How to request and compare quotes from Chinese suppliers

A quotation for “100 chairs like this photo” leaves the supplier to choose the frame material, upholstery, finish, packing, and delivery assumptions. Two suppliers can answer with different products and prices that look comparable on a screen.

Give every supplier the same written requirement. Then record its exceptions before negotiating. This keeps price discussions tied to the furniture, lighting, flooring, or joinery your project actually needs.

Turn the design into a buying specification

Create an item schedule with one code for each product. Attach dated drawings and reference images, and give the specification a revision number. A later change should be easy to identify in both the quote and the order.

For a chair, describe the frame, dimensions, upholstery reference, finish, and any required performance evidence. For lighting, specify the electrical requirements and the product documents your destination requires. Confirm applicable import and product requirements with the relevant authority or qualified adviser before asking suppliers to commit to them.

Ask the supplier to list deviations explicitly. “Similar material” needs a material name and a sample decision. “Standard size” needs dimensions. Separate acceptable alternatives from the base specification so that you can compare the original requirement first.

Alibaba’s explanation of the RFQ process describes an RFQ as a way to collect offers against a defined requirement. An RFQ starts the comparison; the final purchase terms still need agreement.

Ask for a complete commercial offer

Request the quantity unit and minimum quantity for each item and variation. A minimum of 100 pieces may mean 100 per colour rather than 100 across all colours. Ask whether a mixed order changes the price or production time.

Require the quotation to identify:

• Unit price, currency, and quoted quantity.
• Sample, tooling, testing, or other one-time charges.
• Packing method, carton dimensions, weight, and total estimated volume.
• Incoterms® rule, named place, and version, where used.
• Production lead time and the event that starts it.
• Payment milestones and any inspection condition before payment.
• Quote expiry date, exclusions, and proposed remedies for non-conforming goods.

A production lead time is different from an arrival date at your project. Ask how sample approval, client changes, inspection, rework, and transport fit around it. Keep uncertain dates marked as estimates until the party responsible confirms them.

Use this RFQ email

You can download the RFQ email template (text). Replace the bracketed fields and attach the referenced documents. Send the same version to every supplier in the comparison.

Subject: RFQ [reference] for [product] at [quantity], specification [revision]

Hello [name],

Please quote the attached item schedule and specification [revision/date]. The goods are for an interiors project in [destination country]. The order quantities and variants appear against each item code.

Please confirm which items you manufacture and identify any proposed deviations from the specification. Quote the specified version separately from any alternative you recommend.

For each item, please provide the unit price, currency, minimum quantity, sample cost, one-time charges, packing details, and estimated packed volume and weight. State the delivery rule and exact named place, quote validity, payment milestones, and production lead time with its starting conditions.

Please describe the inspection access and document support available for this order. List exclusions and explain your proposed remedy if inspected goods fail the agreed specification.

Our required [dispatch/arrival] date is [date]. Please distinguish your production commitment from any transport estimate.

Please return your quotation by [date] and reference [RFQ number].

Thank you, [name/company/contact]

Compare the specification before comparing totals

Download the supplier quote comparison worksheet (CSV) and use one copy for each item. Give each shortlisted supplier its own column. Preserve the original quotation as evidence and put its date and reference into the sheet.

Mark specification and documentation gaps before calculating a ranking. A quote for a different timber, voltage, finish, or packing method belongs in an alternatives discussion. It should not silently set the price benchmark for the specified product.

Record missing information as “unconfirmed.” A blank charge is not evidence that the service is included. Ask who pays it, and capture the answer in a revised quote.

Bring each offer to the same delivery point

Consider this hypothetical comparison for 100 identical chairs:

These invented figures demonstrate the calculation only. They are not market prices. Obtain actual origin-service quotes and verify inclusions before using this approach for a buying decision.

Keep international freight, destination charges, duties, and taxes in the full landed-cost budget. Do not add a charge twice if it is already included in the supplier’s agreed delivery price. Use consistent exchange-rate assumptions and record the date used for comparison.

Resolve differences in one written round

Send a short clarification list to shortlisted suppliers. Reference the item code and quote line each time: “Please confirm the upholstery reference for CH-01” is easier to answer than “Please check quality.”

Ask for a revised quotation that incorporates the replies. Scattered chat messages become difficult to reconcile when a salesperson changes or the project pauses. Keep a record of each revision and the reason for it.

A low total might reflect efficient production, a different commercial scope, or an error. Give the supplier a chance to explain the difference. Use the answer to decide what evidence you need before progressing.

Transfer the accepted offer into the order

Your comparison sheet supports a decision; the purchase agreement needs the actual commitments. Reference the approved specification and sample, final quantities, packing, delivery rule, payment milestones, inspection process, and defect remedies in the documents the parties accept.

Before paying, check that the invoice issuer, contracting seller, and payment beneficiary match the arrangement you verified. Keep the accepted quote and all attachments together with the purchase record.

Return to the comparison sheet after delivery. Record the actual costs and any product or timing differences. Those figures give your next quotation round a more useful baseline than the original unit price alone.

For destination requirements and the full buying sequence, use the China sourcing guide for architects and interior designers.