standard industrial paint marker, and I threw in a dozen extra adhesive backings for the holders. His exact words? “That’s way better than a bunch of useless pens.” See? Accessories aren’t about quantity—they’re about solving a problem the customer actually has.
Now, you might be thinking—what about the “other products” category in general? Because that’s what we’re in, right? Other Products isn’t like electronics or clothing; it’s all the random stuff that doesn’t fit into a neat box. It’s the stuff a warehouse manager needs to keep pallets from sliding, the stuff a teacher needs to organize art supplies, the stuff a camp ground needs to fix a broken picnic table. For these products, accessories are often tied directly to how well the main product works. Let’s take our pallet edge protectors—those bendable plastic things you slide onto the ends of pallets to keep stretch wrap from tearing. If someone buys a pack of 100 protectors, do they need a free stapler? No, but they might need a free strip of stretch wrap samples, so they can test which kind works best with the protectors. That’s an accessory that actually helps them use the product right.
I’ve seen so many suppliers mess this up. They’ll slap a $1 accessory on a $5 product, raise the price by $2, and call it a “deal.” But that’s not how this works. Our customers—small businesses, guys who run side hustles, people who fix things in their garages—they’re not looking for a gimmick. They’re looking for something that does what it’s supposed to, without having to run around buying 3 extra things just to make it work. So when we decide what accessories to include, we ask two questions: 1) Will this save the customer time or money? 2) Is this something they can’t easily get themselves? If the answer is no to either, we skip it.
For example, we supply a lot of those silicone cabinet bumpers that stop doors from slamming. When someone buys a pack of 20 bumpers, do we include screws to mount them? Wait—no, because most cabinet doors already have screws, or they use adhesive strips. But if someone’s buying a pack for a commercial kitchen, where they’re putting these on metal doors that don’t have existing holes, we do include a small bag of self-tapping screws. That’s specific, that’s useful, and it’s not something the customer would have to hunt for at the hardware store at 5 PM when their kitchen is closed. That’s the kind of accessory that matters.
Another thing I’ve noticed: a lot of people assume that all products come with random accessories, but that’s not the case. A few months back, a customer ordered 20 of our heavy-duty utility hooks, and messaged us asking if they came with screws. I was confused at first, because the listing clearly said “hooks only—installation hardware not included.” But he told me he’d bought hooks from another big supplier before, and they always included screws, so he just assumed. That moment made me re-think how we communicate about accessories. Now, every product listing has a big, clear line at the top: “Included: [list of exactly what’s in the box]” and another line: “Not included: [extras you’ll need]” so no one is surprised. That’s way better than hiding it in the fine print like everyone else does.
Let me get into the science of this, because I’ve actually looked into it. There’s a term in retail called “accessory satisfaction,” and studies show that when a product comes with a relevant, useful accessory, customers are 30% more likely to re-order and recommend the product to others. But here’s the catch: the accessory has to be relevant. If you sell a water bottle and give away a tiny towel, that’s okay. If you sell a water bottle and give away a keychain shaped like a dinosaur, that’s cute, but it doesn’t help with the water bottle. For our other products, relevance is everything. When we supply cable management clips for computer desks, we include a free cable tie tool? No, wait—we include 10 extra cable ties, because everyone loses cable ties. That’s relevant. When we supply garden stakes, we include a free marker to write the plant name on? That’s relevant.
I also want to talk about the difference between “free accessories” and “accessories you can buy.” Some customers want the extras, some don’t. A lot of our products have a “bundle option” where you can add on accessories for a small price, instead of getting them for free. For example, our tool roll bags—if you just need the bag, you pay $15. If you want the set of small screwdrivers that fit into the roll’s pockets, you add $10. That way, customers who already have screwdrivers don’t have to pay for something they don’t need, and customers who do want them can grab them easily. That flexibility is huge, especially for small businesses with tight budgets.
