How to Read a Chair Quotation (and Spot the Gaps Before You Pay)
How to Read a Chair Quotation (and Spot the Gaps Before You Pay)
Most chair quotations from China are emailed PDFs or Word documents. The format is similar across factories. What varies is what each factory chooses to include or leave vague. Buyers who can read a quote carefully save 10-20% by negotiating the gaps before signing.
What a clean quote contains
1. Model number with spec sheet attached
The quote names a specific model and references a spec sheet — backrest material, foam density, mechanism type, gas-lift class, armrest type, base material, caster type. If the quote names a model but doesn’t reference specs, you can’t compare with other quotes. Ask for the spec sheet.
2. Unit price with currency and Incoterm
“US$48.00 FOB Ningbo” is clean. “US$48 FOB” is ambiguous — which port? Ningbo and Shanghai have different inland trucking costs. “US$48 EXW” means the chair is at the factory door, not at the port. Always clarify the Incoterm and the port.
3. MOQ explicitly stated
A quote that says “MOQ 200 pcs” is clean. A quote that says “MOQ negotiable” is the factory hoping you’ll buy bigger. They will go down — just push back.
4. Lead time with deposit / shipment split
“30 days production after 30% deposit, ship after balance” is clean. “30-45 days” is acceptable. “ASAP” is a red flag — the factory is hoping for big orders to bump priority.
5. Payment terms
Standard: 30% T/T deposit, 70% before shipment against B/L copy. L/C at sight for orders above US$50k. Anything that asks for 100% upfront from a new customer is a red flag. Anything that mentions Western Union or crypto is a big red flag.
6. Packing details
“1 chair per carton, carton size 78 x 58 x 28 cm, GW 18 kg, NW 16 kg” is clean. From these dimensions, you can calculate container loading. If the quote omits packing dims, the factory hasn’t actually thought about how it ships.
7. Container loading quantity
“20’GP: 168 pcs, 40’HQ: 412 pcs” is clean. This is the unit you should actually be quoting per. If the factory hasn’t calculated this, do it yourself: (container internal volume) / (carton volume × 1.1 buffer).
8. Certifications and standards
“BIFMA X5.1 tested, SGS report on request” is clean. “BIFMA compatible” or “meets European standards” is meaningless. Ask for actual test reports with dates.
9. Sample lead time and cost
Standard samples should be free or very low cost. Custom samples should be priced honestly (US$50-150 for a one-off custom chair is normal). Lead time 7-15 days is normal.
10. Validity period
Quotes should have a validity (usually 30 days). If the factory wants to lock you in for longer, that signals raw material prices are stable. If the validity is 7 days, raw materials are volatile and the factory is worried about cost increases.
The questions to ask if items 1-10 are missing
- “Can you send me the spec sheet for this model?”
- “What is your exact port and Incoterm?”
- “What is the MOQ for stock vs custom?”
- “Carton dimensions and container loading per size?”
- “BIFMA report number or SGS reference?”
If a factory can’t answer these in two business days, they probably can’t deliver consistently either.
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