Survey: What Cubic Promote’s Account Managers Are Hearing Buyers Ask For in 2027

We are already getting enquiries about 2027. To see whether this was just a few cases or a bigger trend, we spoke with 10 team members who work directly with clients. Over two weeks, we spoke with account managers, our Partnerships & Key Accounts Manager, Business Development Manager, and General Manager, and looked at the briefs they have received for next year.

Key Findings

• Five of the 10 team members shared enquiries already tied specifically to 2027, including January and February events, calendars and planners.
• Four of the 10 team members specifically raised budget, pricing, or supplier comparison in client conversations.
• Three of the 10 described clients providing detailed requirements upfront, including product specifications, branding, quantities, delivery dates and delivery locations.
• Three also described clients planning merchandise across multiple products, events or periods rather than treating each requirement as a one-off purchase.

Why We Asked Our Client-Facing Team

Our account managers work directly with buyers from the first enquiry through:

• Quoting
• Product selection
• Artwork approval
• Delivery

Our team sees what clients want to change, where orders slow down, and which requests come up the most. They work with many types of buyers. For example, Katherine Durham often handles government and large orders, while Mark Tyssen works with clubs and hospitality. Other team members look after corporate, event, and repeat clients across Australia. This gives us a clear picture of what buyers are asking for in daily conversations.

2027 Planning Is Already Showing Up in Client Enquiries

Three out of ten team members shared clear examples of clients giving detailed requirements right from the start. These included quantities, product details, branding, delivery dates, and delivery locations. We are also seeing two main types of briefs from clients:

• Some clients want more customisation and products developed specifically for their brand or event.
• Others have a firm budget and want us to work out what can realistically fit within it.

Three of the 10 team members also described clients planning merchandise across multiple products, events or delivery periods rather than approaching each requirement as a one-off order.

Government and bigger organisations often have more steps to follow before they can approve an order. Our team members who work with these clients say their enquiries often include product details, sustainability and ethical sourcing info, production timelines, freight plans, insurance, and other documents.

What We Are Actually Hearing

The examples below include current 2027 enquiries as well as points raised during our two-week team discussion. We have only attributed specific client examples where we had an enquiry to support them.

Budget Is Coming Up Often in Conversations

Four of the 10 people we spoke with specifically raised price or budget in the enquiries they are handling. Conversations ranged from fixed per-unit budgets to comparing suppliers and asking for lower-cost alternatives.

Wendy Li, our General Manager, has also noticed that clients often ask for discounts or cheaper options before she even mentions prices. She suggests asking for the budget per item early, so she can recommend products that fit right away, instead of starting with options that might be too expensive.

Mark Tyssen, our Business Development Manager, sees similar pressure from club and hospitality clients. Buyers can quickly compare several suppliers and focus on the final price. Instead of just emailing a quote, he likes to talk with clients to find where they need to save and which parts of the brief matter most.

What Is Happening in The Wider Market?

As Wendy and Mark raised living costs, fuel, and pricing pressure during our staff discussion, we checked the latest Australian data to understand the environment these conversations are happening in. According to the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics data available entering the final quarter of 2026, consumer prices were 4.0% higher over the year to August. The latest Living Cost Indexes also rose between 3.7% and 4.7% to June, depending on household type. Insurance and financial services, food and non-alcoholic beverages, and housing were among the main contributors to living-cost increases.

Freight costs have also risen sharply. ABS producer-price data shows road freight transport prices increased 15.5% in the June 2026 quarter due to higher fuel costs. It was the largest quarterly increase since the series began in 1997, and road freight prices were 17.6% higher over the year.

What We Recommend Buyers Do

Start with the brief, not the catalogue. If you have a $10-per-person budget, please tell us upfront so we can recommend options that won’t exceed it. If 2,000 items need to arrive before an event, give us the required delivery date early so we can check production and freight. If your procurement team needs sustainability, ethical sourcing, or insurance documents, mention it at the start so we can quickly rule out unsuitable products. Mark Tyssen also recommends getting on the phone when the brief needs a bit of work. Ten minutes discussing the audience, budget and non-negotiables can save plenty of back-and-forth later.