Sourcing Guides · The Anatolia Journal
How to Compare Clothing Supplier Quotations: An RFQ Checklist
Put specification, quantity and cost scope on the same basis before choosing between apparel offers.
The key decision
A lower unit price is useful only after you have checked that the offers describe the same product, order breakdown and cost scope.
A clothing quotation can look attractive while leaving major parts of the request unanswered. One offer may include trims and individual packing; another may assume different fabric, a different colour allocation or a different delivery basis.
For international buyers sourcing apparel from Turkey, the first comparison should make those differences visible. This guide provides a working RFQ review sheet. It does not supply market prices or prescribe commercial terms for a particular order.
1. Send the same controlled specification
Give each supplier the same style reference and document revision. Include the intended construction, material references, size range, colour breakdown, decoration and packing requirements. Identify anything that remains open for the supplier to propose.
Link the request to the current garment tech pack. If a supplier quotes an alternative material or construction, show it as an alternative rather than merging it into the main comparison unnoticed.
Ask each supplier to identify the specification received. A quotation prepared against an older file may look directly comparable until the first sample reveals the difference. Keep the exact request and attachments beside each response.
2. Compare the order breakdown, not just the total
State pieces by style, colour and size, then confirm which quantities the quoted prices assume. A total order quantity does not explain how it is distributed across materials, colours and production details.
If the supplier provides quantity tiers or minimums, record their scope: per style, per colour, per material or another basis. Request clarification when that scope is missing. Do not treat a minimum mentioned for one product as a general rule for every supplier in Turkey.
Ask how a change in allocation would affect the offer. If your request is still provisional, label the comparison accordingly. A price based on one assumed mix should not be presented internally as a confirmed price for another mix.
3. Make included and excluded costs visible
| Field | What to compare | Clarification to request |
|---|---|---|
| Product | Style, revision, material and finish | Any proposed substitution |
| Quantity | Style, colour and size allocation | The basis of any minimum or price tier |
| Unit price | Currency and price unit | What the quoted amount includes |
| Development | Samples, artwork or setup items | Separate charges and stated conditions |
| Packing | Labels, unit packing and cartons | Any unpriced requirement |
| Delivery basis | Named place and stated trade term | Freight or handling scope still open |
| Timing | Assumptions behind the proposed schedule | Which approvals or inputs start the clock |
| Validity | Quotation date and expiry | When an updated offer is needed |
Keep blank fields marked as unresolved. Do not assign a zero cost to an excluded or unconfirmed item. If your team calculates an adjusted comparison, retain the original quotations and show every assumption used in that calculation.
4. Define what the delivery wording means
When an offer uses an Incoterms rule, request its named port, place or point and the intended version. ICC’s own guidance explains this way of identifying a rule and distinguishes its allocation of obligations, risk and costs from matters such as product specification and payment arrangements.
Keep payment details and other commercial conditions in their own comparison fields. Ask the responsible commercial and logistics teams to resolve the wording for the actual order. A trade-term abbreviation should not be used as a shortcut for all remaining questions.
Similarly, ask what must be complete before a proposed production period begins. Fabric confirmation, sample approval or receipt of required inputs may be assumptions in the offer. Record those assumptions alongside the proposed dispatch milestone instead of comparing unexplained lead-time numbers.
5. Return one consolidated clarification list
Before selecting an offer, list every material difference and unanswered question. Ask for a revised quotation that incorporates the agreed clarifications, with a date and reference. Preserve any accepted alternative as an identified choice in the final brief.
- Match the quotation to the current product revision.
- Confirm the price currency, unit and quantity basis.
- Separate recurring unit costs from development or setup items.
- Resolve packing and labelling scope against the brief.
- Clarify the delivery basis and schedule assumptions.
- Record who approved any departures from the original request.
The carton packing plan helps define one part of that scope. The broader sourcing workflow can help organise the handover from quotation review to sampling and production follow-up. The goal is a documented decision your team can explain, not simply a highlighted low number.
Common questions
Should I always choose the lowest unit price?
First confirm that the offers cover the same specification, quantities and scope. Record the differences and unresolved items before making the commercial decision.
Can I compare quotes in different currencies?
Keep the original currencies visible. If your team converts them, record the exchange-rate source, date and assumptions rather than presenting the converted amounts as the supplier's own offer.
Does one supplier's MOQ apply to all clothing sourced in Turkey?
No. Ask each supplier to state the minimum and its scope for the specific product, material and colour allocation being quoted.