The best products for a partner onboarding kit are a backpack, wearable apparel, a desk or tech accessory, a water bottle, a notebook and, crucially, enablement materials, the product info, contacts and next-step guidance that turn a nice box into activation. Match the mix to the partner model: rewards and premium casual merch for affiliates, wearable and customer-facing items for resellers, practical field apparel for installers, brand education for agencies, co-branded field kit for distributors.
One thing up front: the message a partner kit sends is not "welcome to the team", it is "welcome to the ecosystem, you now represent and grow this brand". So the products and the enablement inside have to reflect that. This is a guide for companies building branded kits for channel partners, not for employees or end customers.
The core kit products
A good partner kit is short. A useful desk item, a backpack, a water bottle, apparel, a notebook, maybe a charging product, plus enablement materials and a personal welcome note. That is the shortlist, and most of it earns its place for the same reason: visibility and usefulness. Desk products stay in view and keep you top of mind; a backpack travels with commuters and travellers. Every item should be something the partner actually uses, because an unused item is a wasted impression.
- Useful, not gimmicky. If it goes in a drawer, it does nothing for you.
- On-brand and premium. The kit represents your brand in the partner's office.
- Enablement included. Merch opens the box; enablement makes the partner active.
- Matched to the model. An affiliate reward and an installer starter kit are not the same box.
Backpack
The premium anchor
Best for the hero itemA backpack is the natural hero item in a partner kit. It is substantial, immediately useful and carries your brand for years, which is exactly the signal you want to send a new partner. It also works across every model, from a reseller who takes it to customer sites to a distributor's field team. In AnyDesk's partner programme, backpacks are a key item in a kit that is auto-triggered on signing and tiered by partner size. Browse options on the custom backpacks page, and preview branding in the free backpack mockup generator.
The backpack is the premium anchor. Substantial, useful and carried for years, it works across every partner model from reseller to distributor field team.
Apparel
Wearable brand presence
Best for resellers and installersApparel puts your brand on the partner. Polos, tees, caps and work jackets are especially strong for resellers and installers whose teams face customers, because a co-branded field team creates local presence where the vendor has no office. Keep it genuinely wearable, over-branded apparel gets left in the cupboard. For an affiliate or agency, a limited run of premium casual merch works better than a uniform.
Desk and tech
Top-of-mind, every day
Best for affiliates and agenciesDesk and tech accessories are the quiet winners. A useful desk item or a charging product sits in the partner's workspace and keeps you top of mind between conversations, with none of the "wear it in public" ask that apparel makes. That makes them ideal for affiliates, agencies and any office-based partner. A recycled charging cable or a neat desk accessory reads as modern and considerate.
Desk and tech items stay in the partner's workspace, keeping you top of mind between conversations. Presentation in a branded box makes the whole kit feel considered.
Water bottle and notebook
The dependable middle
Best for every kitA branded water bottle and a quality notebook are the dependable middle of almost any kit. Both get used daily, both travel, and both are affordable enough to include at every tier. The notebook does double duty: it is useful merch and it can carry printed enablement, a quick-start guide or programme contacts on the inside cover.
Enablement materials
The item everyone forgets
The most important productThis is the product that turns a nice box into a business outcome. Every shipment is a chance to educate and activate, so include the next-step information: product info, programme benefits, key contacts, sales enablement, academy or certification links, implementation guidance and one clear next action. A partner who opens the box and immediately knows how to register a deal or start certification is a partner who activates faster. Merch without enablement is a gift; merch with enablement is onboarding.
Products by partner model
The same shortlist, tuned to who the partner is. This is where a generic kit becomes a relevant one.
| Partner model | Lead products | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Affiliates / referral | Premium casual merch, desk, tech accessories, limited apparel | Reward and recognition, not a uniform |
| Resellers | Wearable apparel, backpacks, caps, tees, customer giveaways, event products | Customer-facing presence; machinery resellers get a larger starter box |
| Installers | Polos, caps, work jackets, backpacks, field accessories, plus a reward after first install | Practical field kit; reward operational readiness |
| Agencies | Brand education, sales material, lifestyle merch | Sell-through the brand, not just wear it |
| Distributors | Co-branded clothing for drivers, field and warehouse (integrated distributors) | Local presence where the vendor has no office |
Presentation matters as much as contents. A premium branded box makes even a short kit feel like a real welcome to the ecosystem.
Whatever mix you land on, Sunday builds the products, packs the box and ships it, individually or in bulk partner boxes, across regions with customs handled. Browse the full range in the catalog, see the flow on how it works, and let distribution handle delivery. Build the whole campaign on the platform.
Products for partner onboarding kits: questions answered
What products should go in a partner onboarding kit?
The best products are a backpack, wearable apparel, a desk or tech accessory, a water bottle, a notebook and enablement materials. The merch earns its place through usefulness and visibility: desk items stay in view, a backpack travels for years. Enablement, the product info, contacts and next steps, is the item that turns the kit into activation. Match the mix to the partner model rather than sending the same box to everyone.
What is the single most important item in a partner kit?
Enablement materials. Every other product is merch; the enablement is what makes the partner operational. Include product info, programme benefits, key contacts, sales enablement, certification or academy links and one clear next action. A partner who opens the box and immediately knows how to register a deal or start certification activates faster. Merch without enablement is a gift, merch with enablement is onboarding.
What products suit reseller versus installer partners?
Resellers do well with wearable apparel, backpacks, caps, tees, customer giveaways and event products, because their teams face customers; machinery resellers often warrant a larger starter box. Installers need practical field kit, polos, caps, work jackets, backpacks and field accessories, plus a reward sent after their first successful install. The difference is that installer products are working gear, while reseller products lean toward customer-facing presence.
Should a partner kit include a backpack?
A backpack is the strongest hero item for most partner kits. It is substantial, immediately useful and carries your brand for years, and it works across every partner model. It is a key item in real programmes such as AnyDesk's, where kits are auto-triggered on signing and tiered by partner size. For higher-value or strategic partners, a premium backpack anchors the box; for lighter tiers, a smaller item can lead instead.
How many products should a partner kit contain?
Fewer than most people think. A tight kit of a hero item, one or two everyday products and enablement beats an overstuffed box of gimmicks. Every item should be something the partner genuinely uses, because an unused product is a wasted impression. Scale the number and value of items by tier: a small partner might get a few items, a large strategic partner a fuller box and co-branding.
Can products be co-branded with the partner's logo?
Yes, and it is best reserved for higher tiers or meaningful volume, since the vendor funds it and the partner earns it. Standardise the logo position, maximum dimensions, approved colours and products, and templates, so co-branding stays a reward rather than an admin burden. Done this way you run one global collection localised for selected partners, which keeps it scalable while still feeling tailored to the partners who matter most.
Keep reading: partner onboarding kits
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