The cover is an illustrative inspection scene, not evidence of a particular supplier audit or customer order.
Two artificial plant quotations can describe the same species and height while pricing very different products. Foliage spread, stem construction, planter scope and packing may all differ. A price comparison is only useful when those differences are visible.
Before asking which supplier is cheaper, decide whether the offers describe a comparable order. Use a common specification and list any deviations explicitly.
Send the same reference package to each supplier
Prepare a brief that identifies the application, product code or reference style, required dimensions, quantity, destination and timing. Add images of the desired silhouette and relevant details.
Use photographs to explain appearance, but do not expect them to define every component. A reference image may show a decorative planter that is not included in the offered price. Write the scope next to the image so each supplier can respond to the same request.
If a supplier proposes an alternative, ask it to be quoted as a named alternative rather than silently substituted into the comparison.
Separate the product from its surrounding presentation
For trees and potted plants, compare:
- Finished height and shaped canopy width.
- Foliage material, colour direction and density reference.
- Stem or trunk appearance and visible connections.
- Inner pot, decorative planter and any separate accessories.
- Supplied assembly or shaping instructions.
An attractive lifestyle image is not evidence that all photographed components are supplied. Request a product-only reference and a written component scope where the presentation could be ambiguous.
Align quantities and variants
Record the quantity by size, colour and construction. Compare the same breakdown across offers, not only the total piece count.
Ask how MOQ applies and whether pricing changes when the mix changes. Keep sample charges, special packaging charges and any one-time development costs separate from recurring product costs. Unknown charges should remain open questions, not be entered as zero.
If a quotation is valid only for a particular order volume or period, retain that condition in the comparison sheet.
Compare the same shipment basis
An ex-factory product price and a price that includes additional export or freight services are not directly equivalent. Ask each offer to identify its trade term, named place or port, and included services.
Then list the remaining cost categories separately: inland transport, export handling, international freight, destination handling, duties or taxes where applicable, and final delivery. Confirm destination-side obligations and estimates with the appropriate provider.
Do not assume a low unit price produces the lowest landed cost. Also avoid presenting a provisional freight estimate as a fixed all-in commitment.
Request measurable packing inputs
Ask for units per carton, carton dimensions, net and gross weight, construction format and included protection. Compare whether those figures are confirmed for the selected variant or only estimated from a similar product.
Product recovery after unpacking is another input. A compact carton may require assembly or shaping at the destination. Decide whether your receiving team can perform that work consistently.
The medium tree export-packing guide explains the packing questions in more detail. For quotation comparison, the key is to record which packing method each price actually includes.
Make approval and deviations visible
Ask each supplier to identify what can be sampled, what the sample represents, and which details require written approval before production. The sample approval checklist can support that record.
If documents are required for a particular project or market, state the requirement and request confirmation for the offered construction. A general catalogue statement is not a substitute for product-specific evidence.
Record exceptions in plain language: “planter supplied locally,” “carton weight provisional,” or “colour requires sample review.” This makes unresolved points easier to discuss than a spreadsheet that appears complete but conceals assumptions.
Build a short comparison sheet
Use these columns:
- Supplier or sourcing partner and quotation date.
- Product specification and deviations.
- Quantity and MOQ basis.
- Unit price and separate charges.
- Trade term, named location and service scope.
- Confirmed or estimated packing data.
- Sample and production approval milestones.
- Required documents and confirmation status.
- Unresolved questions and next action.
Choose the offer that fits the approved product, destination and operating requirements, not simply the row with the smallest number. Where offers remain different, compare the trade-offs openly instead of forcing a false like-for-like ranking.
Preparing a bulk order? Send VERDILORA your product specification and quantity breakdown. Include destination, required timing and preferred shipment basis so the quotation can distinguish confirmed scope from items still requiring review.