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Buyer Guide · Step 4 of 6
Step 4: Send RFQ (Request for Quote) to Shortlisted Suppliers
Send a detailed RFQ to your 5-10 shortlisted suppliers. A well-written RFQ includes: product specifications, target quantity, target price, delivery timeline, certification requirements, and Incoterms preference. Expect responses within 48-72 hours.
Buyer Guide — Your progress
Step 4 of 6
Send a detailed RFQ to your 5-10 shortlisted suppliers. A well-written RFQ includes: product specifications, target quantity, target price, delivery timeline, certification requirements, and Incoterms preference. Expect responses within 48-72 hours.
Full Guide
An RFQ (Request for Quote) is the formal mechanism through which you ask suppliers to quote price, lead time, and terms for your required product. A well-crafted RFQ saves time, filters out unqualified suppliers, and sets the foundation for productive negotiations.
**On BangladeshExport.com, sending an RFQ is straightforward:**
1. Navigate to /rfq/create or click 'Create RFQ' in your buyer dashboard
2. Fill in the RFQ form (described below)
3. Select suppliers — you can choose specific shortlisted suppliers OR let our auto-match system invite all suppliers in your product category (recommended: do both — manually select 5-7 plus auto-match)
4. Submit — suppliers receive an instant in-app notification + email
5. Suppliers respond within 48-72 hours with quotes (price, MOQ, lead time, terms)
6. All responses are aggregated in your RFQ detail page with sortable comparison columns
**RFQ form fields — be thorough:**
- **Product name & HS code**: e.g. 'Men\'s cotton T-shirt, HS 61091000'
- **Detailed specifications**: fabric composition (e.g. 100% cotton 180 GSM), colour(s), sizes (S/M/L/XL/XXL ratio), printing/embroidery requirements, packaging (e.g. individual polybag, 50 pcs/carton)
- **Target quantity**: total quantity + breakdown by size/colour (e.g. 10,000 pcs total = 2000 S + 3000 M + 3000 L + 2000 XL)
- **Target price**: indicate your expected price range (FOB USD 1.50-1.80/piece) — this filters out suppliers outside your budget without wasting their time
- **Delivery timeline**: when you need goods shipped (e.g. '60 days from order confirmation')
- **Destination port**: e.g. Hamburg / Los Angeles / Sydney — affects freight calculation
- **Incoterms preference**: FOB (most common for first-time buyers), CIF (if you want supplier to arrange freight), EXW (rare for international shipments)
- **Payment terms**: LC at sight (safest for new supplier), 30% advance + 70% against B/L copy (common), TT 100% advance (only for small orders or trusted suppliers)
- **Certification requirements**: e.g. WRAP for RMG, OEKO-TEX for textile, LWG for leather, ISO 9001 for general manufacturing
- **Sample requirements**: do you need pre-production samples? Free or paid? Express shipping included?
- **Additional notes**: any special requirements (custom packaging, private label, FDA compliance, etc.)
**Auto-invite vs manual select**:
When you create an RFQ, you have two options:
- **Manual select**: Choose specific suppliers from your shortlist — best when you have established preferences
- **Auto-invite**: Our system identifies all verified suppliers in the relevant category and invites those matching your MOQ and certification requirements — best for broad market scanning
We recommend both: manually select 5-7 preferred suppliers AND enable auto-invite. This typically generates 8-15 responses, giving you good comparison data.
**After sending**:
- Suppliers have 48-72 hours to respond (most respond within 24 hours)
- You'll receive email + in-app notifications for each response
- All responses are visible on the RFQ detail page with sortable columns (price, lead time, MOQ, payment terms)
- You can request additional information, samples, or revised quotes via in-app messaging
- Once you identify the best supplier, you can award the RFQ — this triggers a formal purchase order flow
**On BangladeshExport.com, sending an RFQ is straightforward:**
1. Navigate to /rfq/create or click 'Create RFQ' in your buyer dashboard
2. Fill in the RFQ form (described below)
3. Select suppliers — you can choose specific shortlisted suppliers OR let our auto-match system invite all suppliers in your product category (recommended: do both — manually select 5-7 plus auto-match)
4. Submit — suppliers receive an instant in-app notification + email
5. Suppliers respond within 48-72 hours with quotes (price, MOQ, lead time, terms)
6. All responses are aggregated in your RFQ detail page with sortable comparison columns
**RFQ form fields — be thorough:**
- **Product name & HS code**: e.g. 'Men\'s cotton T-shirt, HS 61091000'
- **Detailed specifications**: fabric composition (e.g. 100% cotton 180 GSM), colour(s), sizes (S/M/L/XL/XXL ratio), printing/embroidery requirements, packaging (e.g. individual polybag, 50 pcs/carton)
- **Target quantity**: total quantity + breakdown by size/colour (e.g. 10,000 pcs total = 2000 S + 3000 M + 3000 L + 2000 XL)
- **Target price**: indicate your expected price range (FOB USD 1.50-1.80/piece) — this filters out suppliers outside your budget without wasting their time
- **Delivery timeline**: when you need goods shipped (e.g. '60 days from order confirmation')
- **Destination port**: e.g. Hamburg / Los Angeles / Sydney — affects freight calculation
- **Incoterms preference**: FOB (most common for first-time buyers), CIF (if you want supplier to arrange freight), EXW (rare for international shipments)
- **Payment terms**: LC at sight (safest for new supplier), 30% advance + 70% against B/L copy (common), TT 100% advance (only for small orders or trusted suppliers)
- **Certification requirements**: e.g. WRAP for RMG, OEKO-TEX for textile, LWG for leather, ISO 9001 for general manufacturing
- **Sample requirements**: do you need pre-production samples? Free or paid? Express shipping included?
- **Additional notes**: any special requirements (custom packaging, private label, FDA compliance, etc.)
**Auto-invite vs manual select**:
When you create an RFQ, you have two options:
- **Manual select**: Choose specific suppliers from your shortlist — best when you have established preferences
- **Auto-invite**: Our system identifies all verified suppliers in the relevant category and invites those matching your MOQ and certification requirements — best for broad market scanning
We recommend both: manually select 5-7 preferred suppliers AND enable auto-invite. This typically generates 8-15 responses, giving you good comparison data.
**After sending**:
- Suppliers have 48-72 hours to respond (most respond within 24 hours)
- You'll receive email + in-app notifications for each response
- All responses are visible on the RFQ detail page with sortable columns (price, lead time, MOQ, payment terms)
- You can request additional information, samples, or revised quotes via in-app messaging
- Once you identify the best supplier, you can award the RFQ — this triggers a formal purchase order flow
Do-This Checklist
- Prepare detailed product specifications (composition, dimensions, weight, packaging)
- Determine target quantity + size/colour breakdown
- Set realistic target price (research market prices first)
- Choose Incoterms (FOB recommended for first order)
- Choose payment terms (LC at sight recommended for new supplier)
- List certification requirements (WRAP, OEKO-TEX, etc.)
- Specify sample requirements (pre-production, paid/free)
- Manually select 5-7 shortlisted suppliers
- Enable auto-invite for broader market scan
- Submit RFQ — monitor responses within 48-72 hours
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
- Vague specifications — suppliers quote based on assumptions, leading to price disputes later
- Unrealistic target price — suppliers don't respond, or low-quality suppliers respond
- Not specifying destination port — suppliers cannot quote freight accurately
- Skipping certification requirements — receiving quotes from non-compliant suppliers
- Sending RFQ to only 1-2 suppliers — no negotiation leverage, no backup if primary fails
Ready for the next step?
Create an RFQ now
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