Federal Express Corp. is adding a new dimension to its ecommerce business: online distributor.

FedEx, the Memphis-based global package delivery and services company with fiscal 2020 total sales of $7.1 billion, has launched a new initiative as an online distributor of promotional products.

At PromoProducts.FedEx.com, the company’s FedEx Office business unit is now offering promotional items across a dozen product categories ranging from food and candy to trade shows and other live events.

FedEx Office sees its latest ecommerce business focused on selling promotional products to companies that use FedEx Ground to ship and receive more than 12 million parcels daily.

FedEx sees a robust market in offering promotional items to small businesses, says FedEx Office executive vice president and chief operating officer Kim Dixon.

A recent study of an unidentified small businesses by FedEx Office found that small business owners use personalized products to support diverse needs, including engaging with customers and employees and promoting their brands at trade shows.

The study found that while masks and hand sanitizer are in high demand now, these items are not expected to be a top need post-COVID-19, and further revealed the promotional products preferred most by small business owners include note pads (59%), post-it notes (59%), T-shirts (55%), and bags, such as tote bags and clear bags (54%).

“Through our business insights, we know our small to mid-size business customers are looking for solutions that will keep their brand top of mind as they reopen and work to reengage with their customers and drive revenue,” Dixon says.

FedEx has yet to reveal several business development specifics, including total available product inventory and any financial projections.

But PromoProducts.FedEx.com will run on an ecommerce platform operated by Veriquest, a marketing technology services company based in San Antonio, Texas.

Specifically, PromoProducts.FedEx.com will be operated by Harland Clarke, the promotional products arm of Veriquest.

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