Build Notes
The cheapest quote is rarely the cheapest
Five lessons from vetting overseas suppliers and freight forwarders.
1. Check that the quote matches your specification
Suppliers often quote the product on their own listing, not the one you described. I caught a quote for a different construction than the one I asked for. Same size, different product.
2. Compare cost at the warehouse, not the factory price
A heavier box or bigger carton can wipe out a lower price in freight and fulfillment fees.
3. Ask for every fee, separately, in writing
If a freight quote says duty is included, ask how much duty. If the total couldn’t possibly cover freight and duty both, ask why.
4. Keep payment on a protected platform
Be careful with any request to pay a personal account or move the conversation somewhere else.
5. Clear answers predict good partners
The suppliers who answered every question directly, with numbers, were the ones worth shortlisting. Slow, vague answers before you pay rarely get better after.
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