The Best Trophy Stores

Saturday, September 14th

2024 Trophy Store Reviews

Mr. Trophy

• Great customization features
• Trophies starting at $8.10
• High-quality vintage awards
• First 40 engraving characters free
• In business for over 50 years

We absolutely adore the retro 1960s aesthetic of Mr. Trophy's website. But here's the best part: it's not just a great design choice. There's a whole history behind it.

Preserving their tradition

The founder of Mr. Trophy, Joseph "Butch” Surwilo Jr, got the inspiration for his business way back in 1963 while working at a bowling alley that needed trophies for their annual tournament. Butch ran Mr. Trophy for 57 years and recently sold the company to its new owners, who are committed to preserving the traditional business practices that Butch established, serving both retail and online customers. With Mr. Trophy, you can celebrate your athlete's achievement and their place in a long tradition of athletic excellence with a vintage-inspired trophy.

Browse by activity or award type

From the home page, navigate to the top bar to access Mr. Trophy's subcategories. Here, you will find a variety of items such as trophies, plaques, awards, clocks, engravable plates, medals, and more. When you hover over the "Trophies" tab, you will see hyperlinks titled "BY SPORT" and "BY ACTIVITY". Clicking on either of these two options will not take you anywhere directly. However, under each category, there are more specific hyperlinks categorized by sport or activity, which will take you to result pages. Clicking on "BY CUP", however, will display chalice cup trophies, while clicking on "BY RESIN" will display resin trophies.

Customizations appear like magic

We were a little confused at first about why the images of the riser trophy we clicked on weren't loading - but then, to our delight, we realized the customizations are loaded into the product image as you select them. Choose the marble base style for your trophy, then select the tube color and height. Finally, choose your figurine and watch your design come to life.

Prices reflect more personalization and quality

A 7” trophy with a tube color and figurine of your choice will cost you roughly $8.10. This is a few dollars higher than other stores, but we just can't be mad about it - the customization process is quite satisfying and the variations are endless. Compared to many sites we've reviewed, Mr. Trophy's product pages offer a much more pleasant browsing experience, with everything where you'd expect it to be and clearly labeled. We also think their products appear to be a bit higher quality than similar offerings from other stores, and this is backed by customer reviews praising the quality of their purchases.

Fun specialty trophies

Take your family reunions and neighborhood barbecues to the next level with awards from the Lawn Games catalog. The figurines available for this category include bocce, shuffleboard, horseshoe, and cricket. Some other available options that caught our attention were wheelchair figurines, comic bobblehead trophies, and trophies for pinewood derby, 4H & animals, pub games, and holidays.

Some result pages are empty

During our review, we noticed that when we clicked on the "glass and crystal awards" tab, a message appeared indicating that the page could not be found. We encountered the same issue with all the subcategories in the "First Responder" subsection from the top bar. However, when we went back to the home page and scrolled down to the "First Responder" category, we did find a few plaques available for selection. If there's something in particular you're looking for, you can chat with an associate by calling Mr. Trophy's support number or shooting them an email.

40 (or 50) characters for free

Mr. Trophy should address an inconsistency in their information: their banner states the first 40 characters are free, but the FAQ mentions 50. Keep in mind when drafting your customized message that they replicate your text exactly, so review it before confirming your order. Trophy text is in all capitals, while plaque text retains your formatting. The lettering color varies by material: silver for aluminum plates and gold for steel and brass plates. To save your designs to finish later, make sure you're signed into your account and the item is in your cart.

Standard orders ship in 3 days

At Mr. Trophy, they really make an effort to get your orders to you on time. If you're placing a standard-sized order (though they don't specify what standard is), they usually try to process and ship it within 3 business days. Once your order is good to go and it's on its way, they'll shoot you an email with an estimate of when you can expect it, plus any tracking links.

Big orders will take 2 weeks, especially during busy seasons

When it comes to those bigger orders or anything customized, you can expect to wait up to 2 weeks. These wait times will probably increase during busy times like May and June. Specialized items (customized pins, personalized ribbons, bronze casted plaques) may take up to 6 weeks to be processed. Mr. Trophy's production team is hard at work from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. So, if you place an order on the weekend or outside those hours, it won't start moving until the next business day.

No returns allowed

Mr. Trophy does not accept returns - which makes sense, given they can't exactly resell a trophy with "Bob's 50th Birthday Bash's Shuffleboard Sultan” engraved on it. However, you can contact them via their email or phone number if you have questions about your order.

Happy customers

Customers absolutely love Mr. Trophy. They can't stop praising the company for its top-quality work, excellent customer service, and quick turnaround. Testimonials highlight how committed Mr. Trophy is to customer satisfaction. For instance, there was a situation where a lost shipment was promptly and courteously replaced at no extra cost. People really appreciate the exceptional and emotionally impactful products Mr. Trophy delivers, like custom plaques for high school athletes. It's clear that they pay attention to detail and put a lot of dedication into their craft. And on top of all that, their prices are reasonable, and they're always willing to accommodate special shipping requests. It's no wonder that Mr. Trophy has earned a reputation for excellence and reliability.

Contact them to set up a purchase order

Mr. Trophy accepts purchase orders (POs) from educational and government institutions, which can be handy for schools or businesses when buying awards in bulk. You'll need to contact Mr. Trophy by email to set up your PO in their system.

Top rated by Top Consumer Reviews

Mr. Trophy is definitely our top recommendation for anyone looking for cool, retro-style trophies and awards. They have tons of options, and you can customize your trophy just how you want it. The great customer service and attention to detail come from the strong values of the company's founder. People really love Mr. Trophy for their quality work, fast service, and fair prices. Remember, if you're ordering during the busy seasons in May and June, it might take a bit longer to get your order, especially if it's a big one or needs special customizations. But Mr. Trophy stands out for keeping good old-fashioned business values and meeting today's needs, making sure every customer is happy. They earn our highest review for Trophy stores.

