A quote from one factory tells you almost nothing. A quote from five factories for the same specification tells you everything — where the price floor is, which supplier is padding, and which one is cutting a corner you cannot see.
What it covers
- One agreed specification, sent identically to every candidate factory.
- Quotes normalised to the same basis: incoterms, packaging, tooling amortisation, payment terms, VAT.
- Cost structure explained: material, labour, mould, surface treatment, certification, margin.
- Flagging of prices that are too low, and what usually disappears to make them possible.
What you receive
A comparison sheet: side-by-side unit prices, MOQ, lead time, included and excluded costs, and a recommended order of preference with reasons.
When this matters most
On every repeat order, and on any first order above a sample quantity. Supplier pricing in China moves with material costs — a quote from last year is not a benchmark.