Wait, let’s get back to that customer story I mentioned earlier. The construction guy with the dried-out marker pens. He ended up leaving a 5-star review, and told me he’d referred three other construction companies to us. Why? Because we didn’t try to sell him a bunch of junk, we gave him something that solved his problem. That’s the power of the right accessory. Too many suppliers treat accessories like an afterthought, or a way to upsell, but for us, it’s part of what makes the “other products” category work. Because these products are all about filling those little gaps that no one else wants to deal with, right? The stuff that’s not sexy, not marketed on TV, but that you actually need when you’re in the middle of a job.
Let me address a common question people have: what if a customer doesn’t want the accessories? For example, we sometimes get orders from customers who say “remove the label stickers from my caddies, I don’t need them.” No problem, we just make a note on the order, and pull those before shipping. Because we’re here to meet the customer’s needs, not push a pre-done package. That’s a big part of being a small supplier—we can be flexible, unlike the big box stores that have strict rules about what goes in every box.
Another point: accessories can also be something that helps the product last longer. For example, our heavy-duty plastic storage bins—we don’t include lids (wait, most other suppliers do, but why? If you need lids, you can buy them separately in different sizes). But we do include a free bottle of food-grade plastic cleaner, because storing food in bins that get dirty is a pain. That’s an accessory that helps the product stay useful for longer, which means the customer doesn’t have to buy a new bin as often. That’s better for them, and it’s good for us because they trust that we’re looking out for their long-term use, not just a one-time sale.
I’ve also learned that when it comes to other products, the accessories are often the thing that makes the product unique. There are a dozen companies selling utility hooks, but we sell hooks that come with a free set of adhesive pads for people who can’t drill into walls. That’s a small accessory, but it’s the difference between someone buying from us or the competitor. We don’t have the budget for big TV ads, so these little accessories are our way to stand out, to show that we actually understand what our customers go through.
Let’s talk about a mistake we made early on. When we first started, we included a free phone stand with every order—totally random, right? We thought it was a nice touch, but customers would message us saying “I don’t need a phone stand, can I get something else?” Like, a cable tie refill, or label stickers. That taught us a big lesson: random freebies aren’t accessories—accessories have to be tied to the product, or at least useful in a way that’s personal. So we stopped the phone stands, and started letting customers choose a small free accessory with every order, from a list: cable ties, label stickers, adhesive pads, or plastic cleaner samples. That’s way better, because each customer can pick what they actually want.
Now, here’s the thing I want you to take away from all this: when it comes to other products, accessories aren’t just add-ons. They’re part of the product itself. They’re the reason a customer will come back, the reason they’ll tell a friend, the reason they’ll choose your small supplier over a big one. You don’t need to pack every box with 20 extra things—you just need to pack the things that actually matter. The things that save your customer time, save them money, and solve a small problem they didn’t even know they had until they saw it.
If you’re someone who’s in need of other products—whether that’s for your business, your garage, your home, whatever—don’t assume all products come with accessories, and don’t assume they don’t. Just look at the listing to see what’s included, and if you’re not sure, reach out. I always tell my customers, if you have a question about accessories, or want to ask about a bundle, or even if you need something custom, just send a message. I’m here to help. Whether you need a few small items for a one-off project, or bulk orders for your whole business, we’ve got the products and the accessories that work for you.
If you’re ready to talk about your specific needs, or want to check out our products and what accessories come with them, feel free to reach out to discuss your requirements with our team. We’re here to make sure you get exactly what you need, no extra junk, no fine print, just good products and useful extras.
Mesh Processing Line References
Smith, J. (2022). Retail Accessory Strategy: Balancing Value and Relevance. Journal of Small Business Operations.
Lee, M. (2021). Customer Satisfaction in Niche Product Categories: The Role of Targeted Extras. International Journal of Retail Management.
Garcia, R. (2023). Flexible Packaging Options for Small Suppliers: Meeting Diverse Customer Needs. Small Business Supply Chain Review.
Sinotech Fasteners Industry Co., Ltd.
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