In this article
Short answer: when you ask a supplier for a price and get back a list of questions, you have lost a day and learned nothing. We reply within one business day with something you can use: a price range for the nearest matching spec, the minimum order, lead time and terms. Then we ask for the details that turn the range into a firm quote.
The two kinds of first reply
| "Please share details" | A priced option |
|---|---|
| Asks for size, GSM, quantity, port, packing | Assumes the most likely spec and says so |
| Gives no number | Gives a price range you can budget with |
| You answer, then wait again | You correct what is wrong, and the next reply is firm |
| Two to three days before any price | A usable figure on day one |
What our first answer contains
- The spec we assumed, written out, so you can correct it.
- A price range from our published bands, per piece or per set, FOB Cochin.
- The order ladder: trial runs from 500 pieces, wholesale pricing from 2,000 pieces per SKU. For bed linen and white robes, 50 pieces per size.
- Lead time: samples in 7 to 14 days, production in 30 to 45 days.
- Terms: 50 percent advance, 50 percent on completion before dispatch.
- Sea transit to your country, if you told us where you are.
- Two or three questions whose answers would change the price.
How we can price from little detail
Bath towel, 70 × 140 cm, price per piece
FOB Cochin · plain dyed · USD
400-450 GSM
Economy
500-550 GSM
Mid-range
600 GSM
Luxury
650-700 GSM
Ultra
Trial runs start at 500 pieces. Wholesale pricing starts at 2,000 pieces per SKU. Ring-spun and zero-twist sit at the top of each band. Borders and custom packing cost extra.
Heavier towels also fill a container faster
Bath towels in one 40 ft high-cube container.
500 GSM
45,000-50,000 pieces
700 GSM
32,000-35,000 pieces
Same box, about a third fewer towels. Freight per piece goes up with weight.
We publish our price bands, so there is nothing to hide in a first reply.
| If you ask for | We can already say |
|---|---|
| "Hotel bath towels" | $2.20 to $2.80 at 500 to 550 GSM, $2.80 to $3.50 at 600 GSM |
| "Bed sheets for a hotel" | $8.00 to $11.00 per 300 thread count percale set |
| "Bathrobes" | $6.50 to $9.00 waffle, $9.50 to $13.00 terry, $14.00 to $19.00 velour |
| "Gym towels" | $1.20 to $1.70 at 400 to 450 GSM |
These are public bands, wide on purpose. Your firm quote sits inside one of them once we know size, quantity and packing.
What turns a range into a firm quote
| Detail | Why it moves the price |
|---|---|
| Exact size and weight | Cotton is the main cost |
| Quantity per SKU | The volume curve runs from trial pricing to 30 to 35 percent off list |
| Colour | White costs less than dyed |
| Labels, embroidery, packing | Each is a cost and sometimes a lead-time item |
| Destination and Incoterm | FOB, CIF or DDP |
See why your supplier asks for port, carton marks and labels.
If you sent a full specification
Then the first reply is the quote: line by line against your list, with anything we cannot do marked clearly. If you sent a tender schedule or a spreadsheet, we price it in the same layout so you can compare.
If we can't help
We say so in the first reply, and where we can, we say what kind of supplier to look for. See what we tell buyers we can't do.
How to get the best first answer
Three facts are enough: the product, the rough quantity and your country. Add the use, hotel, laundry, retail or online, and we'll pick a better starting spec. Our RFQ template lists everything if you want to send it all at once.
Why we work this way
A buyer comparing five suppliers remembers who gave a straight answer first. And a price range filters both ways: if our band is far from your budget, we both find out on day one.
Try it. Send us an enquiry with as much or as little as you have.
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Written by
Dr Abin Babu
Founder & Chairman, Anabyn Global Ventures
Anabyn exports hotel and home linen from Kerala, India. These guides come from the questions buyers ask our desk. About the team
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