Same Day Awards

• Trophy pricing starts at $4.49
• Same-day delivery available
• Free, unlimited engraving
• Thousands of positive reviews
• In business since 2013

With over two decades of experience in the brick-and-mortar awards industry, Paul Mazzaferro observed a growing trend among his clients: a tendency to wait until the last minute to order awards.

Ships to your door in 24 hours

Recognizing that his business had become the go-to destination for rush orders, he envisioned a solution. What if he could provide lightning-fast award delivery without compromising on attention to detail and quality? In 2013, Same Day Awards was founded to ship and deliver awards to your doorstep in as little as 24 hours. They pride themselves in the loyalty they've built by rescuing their customers from nearly impossible situations.

Confusing URLs

When we visited Same Day Awards' website, we were a bit puzzled by the absence of a catalog. Instead, we found an explanation of the ordering process and a breakdown of the shipping options. Luckily, we didn't have to fill out the contact form at the bottom of the page to gather more information; we utilized the live chat option and spoke to a representative who informed us that Same Day Awards is only a landing page, and their catalog is actually hosted on Order Fast Awards. We found it a little strange that this link wasn't provided on the landing page and that the two URLs aren't named in a way that clearly indicates they belong to the same business.

They've got your back in a hurry

Despite this odd layout decision (which seems like it would cost Same Day Awards some customers purely because they can't find where to order), they still have an excellent reputation and enjoy thousands of positive reviews. When you find yourself in need of high-quality awards in a hurry, don't hesitate to make the effort to reach Same Day Awards' online store. They truly excel at delivering orders promptly, especially for those last-minute scenarios - like when your school's science fair suddenly needs additional trophies because more students participated than expected, and the event is just a few days away. Or, picture this: your company lands a big client, and you need to order customized awards for an upcoming meeting on short notice. In situations where time is of the essence, Same Day Awards proves to be the reliable choice that can save the day.

How they do it

So, what makes Same Day Awards so unbeatable?

• They stay up-to-date on the latest, fastest engraving technology
• They employ people who care about helping customers out of a bind and executing your vision
• They have access to drop shipping from 31 USA warehouses - so, in a real pinch, a trophy from the supplier closest to you can be sent to you ASAP, and the plate will be sent separately with instructions for attaching them

But don't take their word for it - over a thousand customer reviews describe prompt service and top-notch quality.

Last-minute success

In the realm of last-minute orders, Same Day Awards shines brightly. One customer shared their delight when a golf award trophy was needed urgently due to losing the original while traveling to the tournament. Placing the order on 7/21 and receiving it on 7/28, just in time for a tournament on 7/29, left the customer thoroughly impressed. Other reviews reported even faster order turnaround times.

Above and beyond expectations

When calling after hours on a weekend, most people wouldn't expect to reach the CEO. However, one customer was amazed when Paul Mazzaferro, the CEO of Same Day Awards, answered the call and took care of their needs. This unexpected level of dedication and service left a lasting impression on the customer, demonstrating that the company's commitment to customer satisfaction comes from the top down.

Equal attention paid to orders of all sizes

Even small orders receive significant attention and appreciation from Same Day Awards. One customer expressed their happiness with the company, highlighting how they were treated with the same level of care typically reserved for larger and repeat customers.

Exceptional speed and quality

When it comes to prompt service and top-notch quality, customers have raved about how swiftly they receive their orders and about the meticulous review process that includes email verification and proofs to make sure the awards are just right. Unlike some other online options, Same Day Awards goes the extra mile in both service and price, offering fantastic deals for exceptional quality. Whether it's your first or second time ordering from them, the experience consistently impresses customers, making them loyal clients for life.

Shipping cost depends on your location

Of course, expedited shipping typically comes with an additional cost - after all, overnight delivery isn't usually a complimentary service. However, Same Day Awards offers a slight advantage compared to its competitors by providing free shipping to the lower 48 states for orders totaling $95 or more. For smaller orders, there's a flat rate of $11.96. The exact cost of expedited shipping depends on your location and your desired delivery timeline, whether it's for same-day, next-day, or longer delivery. You can find detailed shipping information on the product pages of the trophies you're interested in.

Plenty of Same-Day options

Now that we've been convinced of Same Day Awards' exceptionality, especially when working with a quick turnaround, let's take a look at what they actually have on offer. From the top bar, their Same-Day options are:

• Acrylics
• Trophies
• Art Glass
• Clocks
• Crystal
• Cups
• Eagles
• Medals
• Plaques, including Memorial Plaques

More designs available for 48-hour shipping

Their other offerings are available for browsing from the top bar drop-downs. These include all the same categories as the Same-Day options, plus a couple more, but there may be some designs available within these categories that aren't available for Same-Day. Most items will ship within 48 hours, so you won't need to opt for Same-Day unless you're really in a pickle. Once you've identified the category you're interested in - for example, Trophies - you can select a subcategory from the dropdown (like Cheerleading).

Competitive pricing

Same Day Awards' pricing is pretty darn reasonable. For example, most 6-7 inch trophies are priced at $5.39 and come with free, unlimited engraving personalization (no character limit). The more of each design you buy, the more you'll save - 5% on 11-35 trophies up to 25% on quantities of 501-799 trophies. You'll also be able to see the expected shipping time of each award on its product page.

Irrelevant product suggestions

We think the "Related Items” selection on the product pages could be a little better: if you're viewing an arm-wrestling trophy, chances are a trophy of a hunting dog is not going to have much relevance to you just because it's made of the same material.

Charges and fees apply to returns

Same Day Awards does accept returns, which is good to know just in case. Items are only eligible for return within 7 business days of receipt and if they've been approved for return by the company. You'll have to pay a 15% restocking charge, and an extra $2 for each engraved plate. You won't be refunded for shipping charges and you'll have to pay to ship your order back. Most awards retailers don't allow the return of anything that has been engraved, though, so that's still better than the competition. Engraved medals, acrylics, crystal, glass, plaques, and custom items can't be returned for credit - they're a done deal once you've got them. Also, if you cancel your order more than 24 hours after placing it, you'll need to pay a 15% cancellation fee.

