China sourcing quotations can present costs differently. Some show a separate agency fee; others focus on the product price. Neither format explains the full scope on its own.
Start by listing the work you need, then establish where it sits in the quotation. This makes it easier to compare offers and identify the details that still need confirmation before placing an order.
Identify the purchasing arrangement
When you nominate a factory or supplier, a purchasing agent handles the agreed parts of that transaction. It is useful to distinguish the supplier's goods from services such as communication, checking order details and following production progress.
A customization request based on an image or idea can use a different arrangement. A trading quotation may offer a product price based on the agreed specification and support, without showing an agency fee as a separate line.
Identify who accepts your order, who receives payment and who handles questions about the goods. A product price that includes service work does not automatically include samples or delivery.
Organize costs into four groups
An internal comparison sheet can make the first-order commitment and recurring costs easier to understand.
| Cost group | What to confirm |
|---|---|
| Goods | Unit price, quantity, accessories and individual packaging |
| Initial preparation | Samples, tooling, printing setup and their treatment on reorders |
| Requested work | Purchasing support, inspection, labeling and assembly tasks |
| Delivery | Domestic movement, international transport and the endpoint covered |
Mark each relevant item as included, additional or pending. A quotation does not have to disclose every internal cost to explain what goods and work you are buying.
If you allocate initial charges across expected sales, retain the original amounts too. Separate a future forecast from the confirmed order quantity so the cash required for the first purchase remains visible.
Compare the calculation basis as well as the rate
For a percentage-based service fee, establish both the rate and the amount to which it applies. A calculation based only on goods differs from one that also includes other costs, even when the percentage is identical.
For a fixed fee, confirm whether it applies to an order, a task or another defined scope. Clarify how an additional product or handling request would be treated before placing the order.
Keep the quoted calculation method in your comparison sheet. Leave unclear conditions open for confirmation instead of filling the gaps with your own assumptions.
Translate included inspection into actual tasks
Ask which features will be checked, how they will be checked, what quantity is covered and how findings will be shared. Appearance checks, dimension measurements and specialized functional tests involve different preparation and work.
Labeling also needs a practical description. Applying an ordinary label at an agreed position differs from removing existing labels or matching several labels to different product variants. Images of the required result and clear application instructions help establish the scope.
Use the steps needed for your particular product to interpret phrases such as “basic inspection included.” This also makes separately requested work easier to identify.
Align the product and delivery endpoint
An offer covering goods at the factory cannot be compared directly with one that includes delivery to a designated address. First align material, printing, accessories, packaging and quantity, then compare costs to the same endpoint.
If packed dimensions and weight remain uncertain, freight may also be provisional. Keep an estimate labeled as an estimate and confirm what would trigger recalculation.
Prepare separate views for the first order and a reorder. Samples or printing setup may need to be revisited when specifications change. An earlier quotation is useful history, but it does not confirm the price of the next purchase.
Approve changes before the additional work starts
A new color, extra accessory or different package can affect both the product and the work involved. Review the requested change, additional cost and schedule together, and identify the person authorized to approve it.
Link the quotation number to the specification revision. That gives internal reviewers a clear record of which conditions the price covers and why a later amount may differ.
How GAMU confirms quotation scope
GAMU confirms the quotation scope for each order. For goods below CNY 600, the standard purchasing agency fee is a fixed CNY 300. For goods valued at CNY 600 or above, the fee is 12% of the goods value. For example, goods valued at CNY 600 incur a CNY 72 service fee. Shipping is excluded from the fee base. Where the quotation already includes the same service, we do not charge it again. The confirmed quotation specifies the applicable items and amount payable.
Basic inspection and ordinary label application are included in the purchasing agency fee. Specialized tests, complex handling, travel and custom packaging materials are discussed individually. The actual inspection items and labeling instructions still need to be agreed for the order.
To clarify costs, share your product information, quantity, destination and required tasks, together with whether you already have a supplier. These details provide the basis for identifying what the quotation needs to cover.