Short answer: A quotation is comparable only when five things match: specification, quantity and MOQ, Incoterm and named place, payment terms, and validity. Read it in four blocks — goods, packaging and tooling, freight and duty, payment — then convert both offers to the same delivered basis before comparing totals.
What should an office furniture quotation contain?
| Line item | What to check | Red flag |
|---|---|---|
| Product and SKU | Model code, dimensions, materials, mechanism and castor brand | A photo and a generic name |
| Unit price | Price at each quantity tier — 1, 10, 50, 100 pieces | One price, no quantity basis |
| MOQ | Pieces per model; whether colors can be mixed | “MOQ negotiable” with no floor |
| Incoterm and place | FOB Shenzhen, CIF Los Angeles, DDP Chicago | “FOB China” with no port |
| Packaging | Carton type, cbm and gross weight per unit | No cbm or weight data |
| Tooling and setup | Mould, jig, color-match or logo setup; one-off or amortized | Setup fee appearing after you order |
| Freight and insurance | Carrier, transit time, destination charges, insurance basis | One “freight” figure, no basis |
| Duty and taxes | Importer of record, HTS code, duty in or out | “Duty included”, no HTS code |
| Payment terms | Deposit, balance trigger, currency, bank charges | Full prepayment to a personal account |
| Lead time | Production days after deposit, separate from sample days | One number for every SKU |
| Validity | Goods and freight validity, stated separately | “Valid today only” |
| Warranty and documents | Warranty by component, test reports, certificates | Warranty stated verbally |
If a supplier cannot fill this table, the price is an indication, not a quotation.
Why can two quotes for the same chair differ by 40%?
“Same” is doing a lot of work. The five items that move an office chair price most are foam density, fabric or mesh quality, the mechanism, the gas lift class, and the base and castor set. Each is invisible in a product photo and each is worth several dollars a unit.
Our published terms show what a real quote states: MOQ from 10 pieces per model for project pricing, 25–45 days production after deposit, FOB Shenzhen or Guangzhou as standard, with CIF, DAP and DDP quoted on request. A quote that omits quantities, ports and production days is hiding the three variables that change the total most.
Which costs hide between FOB and DDP?
FOB means the supplier delivers the goods on board the vessel at the named port and clears export. It excludes freight, insurance, import clearance and duty. Our FCL vs LCL and FOB vs DDP comparison shows how each Incoterm moves cost, risk and paperwork between buyer and supplier. DDP delivers to your address with import cleared and duty paid. The goods value should be broadly similar; everything else is added.
| Cost | FOB Shenzhen | DDP Chicago | Who can verify it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ocean freight, 40HQ | Not included | Included | Forwarder rate sheet |
| Cargo insurance | Not included | Included | Policy certificate |
| Import clearance, customs bond | Buyer | Seller or its forwarder | Customs broker |
| Duty and Section 301 tariffs | Buyer | Seller | HTS code, entry summary |
| Final mile, liftgate, inside delivery | Buyer | Often excluded | Named place in the contract |
Two fees catch buyers out. The Merchandise Processing Fee is 0.3464% ad valorem, with a minimum and maximum CBP adjusts each fiscal year, and the Harbor Maintenance Fee is 0.125% on ocean cargo — confirm current caps with your broker. The second trap is final mile: DDP usually stops at kerbside, appointment required, with inside delivery and debris removal billed separately.
The optional extras sit outside both Incoterms: tooling and molds, logo or color setup, minimum dye-lot charges, upgraded packaging, third-party testing, spare parts kits, and storage or demurrage if your warehouse is not ready. Ask for each as a separate, priced line. A supplier who will not break them out cannot be compared.
How do payment terms change the real price?
| Structure | Cash impact | Risk | When it is reasonable |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100% prepayment | Highest | Supplier default or quality failure | Never for a first order |
| 30% deposit / 70% before shipment | Standard | No leverage after balance is paid | Normal for made-to-order |
| 30% deposit / 70% against B/L copy | Standard-plus | Slight supplier risk on documents | Common for FCL |
| Letter of credit at sight | Bank fees 0.5–1.5% | Documentary discrepancies | Orders above about US$50,000 |
| Net 30/60/90 | Lowest | Supplier prices in the financing cost | Repeat buyers with history |
A 2% discount for full prepayment asks you to fund the supplier’s working capital, and it is usually worth less than the leverage you lose on quality. Net-60 is rarely free — expect it in the unit cost. Write the balance trigger as a milestone (“after pre-shipment inspection passed”), not a calendar date.
