The situation
A buyer was evaluating rollstock pricing across a meaningful freight lane.
What complicated it
One number was being discussed as a unit price without the same freight basis as the alternative. Rollstock weight and shipping distance made the omission material to the comparison.
How the question was approached
The RFQ was reframed around delivered cost to the actual plant. Each quote needed to state whether freight was included, the ship-to location, and the commercial terms. Only then could unit cost be evaluated alongside inventory, lead time, and operating fit.
What a buyer should know
- Put the ship-to location in the original RFQ.
- Label delivered, collect, and ex-works pricing clearly.
- Compare the same specification and delivery basis.