Highly recommended

If you're someone who puts things off until the last minute, we aren't judging - and neither is Same Day Awards. With lightning fast processing and shipping that can get your awards to you in the nick of time, and at a great price, Same Day Awards earns an excellent rating in our review of Trophy stores.

Wilson Trophy

• Licensed by AYSO and Little League Baseball
• Prices start at $7.25
• Customized awards for all occasions
• Free shipping on orders over $200
• In business for over 55 years

For over 55 years, Wilson Trophy has offered top-quality trophies, awards, plaques, and more. They aim to provide a vast range of excellent trophies, medals, and awards, including custom designs based on your unique ideas.

Little League trophy experts

As the official supplier for over 20 youth sports groups and a licensee of Little League Baseball, they specialize in enhancing official league awards by adding logos and personal touches. This includes the ability to add the Little League logo to your little slugger's participation trophy.

Official AYSO awards

You can also find AYSO awards here. They offer a selection of official cups, trophies, resins, custom insert medals, acrylics, plaques, and more.

Free shipping on orders of $200+

Wilson Trophy offers free shipping for orders over $200, but this only includes trophies, resins, and non-acrylic plaques. So if you were hoping to meet that amount by stocking up on Wilson's pens, BBQ cutting boards, phone accessories, or Bible covers (seriously, what an odd assortment of stock), you're out of luck. For your reference, most of the other websites in our review offer free shipping on orders over $100.

Some categories had no results

While browsing Wilson Trophy's website, we noticed some empty categories. For example, they didn't have any swimming trophies when we looked, and tournament packages were empty. The same was true for wood column trophies. If you're dead set on purchasing either of these from Wilson Trophy, you'll have to reach out to find out if and when they'll be back in stock.

Build-your-own-trophy feature could use some work

With Wilson, you can create your own trophies starting from as low as $7.30. However, it would be helpful if the example image changed to match your customizations. Otherwise, it may be easier to choose one of the pre-made designs, as you won't have a clear idea of what you'll be getting - unless your imagination is really powerful. In that case, carry on.

Awards categorized by product type

While categories are organized by award type, not sport (meaning if you want to look at swimming awards, you have to first go to "Trophies”, or "Resins”), you can get around this by using the search function and typing in the name of the sport or occasion you're looking to commemorate. When we searched for swimming, results included 83 individual awards with the ability to filter by size, award type, price range, and medal series. There was also a checkbox to filter by sport, which, strangely, brought our number of results down to 52.

Slightly more expensive than competing websites

The "sort by price” function is inaccurate on a couple of pages - it gets the order wrong, but not by a huge margin. Additionally, we noticed that the prices shown on the result pages don't match the prices when we click on individual products. For example, the result page states that the price of a 7” soccer trophy is "As low as $5.35,” but when we clicked on the product page, the price for a quantity of 1-99 was actually $7.25. In order to be eligible for the displayed price of $5.35, you'd need to order at least 500 trophies. Wilson's competitors tend to be a couple of dollars cheaper.

Catalogs for select sports available

If you're still feeling a little lost, consider checking out Wilson's catalogs. The link is located at the bottom right of any page just above the "About Us” link. There are editions of the current year's designs for Soccer, Baseball & Softball, Football & Cheer, Basketball, and even the Armed Forces. You can browse the catalogs right from the website, no purchase or download required.

Top-quality award choices

We find that Wilson's offers awards that are better quality than competitors and there are more types to choose from. If you can only afford cheap plastic cup trophies, you can find those here too. But, you can also find medals from the USA Sport Series line and trophies made entirely of metal.

Request customized awards for all occasions

Wilson Trophy makes cool custom awards for any occasion. Want a trophy for the "Best Pancake Flipper" in your house? They've got you covered. From pins and medals to trophies and rings, they can make something special for everyone, whether it's for a big sports event or just fun recognition at home. Their designs work for business events, sports, or even wacky family challenges. Getting started is easy - just fill out their quick online form.

$50 Rush fee applies to orders needed 10 days out

When you check out, you'll be asked to enter the date you need your order in your hands, (for example, the date of the celebration or commemoration). If that date is within the next 10 calendar days, you'll be charged a $50 Rush Fee. This means that Wilson Trophy is not really the best option if you're a procrastinator on a budget. Your options for shipping are Ground, Next Day Air, and 2- and 3-Day Air. You won't find out the exact price or expected delivery date until you proceed with checkout and give them your personal information.

High quality trophies

To sum up, Wilson Trophy has a good reputation after being in the industry for 55 years. If you want official Little League or AYSO awards, this is the place to look. Although their prices are a bit higher than competitors, their quality and customization choices are impressive. Moreover, they provide free shipping for orders over $200. Despite a few small drawbacks, Wilson Trophy is still a dependable option for high-quality recognition products.

Awardsco

• Free engraving for plaques and trophies
• Free shipping on orders over $100
• Pricing starts at $4.33
• In business since 1958
• "A+” rated and accredited by the BBB

The fusion of Chicago Trophy and Awards International with Awardsco brings together more than 60 years of experience in the awards industry. Starting in 1958, Chicago Trophy focused on creating trophies and plaques to commemorate different achievements. In 1973, they expanded into the corporate recognition market with the launch of Awards International. Now, as Awardsco, they offer a range of high-quality recognition products for all celebrations and professional milestones.

Site navigation starts at the header bar

Don't be fooled by the "Sport Trophies+" section on the site's header-it has a lot more than just sports awards. Yes, you'll find the usual ones like Football and Basketball, but there are also trophies for more niche activities like Curling, Judo, and even Hunting. And if you like Bobble Head Trophies, they're there too. On the header bar, you'll also find links to Certificate Plaques, Classic Plaques, Corporate Awards, Medals, and NHRA Drag Racing trophies.

