Step 5: Evaluate Quotes & Negotiate

When your RFQ responses arrive (typically 5-15 quotes), the evaluation phase begins. This is where careful comparison pays off — choosing the lowest price without considering other factors often leads to quality issues, late deliveries, or contract disputes.

**Use the RFQ comparison view:**
The BangladeshExport.com RFQ detail page shows all responses in a sortable, filterable table. Sort by:
- **Unit price (FOB)**: obvious starting point but NOT the only factor
- **Lead time**: how quickly can they ship? 30 vs 90 days is a huge difference
- **MOQ**: are they flexible on minimum order? Can you start with smaller trial order?
- **Payment terms**: LC at sight vs 30% advance affects your cash flow
- **Certifications**: do they have what you require?
- **Sample policy**: free vs paid, express shipping included?
- **Response time**: how quickly did they respond? Indicates future communication speed

**Top 5 evaluation criteria (in priority order):**
1. **Quality capability** (certifications + product images + factory audit reports)
2. **Total landed cost** (unit price + freight + duty + insurance to your door)
3. **Lead time reliability** (do they have capacity? have they met deadlines historically?)
4. **Financial stability** (payment terms flexibility, references from other buyers)
5. **Communication quality** (responsiveness, English proficiency, willingness to share information)

**Negotiation strategy — multiple dimensions:**
Don't just negotiate on unit price. Often suppliers have more flexibility on other terms:
- **MOQ reduction**: ask if they'll accept 50% of stated MOQ for first order
- **Payment terms**: negotiate from 100% advance to 30% advance + 70% against B/L copy
- **Sample cost**: ask for free samples (you pay shipping only)
- **Lead time**: ask if they can compress by 7-10 days for a small premium
- **Packaging**: negotiate custom packaging (retail-ready, barcode, hangtags) at no extra cost
- **Re-order terms**: lock in price for 6-12 months on repeat orders
- **Exclusivity**: ask for territorial exclusivity if you commit to volume

**Red flags to watch for:**
- Price 30%+ below the average of other quotes — likely cutting corners on quality
- Refusal to provide samples — what are they hiding?
- No verifiable certifications — claims without proof
- Pressure to pay 100% advance — high risk of non-delivery
- Unwillingness to put details in writing — only verbal agreements
- Factory address not verifiable on Google Maps

**Requesting samples:**
Always request pre-production samples before placing a bulk order. Standard practice:
- Buyer pays sample cost (typically 2-3x unit price) + express shipping
- Sample cost is credited back on bulk order (most suppliers agree to this)
- Sample lead time: 7-15 days
- Inspect sample thoroughly: fabric weight, stitching quality, colour fastness, sizing accuracy
- Approve sample in writing (email is fine) before bulk production starts

**Factory audit (optional but recommended for large orders):**
For orders above USD 50,000, consider a third-party factory audit by SGS, Bureau Veritas, Intertek, or TÜV (cost USD 300-800). They verify: factory existence, capacity, working conditions, quality systems, and certifications. Some buyers also visit the factory in person — BangladeshExport.com can help arrange factory visit logistics (hotel, transport, interpreter).