Send every manufacturer the same written brief, then compare the answers line by line: specification, minimum order for your exact size, lead time counted from sample approval, sample terms, payment schedule and what the price covers. A lower total is only lower if the scope matches.
Buyer guide
How to compare manufacturer quotes
Two quotes for the same product can differ because they are not quoting the same thing. This guide shows how to make quotes comparable and what to check line by line.
Have a brief? Send it.
Tell us the product, a rough quantity and whether it carries your brand. We reply within 1 business day, with questions or a quote.
Short answer
The short answer
Send the same brief to everyone
Quotes are only comparable when the brief is. Write one brief with the product, size, material, finish, quantity band, branding and packaging, and send it unchanged to every manufacturer. Ask for answers in writing.
If a manufacturer replies with questions instead of a number, that is normal. A price quoted before anyone understands your product often changes later.
Why many factories do not publish prices
Price depends on the product, size, material, finish, printing method, packaging and quantity, so one published figure would mislead more buyers than it helps. ArtzFolio quotes each project in writing and does not publish a list price. Typical minimum order and lead time ranges are on the pricing page, and the quote confirms them. The quote confirms them for your brief.
So do not read a missing price as a warning sign. Read whether the manufacturer explains what drives the price and answers plainly when it has no figure to give.
Compare line by line
Put the quotes in one table and check each row. Where one quote is silent, ask for the missing line before you compare totals.
| Line | What to check |
|---|---|
| Specification | Size, material, finish, colour, printing method, packaging and branding, all written |
| Minimum order | The figure for your exact size and finish, and whether it changes for one size or colour |
| Lead time | Counted from sample approval, not enquiry, and what would delay it |
| Samples | Paid or free, who pays freight, and whether the cost can be credited to the order |
| Payment | The schedule in writing, including the advance and the balance |
| Shipping | What the price includes, such as ex-works, and who arranges freight |
| Repeat orders | How the approved sample and specification are kept for reorders |
Read the price terms carefully
Ex-works means the price covers the goods at the factory and you arrange the freight from there. A quote that includes delivery is not comparable with one that is ex-works until you add the freight. ArtzFolio ships ex-works Noida, assists with the logistics and packs to your plan.
Check also what a quote assumes about quantity. A price at one quantity cannot be compared with a price at another. Ask each manufacturer to quote at the same quantity band.
Judge the samples, then the answers
After the numbers, compare the samples side by side on the real material. A screen never shows the finish. Check size and colour against your specification, look at the back and fittings, and open the pack the way your customer will. Samples at ArtzFolio are paid; by agreement the cost can be reimbursed or adjusted in your final order, and the full run is made against the approved sample.
Last, notice how each manufacturer answers. A manufacturer that says plainly where it has no figure is giving you a useful signal. ArtzFolio replies to enquiries within 1 business day.
A simple way to score the quotes
Once the quotes are in one table, score them on the lines that matter to you rather than on the total alone. A first-time brand may weigh the sample terms and the minimum order most, since they decide how much risk the first order carries. A brand with steady demand may weigh the lead time and repeat-order consistency most.
Keep a short list of questions that each manufacturer answered differently, and ask the follow-ups in writing. Keep the replies together with the quotes. If a supplier agrees something on a call, ask them to confirm it by message, so the written record matches what was agreed.
Finally, do not let a deadline push you into skipping the comparison. A rushed decision usually shows up later as a missing line, such as a freight charge, a packaging cost or a sample fee that was never mentioned. A day spent asking for a missing line is cheaper than a surprise on the final invoice.
If two quotes are close once the scope matches, choose the one whose answers were clearer and quicker. Responsiveness before the order is a useful indicator of responsiveness after it.
FAQ
Questions buyers ask
Is the lowest quote the best one?
Not necessarily. A lower total may leave out packing, branding, freight or a lead time counted from a later point. Compare the same scope first, then compare price. Samples show whether the product matches what was promised.
How do I compare lead times between factories?
Ask each one for the lead time counted from the day you approve the sample, and ask what would delay it. Late artwork and a change of material are the usual causes, and both are in your control.
What should I ask for in writing?
The full specification, the minimum order for your exact size and finish, the lead time, the sample terms, the payment schedule, what shipping covers and the legal name on the invoice. Get the payment schedule before you pay anything.
Why does my quote ask me questions?
Because price, minimum order and lead time depend on size, material, finish, printing, packaging and quantity. Answering the questions gives a quote for your product rather than a generic figure that changes later.
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Send the brief. We send a sample plan and a price.
Tell us what you want to make. We reply with questions or a quote.
Work out your own margin
The margin calculator does the arithmetic on costs you type: landed cost per unit, margin, markup, the price for a target margin and break-even. It holds no ArtzFolio prices; a supplier price is confirmed in a written quote.