User-friendly shopping

Exploring Awardsco's website, we started out by browsing the "Shop in-season awards" highlight on the homepage and clicking on "Football”, finding ourselves amidst a variety of subcategories like trophies, medals, and plaques. The site does a nice job of letting you sift through options with filters for theme, material, price range, and award type, and you can even sort your finds by price, best match, or what's newest. It's pretty straightforward and user-friendly, which is always a plus when you're trying to find just the right thing.

$4.33 for a figurine trophy

Now, on the pricing front, things got a bit interesting. Poking around in the "under $5” category, we scratched our heads a bit seeing a couple of trophies tagged at $6 and $7. Nonetheless, we did find this gem: a 5-3/4” football figurine trophy for $4.33 if you're purchasing between 1-24 of them. And if you've got a team with 50-99 players, the price per trophy drops to a cool $3.70. So, even if we had to hunt a little more than we'd expected, there were deals to be discovered.

Mascot trophies

Something that caught our eye - and might just sway you Awardsco's way over another trophy shop - was their animal mascot trophies Picture this: your basketball team worked hard all season and you want to appreciate not just the points scored, but the laughs shared and hurdles overcome together. A mascot trophy is a perfect nod to that team spirit. Whether it's a classy resin piece with sleek gold touches or a playful bobblehead that's bound to get a chuckle, Awardsco's got something that'll make those high-fives a little extra special.

BBB plaques available

If you're shopping for awards in the corporate sector, Awardsco has everything you could possibly be after, from art sculpture awards to trophies with polished solid wooden bases. You can even purchase a plaque celebrating the anniversary of your business' Better Business Bureau accreditation to "impress your customers and inspire your employees.” Awardsco itself has been accredited by the BBB since 2005 and maintains an impressive "A+” rating.

Short return window

Damaged items are a bummer, but don't fret - Awardsco promises to make it right. Just a heads up, though: compared to other places, Awardsco offers a shorter 5-day window to report any mishaps with your order. So, if something isn't right, you need to let them know quickly. And try to hang onto the box or boxes they came in - they could be necessary for handling things with UPS.

Returns subject to restocking fees

We all have second thoughts sometimes, and Awardsco understands. If you're feeling a bit of buyer's remorse or accidentally ordered too many trophies, there's a return policy to help you out. Be aware that non-closeout items have a 30% restocking fee, and closeout items have a 50% fee. Be sure to send things back within 10 days of receiving your order, and note that shipping costs aren't refunded. This return policy isn't the most generous we've seen, but it's workable.

Slightly longer shipping times than competitors

If you need your awards next-day, Awardsco is probably not the place to shop. While they utilize UPS ground service, which takes 1-4 days for delivery depending on your location, there's also an extra 1-3 days tacked on for standard production before your items even ship. (You can use the delivery date calculator tool located at the top of every page to get a more exact estimation.) On the bright side, if your order is over $100, shipping is on the house. When compared with Awardsco's competitors, this delivery timeframe is a few days longer than the speediest trophy companies. Their FAQ states they do offer rush orders, but you'll have to get in touch with their customer service via email or phone to get more info.

Engraving is free on trophies and plaques

Everyone loves a personal touch, and at Awardsco, making your awards special is part of the deal. All their trophies and plaques come with free personalization, so you can make every accolade extra special without extra cost. For the medals, though, there's a small fee for adding that unique touch.

Customer service available via phone or email

Awardsco has been praised for their exceptional customer service and high-quality awards, and their satisfied customers have nothing but great things to say. People have shared stories of their experiences, like when a shipment of beautifully designed trophies arrived promptly and impressed a first-time customer. Another customer was amazed by the creative incorporation of an airplane tail into an award design. And a retiring CEO was honored with a truly unique and special award that garnered admiration from the whole office. Long-term clients appreciate Awardsco's reliable delivery that means awards always arrive on time for important events. New customers value the quick turnarounds and competitive pricing. If you need assistance or are ready to place an order, the Awardsco team is just a phone call or email away. They'll make sure your experience is smooth and satisfying from beginning to end.

A top player in the awards game

Awardsco really brings a lot to the table when it's time to celebrate those big wins and special milestones. With that sweet deal of free engraving and shipping (for orders over $100) and trophy pricing starting at $4.33, not to mention a wide range of quality awards to choose from, they sure know how to throw a party for your achievements. They don't outshine their competitors in a couple of areas - be prepared to wait a few days longer for your order than some other retailers and pay attention to the short return window and high restocking fees. Though Awardsco might make you tap your foot a bit while you wait, their quality and prices keep them shining in our review spotlight. It's like they say, good things come to those who wait, right? So, if you're planning ahead and want a top-notch trophy without breaking the bank, Awardsco could very well be your award ceremony MVP.

Dinn Bros

• Pricing starts at $4.75
• Fast shipping
• Shipping free on orders over $100
• Trophies for every occasion, including holiday celebrations
• Over 65 years of experience
• Thousands of five-star reviews

Dinn Bros., also known as "The Trophy People," is a prominent trophy and awards company in America. They have been in the business since 1956 and are based in West Springfield, Massachusetts.

Not just trophies

With a spacious 72,000 square-foot facility and a dedicated team of over a hundred staff members, Dinn Bros. is known for their immediate delivery of a wide range of recognition products. While they initially focused on trophies, they have expanded their offerings over the years to include plaques, medals, and various other awards, catering to a wide range of achievements and milestones. Dinn Bros. has built a reputation for delivering quality and value and has had the honor of designing awards for notable personalities like John F. Kennedy and Michael Jordan.

Shop by award type

Where should you look first? That depends on what you're shopping for. The top bar features these categories:

• Trophies
• Plaques
• Medals
• Ribbons
• Silver Awards
• Desk Sets
• Acrylics & Glass
• Figures
• Emblems

Click on the "+ View More” tab to expand a list including dog tags, championship belts, door plates, and more.