Ask for 30 days’ validity on goods and 14–30 days on freight, stated separately. Steel, foam, fabric and ocean rates move on different cycles, so “valid for 7 days” is usually pressure rather than a supply-chain fact. Tariffs are the exception: a quotation should name the HTS code it assumes and say that duty changes pass through.
How do I compare two quotations fairly?
- Confirm both quote the same specification, down to foam density and mechanism model.
- Put both at the same quantity tier, at or above the stated MOQ.
- Normalize to one Incoterm by asking each supplier for the FOB goods value plus estimated freight and duty separately.
- Add the destination costs you pay — terminal handling, broker, final mile, installation — then divide by seats delivered.
Before comparing line items, fix specification and MOQ on both sides. Our sourcing guide on MOQ, lead times and FOB prices lists the variables that make two quotes genuinely comparable.
Then read the exclusions clause twice. “Excludes installation”, “excludes customs duties” and “excludes storage beyond 14 days” are where the difference between two totals lives.
FAQ
Is a DDP quote always more expensive than FOB?
In absolute terms, almost always, because it includes freight, insurance, duty and clearance. Compare the goods value inside each quote: if the DDP goods value is materially higher for identical specification, you are paying a markup, not just passing costs through.
What is a normal MOQ for office furniture?
Project pricing commonly starts at 10 pieces per model, and single samples are usually available. Ask whether the MOQ applies per model or per order, and whether mixed colors count toward it.
What exactly does FOB Shenzhen include?
Export packing, inland transport to the port, export clearance and loading on board the vessel. It stops there. Ocean freight, insurance, import clearance, duty and delivery are yours.
How do I spot a padded freight quote?
Ask for the carrier name, sailing date and bill of lading issuer, then price the same lane with one forwarder of your own. A 10–15% margin is normal for a supplier arranging freight; 40% or more is a hidden product margin.
Can I ask for packaging costs separately?
Yes. Request cbm and gross weight per carton for every SKU — you need both to book freight and to check whether the packaging is export-grade.
Who pays the tariff under FOB?
The buyer, because the buyer is the importer of record. The supplier invoices the FOB value; duty is assessed at import against the HTS code on the entry. Keep the invoice, packing list and entry summary consistent — mismatches trigger post-entry audits.
Related reading
- Office Furniture Sourcing from China: MOQ, Lead Times and FOB Prices
- Shipping Office Furniture from China: FCL vs LCL, FOB vs DDP
- US Tariffs on Chinese Office Furniture in 2026
Next step
Send your bill of quantities, destination and target delivery date through our quote form, and we will return a quotation in this format: goods at FOB Shenzhen or Guangzhou, packaging data per SKU, and a separate DDP option. Specifications are on the catalogue; test reports are summarized on the certifications page.
Sources
- International Chamber of Commerce, Incoterms® 2020: https://iccwbo.org/business-solutions/incoterms-rules/incoterms-2020/ (accessed November 4, 2026)
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection, user fee information (MPF and HMF): https://www.cbp.gov/trade/basic-import-export/user-fee-information (accessed November 4, 2026)
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Importing into the United States: https://www.cbp.gov/trade/basic-import-export/importing (accessed November 4, 2026)
- USTR, Section 301 China investigation: https://ustr.gov/issue-areas/enforcement/section-301-investigations/section-301-china/section-301-investigation-and-actions (accessed November 4, 2026)
- U.S. International Trade Commission, Harmonized Tariff Schedule: https://hts.usitc.gov/ (accessed November 4, 2026)
- FreightUtils, 40ft high cube specification (ISO 668): https://www.freightutils.com/containers/40ft-high-cube (accessed November 4, 2026)
Last updated: November 2026
Wenyi Editorial Team
The in-house content and engineering team at Wenyi Office Furniture (Dongguan Guanzhi Furniture Co., Ltd.). We write about office ergonomics, furniture standards, sourcing and workplace design based on 20 years of manufacturing experience in Dongguan, China.