How to compare Chinese supplier quotes

Send every supplier the same brief

Three prices are not three comparable offers if one includes retail packaging, another assumes a different material and the third is priced for a much larger order. Start with one dated product specification, then ask each supplier to identify every exception to it in writing.

Include drawings or dimensions, material and finish, intended use, quantity per variant, packaging and the delivery postcode. State which requirements are essential and which alternatives you will consider. Ask for separate prices for alternatives so that a cheaper specification does not quietly replace the requested one. For appliance specifications, see our guide to comparing appliance energy consumption.

Check the numbers with the free China supplier quote checker before you pay.

Copy this comparison sheet

Use one column per supplier and keep the evidence beside each entry: quotation date, document version and the supplier's written clarification. Write 'not confirmed' where an item is missing. A blank cell is an unanswered question, not a zero cost.

Build two totals, without hiding uncertainty

First record the cash needed for the proposed order: goods, agreed setup costs, inspection, transport and the applicable import charges. Then consider the repeat-order cost separately, identifying which setup costs will disappear. Use one currency and record the exchange-rate assumption and the date of freight quotations. For annual offers, see comparing annual supplier pricing. If the supplier later requests a currency change, see our guide to changing payment currency after a deposit. For buyer-supplied parts, see comparing quotes with free components.

The landed-price guide explains the cost layers. Confirm the tax treatment for your own business rather than deleting VAT from the comparison by assumption. If freight or an import charge is unresolved, show an incomplete total with that item named; do not label it a delivered price. For resale profit arrangements, see supplier profit sharing and customs value.

For example, one quotation might include individual boxes while another offers bulk cartons only. Ask the second supplier to quote the same boxes before comparing unit prices. This is an illustrative comparison, not a customer case or a current market price.

Use samples and evidence to challenge the lowest price

Ask the lowest bidder to explain the difference against the same specification. It may reflect a suitable existing production process, or it may reflect an omission. A low price alone proves neither competence nor fraud.

Check the factory's capability, inspect the sample against the brief and agree how the bulk order will be checked. A good sample is useful evidence, but it does not replace production inspection. Record unresolved differences before deciding whether the saving justifies them. For the cost of quality problems, see our guide to measuring supplier quality costs.

Send a clarification request before deciding

A useful request is: 'Please confirm that this quotation covers the attached specification and quantity. List all deviations and excluded charges, the delivery term and named place, production start conditions, payment stages and quotation validity. Quote any proposed alternative separately.' For transfer deductions and top-ups, see our supplier payment shortfall guide.

If you ask Cambridge China Bridge to review a sourcing requirement, include the same brief and the available quotations, with permission to share any confidential material. Our pricing page explains our published commercial approach. A comparison still needs product-specific confirmation; an article cannot establish whether a particular supplier or order is suitable.