Shop by occasion

If you prefer to shop by the type of occasion you're commemorating, the bar below that one displays these categories:

• Sports
• Games & Activities
• Academic
• Business & Career
• Religious
• Events & Holidays

Something for every occasion

We were amazed by the diverse selection of trophies and awards this retailer has to offer. We almost want to make it a habit to check their homepage seasonally to see what categories they're featuring. During the fall, for example, they showcase their specialty trophies for events like Trunk or Treating and Fall Festivals. If your neighborhood is planning a best-decorated house contest for one of the holidays, Dinn Bros. can help you elevate it by rewarding the winner with a plaque or trophy. The options truly are limitless with Dinn Bros.

Easy sorting

After selecting a category, navigating through the options on this site is straightforward. Take the Soccer Trophies section for instance; we had the capability to organize all 71 results either by product name or price. Using the links located on the left sidebar, we found it easy to view choices below $7 and explore awards in varying styles like plaques or medals.

Budget-friendly

We love that Dinn Bros. makes it easy to shop for less by creating a separate category for trophies under $7. How low does that price tag go, you might ask? You can get a 5 1/2 inch Participation Trophy for $4.75.

First 40 characters are free

We tried out the checkout process with a trophy for swimming. After making our selection, we were prompted to choose the height and click on the "Personalize" button to proceed. We could even choose a different figurine for the top than the one shown in the original image. After that, we could select the quantity we desired. (Remember, the more quantity you buy, the more you'll save.) The first 40 characters of your engraving are provided for free, which is approximately 6-9 words on average. But if you need additional characters, you'll have to pay an extra 10 cents each.

Free shipping on orders over $100

During the checkout process, we were prompted to enter our zip code to see estimated shipping costs and arrival dates. For our order under $100, we could only opt for 2-day air or overnight air shipping, both of which were pretty expensive. However, for orders over $100, free shipping with UPS Ground is offered.

Customer support dedicated to getting your awards to you on time

Customers consistently praise Dinn Bros. for their exceptional service and quality trophies, year after year. One customer, a youth sports coach, reached out to Dinn Bros. with a last-minute change minutes before the engraving process was to begin. Despite the tight timeline, Dinn Bros. not only incorporated the change but also made sure the awards arrived two days later, just in time for a team party. The consensus is that they deliver excellent products promptly, with orders sometimes arriving days ahead of expectations. With a 4.8 out of 5 star average across over 3,000 reviews, we're confident that you won't go wrong with Dinn Bros.

Full refunds not usually available

There's some mixed information on Dinn Bros.' website about returns and refunds. One page advertising their Trophy Guarantee says if you're not happy, you can return items for a full refund or exchange. But another page says returns need approval first, and there might be extra charges for personalized items and a 15% restocking fee. So, it seems like if there's a real issue with the product, you might get a full refund, but if you just change your mind or order too many awards, there could be some return fees.

A great option

All in all, we think Dinn Bros. is a great choice. We had fun browsing the novelty awards on their site and we were pleased to hear how fast their delivery is. Free shipping is always appreciated, too. If they didn't charge extra for engraving past 40 characters (an extra 10 cents on every letter on every trophy can add up if you're purchasing in bulk), they'd be a candidate for a higher spot in our review.

Decade Awards

• Free engraving
• Free shipping on orders over $100
• High-quality awards
• Regular prices start at $8.77
• "A+” BBB rating
• In business since 2007

Founded in 2007 in Spokane Valley, WA, Decade Awards is a family-owned business specializing in crafting high-quality trophies and awards. Proud members of the Awards and Personalization Association, they are driven by a philosophy that every achievement, irrespective of its magnitude, warrants recognition. Their team is dedicated to creating unique awards that reflect the recipient's hard work and dedication.

Straightforward browsing

At Decade Awards you have the option to shop either by sport or by category. A click on the "shop by sports” button on the homepage takes you to a catalog presenting a multitude of options across various sports and award types. It's not just mainstream sports that get the limelight here, but also slightly unconventional ones like darts, pickleball, and even thematic awards for cooking or BBQ competitions. Filters for brand, price, and customer rating lend themselves to a straightforward shopping experience.

Last-place awards offered

Not only does Decade Awards think every achievement is deserving of recognition, but also apparently that life's failures are, too: their novelty awards include a surprising range of last-place and humor-oriented trophies, which includes such unique creations as toilet bowls, a somewhat cheeky "monster caught with his pants down” trophy, and an intriguing toilet paper shield trophy tailored for fantasy football failures.

Prices aren't very competitive

In terms of design and pricing, Decade Awards seemingly veers away from the basic, inexpensive figurine trophies we found on every other competitor site. The starting price point is slightly higher, because their cheapest offerings are higher-quality resin trophies - no brittle plastic here. For instance, a 6” resin award depicting a baseball batter in action is tagged at $4.77 on clearance. Non-clearance items of similar designs begin at $8.77. Be aware that if you're purchasing from the clearance section, you might have to mix and match trophy styles for your awards ceremony, since quantities of each style are limited.

Save favorites to your wishlist

Once you've pinpointed the award or trophy of your choice, smoothly navigate through personalizing it with the requisite customization details, color, style, and more. Some products will have customer reviews for your reference, too. Got your eye on a few different trophy styles? Pop them into your wishlist to easily revisit and compare them later on.

Free engraving

The store dishes out a generous perk: free engraving on all trophies and awards. Need a few extra lines or characters? No worries and no extra charges. However, watch out for potential additional fees for extra plates, like on plaques or signs. And a little tip: despite the indicated number of engraving lines or character spaces per line, Decade Awards often manages to fit in your extra words by opting for a smaller font size. Now that's top-notch service.

Free shipping for orders over $100

Enjoy complimentary ground shipping within the continental United States on orders exceeding $100. If you're still pondering over potential purchases, you can easily estimate your shipping costs right from your shopping cart page. Simply pop in your zip code, and voila. Your approximate costs are displayed.

