How to Compare Three Factory Quotes Side by Side (Template)
Matias Santos, Founder
Compare clothing factory quotes only when the brief is identical. Use a side-by-side sheet for unit price, MOQ, lead time, inclusions, exclusions, payment terms, sample cost and revisions, then decide after samples, not on the lowest number alone.
How do you compare three factory quotes fairly?
Only compare quotes when every factory answered the same brief. Put unit price, MOQ, lead time, inclusions, exclusions, payment terms, sample cost and revision rounds into one side-by-side sheet, then ask clarifying questions before you pick a winner. The lowest unit price is rarely the cheapest order once missing fabric, wash, labels or sampling rounds are added back in.
This guide is a working template for that sheet. It covers why brands pick the wrong quote, what must be identical across the three offers, a line-item comparison table, red flags, how to ask clarifying questions without restarting the quote, and a checklist to use after samples.
Why do brands pick the wrong factory quote?
Founder communities are full of the same stories. Pricing felt opaque, and one brand later learned it had overpaid by about 22% once a clearer brief went out. Sampling rounds that looked free in the first email turned into separate charges. A sample quote and a bulk quote were treated as the same thing, so the "cheap" factory became expensive after the first fit round.
