Comparing Car Air Freshener Supplier Quotes

Three quotes for "the same" vent clip can differ a lot in price, and the cheapest one is not always the best value. Often the products are not really the same: a thinner housing, a smaller fill, a lighter fragrance load, a simpler bag instead of a printed card. Or the quote leaves out costs that appear later.

Comparing quotes well means three things: make the specifications equal, read quantities and costs on the same basis, and check where each quote's responsibility ends.

1. Make the specifications equal

Put each quote's assumptions side by side before you look at the price.

If a quote is silent on a point, do not assume it matches the others; ask. Differences in fill and fragrance specification are the most common reason for large price gaps, and they also change how the product performs.

Fragrance is a cost driver. The fragrance oil is often one of the most expensive parts of a scented product. Two products with the same outer look can have very different amounts or qualities of fragrance. Ask for the fill quantity and how the scent is specified, and compare samples side by side. See Fragrance Loading in Car Air Fresheners.

2. Read quantities and costs on the same basis

Quantity tiers. Check that every quote prices the same quantities, and the same split per scent and design.

One-time costs. List them separately:

• printing plates or screens;
• cutting dies for custom paper shapes;
• molds for custom housings or tops;
• custom scent development;
• custom packaging set-up;
• sample charges and courier costs.

One quote may build these into the unit price; another may list them; a third may leave them out until later. Spread the one-time costs over your quantity to compare the true unit cost, and also note which costs you pay only once (reorders become cheaper).

Price validity and currency. Check how long the price is valid and in which currency. Material prices and exchange rates move.

Payment terms. Deposit and balance timing affect your cash flow, which is a real cost.

3. Check where responsibility ends

Delivery term. EXW, FCA, FOB and other Incoterms rules move costs and risk between buyer and seller at different points. A FOB price includes export clearance and delivery onto the vessel at the named port; an EXW price does not. Compare on the same term, or add the missing costs. See Shipping Terms in a Car Fragrance Quotation.

Documents. Does the quote include SDS per scent, product test reports, battery documents? Who pays for any new tests your market requires?

Inspection. Is pre-shipment inspection included, and who appoints the inspector?

Defects and remakes. What happens if goods do not match the approved sample? A clear process is worth something.

Continuity. Can the supplier keep the same specification on reorders, and supply refills for refillable products? See Planning Refill Availability and Product Discontinuation.

A worked comparison (illustrative)

The figures below are invented to show the method and do not represent market prices.

Quote B looked cheapest, but it is a different product. Quote C is a little cheaper than A on equal terms. Now the decision rests on samples, communication and continuity, not price alone.

Copy the table above into a spreadsheet to compare your own quotes. For costs after the port, see Car Air Freshener Landed Cost: A Worksheet.

Questions to ask each supplier

1. What fill quantity and fragrance specification is this price based on?
2. Which one-time costs apply, and are they refunded or waived on reorders?
3. Which delivery term and named place does this price use?
4. Which documents are included?
5. How long is the price valid?
6. What happens if production does not match the approved sample?

FAQ