Missing return policy information

When we recently took a closer look at Decade Awards, we stumbled upon something puzzling: where did their return policy go? When we've reviewed them in the past, they've offered a 30-day return window for non-customized awards. And, of course, if they goofed up on a custom order (like a typo), they'd make it right. But on our most recent visit to their "Shipping & Returns" page and the FAQ, that info seemed to have been left out. Now, they still shine with an "A+” rating from the BBB and zero complaints, so we think it's likely this policy hasn't changed and its omission from the correct page was an accident. But if you're thinking of shopping at Decade Awards, it might be a good idea to give them a shout and double-check. Better safe than sorry, right?

No reason not to shop here

In short, Decade Awards offers a variety of unique, quality trophies and awards and is recognized with an "A+” rating from the BBB, showing they're trusted and reliable. Their product range is wide, even including fun, last-place trophies, and they offer valuable features like free engraving. However, their trophy prices are on the higher side and the details of their return policy are a bit unclear. So, while they're a good choice for high-quality awards, customers looking for quick shipping or lower prices might need to look elsewhere.

Crown Awards

• Prices start at $4.79
• Lowest price guarantee
• Rush shipping at no extra cost
• Free shipping on orders over $100
• Team of design specialists for custom awards
• In business for over 40 years
• Over 100,000 five-star reviews

Crown Awards, established in Brooklyn in 1978, has grown from a single storefront to a substantial facility in Hawthorne, New York. Over the past 40 years they have become a notable player in the awards industry.

Wide variety of products

With a varied product line that includes everything from trophies to pins, the company aims to provide tangible tokens of recognition and achievement for both youth sports and corporate sectors. Notably, a considerable chunk of their inventory consists of unique awards, developed in-house and sold exclusively by Crown. Customers can explore and purchase these acknowledgment pieces through multiple avenues - including a mail-order catalog, a website, and numerous brick-and-mortar stores.

Website could use a revamp

Our first impression of Crown Awards' website is that it's a bit noisy. The bulk of the landing page is made up of product images from various categories with no real rhyme or reason to their placement on the page. You can probably find what you're looking for a lot quicker by utilizing the category bar across the top of the page. Here you can shop within individual categories including:

• Trophies
• Medals
• Crystals
• Plaques
• Acrylics
• Corporate
• Pins
• Ribbons
• Rings
• Sale

On the left-hand side of the homepage, you'll find further links to categories of awards organized by the type of occasion or specific sport, and there are dozens of these, some of them a bit eclectic. A few of our favorites: Chili Trophies, Reading Trophies, and Hero Awards.

Bargain options

One category we spied was "Trophies Under $5”. Here you'll find a couple dozen different trophy designs, including cup trophies, star insert trophies, torch trophies, and participation trophies. The pricing starts at $4.79 for quantities between 1 and 99, and there are discounts available that increase with the quantity purchased.

Fast shipping at no extra cost

Crown Awards is speedy with order dispatch. Once your order has been placed, they'll have it out of their warehouse within 24 to 48 hours, or sometimes even quicker. Need your awards in a jiffy? No worries. Crown offers rush shipping options without any extra fee for expedited production. You can use their handy delivery calculator to pinpoint when your order will arrive.

Free shipping on orders over $100

If your "Trophy and Plaque" order is over $100 and prepaid, Crown Awards will ship it for free, as long as you're in the Continental USA.

No returns on custom awards

Oops, need to return something or received a defective award? Just get in touch with their customer service. But heads up: you need to let them know about returns within 7 days of getting your order, and there's a 30% restocking fee if it's not due to an error on their part. Some items, like custom awards or awards with engraved plates, can't be returned.

Art tweaks? They can help

Need to tweak your logo or artwork a bit? The Design Specialists at Crown Awards are ready to lend a hand with adding text, switching colors, and other adjustments. But, a little word of caution: changes might add an extra $25 to your bill. Starting from scratch with your design? No problem. Their Design Specialists are there to help craft a custom look for your awards. Just shoot an email to their customer service with your ideas and they'll help bring your vision to life.

First 40 characters free on trophies and plaques

Engraving can be a little tricky cost-wise. Prices vary and depend on what you're ordering. For medals and dog tags, it's 69¢ or 79¢ per plate, depending on the engraving. For other items like trophies and plaques, the first 40 characters are on the house, but extras might cost you a bit more.

First 40 characters free on trophies and plaques

Crown Awards assures you won't pay more with them by promising to match the prices of competitors on similar items, which is a pretty solid point in their favor if you're watching your budget. They're the only website in our review to offer this guarantee.

BBB page reveals "F” rating

We were surprised to discover that Crown Awards has received an "F” rating from the BBB. There were only a handful of ratings on the BBB page, so this low rating may be attributed to just three negative customer reviews. One customer got a plaque with mistakes and had a tough time getting the company to fix it. They had to tell their story to different people each time they called, and the company didn't follow up as promised. Another customer ordered name plates, but they didn't arrive in time for an event, despite waiting longer than the company said and making many calls to check. Lastly, a customer said the company illegally charged sales tax for items sent to other states. These reviews highlight problems with following through on orders, poor communication, and possibly not following tax laws, all of which could hurt the company's BBB rating.

The majority of reviews are positive

On other review sites, however, Crown Awards has received nearly 140,000 reviews and an overall 4.8 star rating. Many customers praise quick turnaround times, helpful customer service, and note their satisfaction with the quality of the products - although on this last point, we did also find several negative reviews from customers who felt the quality of the awards was cheap. Something Crown Awards does well is displaying customer reviews for individual products on each product's page, meaning you should be able to figure out whether the individual product you're looking at is going to be a dud or not.

