Compare Supplier Quotes
Normalize two or more supplier quotes to landed cost and pick the defensible winner, renegotiate the runner-up, or drop.
For: A buyer or category owner with two or more supplier quotes on the same product who needs to award, renegotiate, or drop them defensibly.
Use when: You have received two or more quotes on the same SKU and need a like-for-like comparison before opening negotiations or placing a PO.
- Quotes are on different Incoterms, currencies, or pack sizes and can't be normalised.
- The lowest quote comes from a supplier you can't verify as a real legal entity.
- A quote is only valid for hours or excludes freight, packaging, or duty without saying so.
- The winning quote's MOQ is far larger than realistic sell-through.
- Any supplier returns a sanctions or restricted-party hit.
- Convert to one sellable unit
- Align currency, Incoterm, and named place
- Match MOQ tier and validity window
- List what each quote excludes
· Comparable
Are the quotes truly like-for-like?
Go — Same unit, currency, Incoterm, MOQ tier, and validity — exclusions listed.
Hold — An exclusion or term is missing — get it in writing.
Stop — Quotes can't be normalised at all.
· True cost
Is landed cost complete for each quote?
Go — Every quote has a credible landed cost with duty, VAT, and freight.
Hold — A cost component is still a guess — refine it.
Stop — Duty or import-VAT can't be established for the leader.
· Credibility
Can the winning supplier actually deliver?
Go — Legal entity, capacity, terms, and screening all clear.
Hold — One credibility signal is weak — pilot small before scaling.
Stop — Sanctions hit, or supplier can't be verified.
· Award
Is there a defensible winner?
Go — One quote beats the ceiling and passes every gate — AWARD.
Hold — Leader is close but term-heavy — RENEGOTIATE first.
Stop — No quote clears the ceiling or the credibility bar — DROP.
- 1Comparing FOB to CIF as if they were the same.
- 2Missing the currency conversion and FX buffer.
- 3Ignoring MOQ against realistic sell-through.
- 4Rewarding the fastest response over the credible supplier.
- 5Treating an emailed price as a binding quote without validity dates.
The cheapest FOB is not the cheapest at your door.
- Supplier A · FOB Ningbo$ 6.20 / unit
- Supplier B · CIF Rotterdam€ 6.60 / unit
- A landed at Rotterdam€ 7.35
- B landed at Rotterdam€ 7.05
- MOQ A vs B20k vs 8k
- Lead time A vs B60 vs 35 days
Decision record
Record your outcome — a static, no-login summary you can copy, print, or screenshot.
- Normalised unit + Incoterm
- One shared basis
- Landed cost per quote
- Currency + FX buffer applied
- Credibility notes
- Entity + screening
- Award / renegotiate / drop
- Per supplier
- Target buy price + ceiling
- For the winner
- Decision
- AWARD / RENEGOTIATE / DROP