Buyer worksheets
How to Compare Chinese Supplier Quotes: A Practical Worksheet
Compare supplier offers on the same specification, quantity and delivery scope. Use a free quote comparison worksheet to expose omissions before choosing.
By China Unboxed ·
A lower unit price is only useful when the offers describe the same order. Put each quotation against one shared specification and mark unanswered fields before you rank suppliers. This worksheet is designed for an initial purchasing discussion; it does not certify a supplier or replace a negotiated purchase agreement.
Download the free worksheet (CSV)
No account or email required. Fill in a separate copy for each supplier or visit and retain the original supporting documents.
Create a common comparison basis
Give the brief a version number. Record the product, material, dimensions, finish, quantities by variant and packaging. Ask each supplier to quote that version and list every proposed substitution. A quotation for a different material should remain a separate option rather than being silently compared with your requested product.
Keep the original PDF or message beside the worksheet. Enter the quotation date and currency exactly as provided. If someone revises an offer over a call, request the revised scope in writing before replacing the old row.
Separate the quoted price from missing costs
List tooling, sample charges, packaging, collection, transport and other exclusions individually. An empty freight field is an unanswered question, not zero freight. Keep offers in different currencies separate until you choose and document a conversion basis appropriate to your budgeting process.
For example, imagine two fictional offers for 100 units: A quotes 10 per unit with packaging included; B quotes 9.50 plus a 100 packaging charge. The specified totals are 1,000 and 1,050 before any other costs. This arithmetic example illustrates scope differences, not real supplier prices.
Compare the schedule and evidence as well as price
Record when the proposed lead time starts: receipt of information, sample approval, material availability or another event. Ask who must approve each milestone. A short lead time that depends on an unavailable material is not directly comparable with a confirmed production slot.
Attach the relevant sample notes and list unresolved differences. Keep observations separate from supplier statements. A good-looking quote does not demonstrate repeatable product quality or available production capacity.
Send one clarification round
Send each supplier only its own open questions and ask for a revised quotation with the same reference code. Record changes rather than deleting the history. If the scope still differs, show the options side by side and explain why a ranking is premature.
Use the worksheet to decide the next action: request a sample, clarify an exclusion, arrange a visit or stop investigating a candidate. It is a decision record, not a scoring formula that can guarantee a successful order.
Use the worksheet
The CSV contains the following prompts, with columns for your notes, the responsible person and the status. Replace the prompts that do not apply to your product; leave unknown information visibly unresolved.
- Supplier and quotation reference
- Date and validity
- Specification version
- Quantity and variant breakdown
- Currency
- Unit price
- Tooling or setup charge
- Sample charge
- Packaging included
- Collection location
- Transport included or excluded
- Lead-time start condition
- Sample evidence
- Open questions
- Next action
Suggested statuses are open, waiting for evidence and confirmed for the stated scope. Keep the evidence reference in your notes so that a later reviewer can check the basis for a decision.
Discuss the next step with us
Tell us your product, supplier location, planned dates and the questions you need help resolving. We can discuss communication and on-the-ground support, then agree availability, scope and a written quote before you book.
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Initial discussion is free. These worksheets do not certify suppliers or replace specialist inspections.