Lowest price guarantee earns them a higher rating

Crown Awards, with a 40-year track record, offers a wide array of awards, covering everything from sports trophies to corporate recognitions. A standout feature, exclusive to them in our review, is their price match policy - guaranteeing you won't find a cheaper price elsewhere, which is a big plus for budget-conscious buyers. They also shine with their speedy shipping options, dispatching orders super fast, sometimes even within a day, without charging you extra for the rush. Overall, if you're chasing the best deal and need something in a flash, Crown Awards could be your go-to, but a bit of patience might be needed to sift through their online store.

Trophy Central

• Free shipping on orders over $100
• Pricing starts at $4.85
• Customer reviews on individual items
• Has a rewards program
• Free engraving
• In business since 1999

TrophyCentral was founded in 1999 by a husband-and-wife team with the goal of making trophy purchases easy and affordable. In the past, getting a trophy involved driving to a physical store, selecting from a limited range, and paying quite a bit of money. TrophyCentral changed that by creating an online shop where people can choose from lots of awards at lower prices, all without leaving their home or office. With a focus on customer satisfaction and operating offices in Michigan and New York, the company has successfully served over 100,000 customers, including large corporations and schools.

Shop by award or subject

Upon arriving at TrophyCentral, you'll find helpful categories displayed across the top of the page, including:

• Trophies
• Plaques
• Engraving
• Medals
• Pins
• Ribbons
• Certificates
• Engraved Gifts
• Trophy & Display Cases (we haven't seen this offering from competitors yet)

You can also shop by category, sport, or school subject by hovering over the dropdown list on the far left of the category bar, and there are over a hundred options to choose from.

No sorting or filtering

However, there isn't actually any ability to sort or filter results within these categories. When we checked out the Basketball awards, we were taken to a page with dozens of results including medals, acrylic triangle awards, plaques, and cups, which got more overwhelming the further we scrolled. If you're after something specific, you'll have to use the trusty ctrl+F method. You won't easily be able to shop by price.

Engraving is free

Engraving for trophies and plaques is free of charge. There is no character limit for trophies, but they are limited to a maximum of 3 lines.

Budget options available

TrophyCentral's prices start at $4.85 for their 4.5” figure trophies with real marble bases and gold engraved plates. If you're ordering in high quantities, be sure to click on the Quantity Pricing Chart dropdown under each award's pricing to see how much you can save.

Customer reviews on individual products

One thing we like about TrophyCentral is that many of their products have been reviewed by customers. On the awards we looked at, customers commented that the products looked just like the images and they were pleased with the quality. We're glad to find these reviews because TrophyCentral hasn't made much of a splash anywhere else on the internet - they're not rated by the Better Business Bureau and our search results didn't turn up much from other third-party customer review sites.

Free shipping on orders over $100

If your order is over $100, you'll be eligible for free Economy shipping. We didn't find any shipping calculators on this website, but a rough estimate of when you can expect to receive your order is included in the individual product descriptions. For example, the Budget Football Trophy we looked at supposedly ships in 1-2 business days. You'll need to go through the checkout process for more specific information than that.

Price changes can occur

TrophyCentral sometimes changes its prices without letting customers know in advance. If a price discrepancy happens after you've placed an order, you can choose to cancel it. If you still want to buy the item, the company will give you at least a 20% discount on the new price.

Only trophy store with a rewards program

Something that makes TrophyCentral stand out is that it has a rewards program. To start collecting points, just set up a free account and start earning on every purchase. You can redeem the points for anything from their website, even personalized gifts.

Returns subject to restocking fee

You can return items to TrophyCentral within 21 days to get your money back or a replacement. But, there are some technicalities. You can't return things that have been engraved or printed, unless the engraved plate can be used again. Special orders, display cases, and trophy cases can't be returned either. Items need to be returned just how you got them, and you might have to pay a restocking fee of 15%-25%. Before returning anything, you need to get a Return Authorization from the company so they can track your return and refund.

A fair choice

TrophyCentral offers a pretty decent online shopping experience for those looking for awards and trophies. Their prices on some items are lower than average, and if your order is over $100, you get free shipping, which can save you some money. They're the only site in our review with a rewards program, but otherwise, they don't make a very strong impression - positive or negative. Finding exactly what you're looking for in their online catalog might take a while because the website doesn't let you sort or filter results, even by price. Overall, TrophyCentral offers a fair deal with a few areas that could be improved for easier shopping.

Quick Trophy

• Pricing starts at $4.99
• Awards produced by and shipped from the store
• Engraved plates available separately
• Engraving is free
• "A+” BBB rating

When you order awards online, sometimes there can be problems like delays or mistakes because of communication issues between the website where you placed the order and the company that makes the trophies. But QuickTrophy is different. They proudly proclaim that "[they] are the factory". They're located in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, where despite dealing with about 200 inches of snow every winter, thanks to their strong system and keeping plenty of stock on hand, they can quickly prepare and send out your orders - without any meddlesome middlemen getting in the way.

Browse by award type or by sport

When you arrive at QuickTrophy's home page, you'll find clickable images representing the types of awards they offer, including Trophies, Plaques, and Engraved Tags. The sidebar on the left contains a list of clickable links organized by occasion, including all the standard sports... and one called Horse Rear...? When we clicked on this page, we found an explanation for the category written in the style of a blog post. It gave us a giggle, so we recommend you check it out.

"View All” doesn't work well

Each sport category is divided into different types of awards. For example, if you click on "Cheerleading," you'll see subcategories such as Acrylic, MultiColumn, and Resin. There is also an option to "View All," but we don't recommend using it. This option leads to a never-ending page with no sorting by price or filtering by height or style. You're better off starting out with a specific idea of what you're looking for and navigating to that category on the previous page.

Budget-friendly "economy” category

QuickTrophy's "Economy Trophies" are low-cost trophy options for coaches in all sports who want to celebrate their team without going over budget. These affordable trophies come in plenty of different styles, and you can choose from various sizes and colors. All trophies come with free engraving, making them special without extra cost. An 8" trophy costs only $4.99 each for orders of 1-99, and you can save even more when you buy in larger quantities.

Personalized gifts available

In addition to standard sports trophies and corporate awards, QuickTrophy has a "Unique” section that might be worth checking out if you're the kind of person who likes to get all their shopping done at once. This category includes some other types of trophies, like Livestock and Scholastic, but also personalized growlers, pens, garden signs, Christmas ornaments, pet urns, and... tea bags? (We don't recommend trying to serve tea in a Cup trophy, even if you do purchase it here - as far as we're aware, they're just meant to be decorative!)

You can purchase engraved plates separately

In case you already have a trophy and just need a plate, QuickTrophy has Engraved Plates available for purchase. They don't charge per character, but by plate size - as low as $3.49 for their smallest size and $8.49 for their largest.

Shipping estimation tool

Most trophy websites will give you an estimate of the shipping cost and the expected arrival time for your order. However, QuickTrophy goes a step further by providing a tool that allows you to enter your zip code and the number of items, which will show you projected arrival dates and shipping costs. When we tested our zip code and 6 items, Ground shipping was the cheapest option, costing $18.64 and arriving a week from the current date. Next Day Air was available for $101.18. There are other options in our review for faster shipping at lower prices if speed is your main priority.

Happy customers

Even though QuickTrophy's website might not be as sleek as those of competing trophy stores, it boasts an exceptionally positive reputation. The company has earned a pristine "A+" rating from the Better Business Bureau. Although there are only a little under 300 independently-verified customer reviews, they reflect an outstanding average rating of 4.9 out of 5 stars. Customers express satisfaction with the speedy processing and timely delivery of their orders and commend the customer service team for adding a personal touch to the entire process.

Returns accepted, but with a hefty restocking fee

QuickTrophy prioritizes customer satisfaction by promising no-cost replacements for damaged items, shipped via the original method. Customers can opt for expedited shipping at their expense and exchange unsatisfactory items for any alternative, with price adjustments. While order cancellations and full refunds are available with prompt contact, returns incur a 50% restocking fee due to product personalization, with a 30-day window for all returns and exchanges. For your reference, some companies we've included in our review do not accept any returns at all, but those that do usually charge a much lower restocking fee of around 15%.

Ranks well

It's really nice when companies actually deliver on their promises and make customers feel valued and excited. And that's exactly what QuickTrophy does. Sure, their online store interface could use some improvements, especially when it comes to sorting through long lists of results. But if you're someone who likes supporting smaller businesses, they're a good choice. And if you're looking for high-quality trophies and awards that can compete with those from big brands, QuickTrophy is a name you should keep in mind.

Blue Ribbon Awards

• Wide range of products
• Prices start at $7
• Shipping cost estimator at checkout
• In business since 1985

We couldn't find much background information on Blue Ribbon Awards other than that they've been in business since 1985 and are based in Texas. If you're prone to migraines, make sure you have an aspirin on hand before braving Blue Ribbon Awards' website. Randomly bolded words, blue text that is italicized and underlined so that it looks like a hyperlink but actually isn't, and seemingly inexplicably alternating sizes of text are some things you should brace yourself for.

Often confused with similarly named businesses by reviewers

We had a bit of trouble finding customer reviews for Blue Ribbon Trophies - there are a few other businesses with nearly identical names and websites based in Colorado and Wisconsin. (It also doesn't help that their URL is "Blue Ribbon Trophies” but the header on their website says, "Blue Ribbon Awards”.) We did manage to find a Yelp page for Blue Ribbon Awards' physical location in Texas. However, we noticed that some reviewers were from Colorado or Wisconsin, indicating they might have mistakenly reviewed the Texas store, thinking it was one of the others. We could find no Better Business Bureau page for the correct Blue Ribbon Awards.

No filtering or sorting

When you arrive on the homepage, you'll see roughly 40 categories of awards represented with a photograph that you can click on to see all the choices available. These categories are represented in more specificity in the sidebar on the left. However, visiting any of these links takes you to a similar layout as the homepage - one with no sorting or filtering capabilities for hundreds of results. This makes for a rather unintuitive browsing experience - if you don't already know exactly what you want and you were hoping to narrow it down based on your budget or earliest shipping date, you're in for a rough time getting an idea of what Blue Ribbon has that will fit your needs.

Not for those in a hurry

The production time for orders is typically around 3 to 5 business days, and it takes an additional 3 to 4 days for shipping. So, you can expect your order to arrive within a week or so after it has been placed. Therefore, this isn't the best place to shop if you have a rush order. Blue Ribbon does accept Purchase Orders from approved customers.

Overnight air shipping available

The checkout process revealed a few options for shipping, with Ground shipping being the cheapest and Overnight being the most expensive - you can enter your zip code to find out exactly how much you're looking at paying. However, we're not sure how the promise of 1-day Overnight shipping as an option squares with Blue Ribbon's 3-5 day production timeframe.

PDF proofing process before your order is processed

It's great that Blue Ribbon Awards offers a PDF proof of your order to make sure everything is correct before they proceed. They won't engrave your item until you approve the proof, which helps avoid any mistakes. If there happens to be an engraving error on their part, they will provide a replacement at no extra cost. However, if the error was your fault, you'll be responsible for covering the cost. They don't explicitly say that this means you'll have to purchase a completely new trophy at full price, but they do mention a 10% discount, which suggests that might be the case.

Pricing is not competitive

There's really not much of a reason to choose Blue Ribbon over its competitors. Even their pricing is unsatisfying: a basic, 7” soccer trophy starts at $8 for an order of 1-24. An order of $100 to $199 only brings the price tag down to $7.20 each, where other trophy stores start as low as $4.99 for the same kind of award.

No reason to recommend Blue Ribbon Awards

From the dizzy-making website layout, to high prices and a dearth of customer reviews, Blue Ribbon Awards is a low-ranking option. We think it's probable that they do most of their business from their physical location, and their website is more of a placeholder than anything. For these reasons, we can't recommend them over any of their competitors who've got a better grasp on good e-commerce procedures.