Vietnam vs China Sourcing: Compare the Same Product and Scope

Define one comparison brief

Start with a product and specification version that both suppliers have received through an approved channel. State the order quantity, variant mix, materials, packaging, delivery destination and buyer requirements. Separate essential requirements from options you are willing to discuss. Ask suppliers to identify every departure rather than quietly substituting their standard product.

Compare an existing supplier’s current offer with a new supplier’s current offer, not an old invoice against a preliminary estimate. Record each offer’s date and validity. WHO’s published printing RFQ is a concrete example of a buyer requesting defined specifications and explicit variations; it is not a manufacturing standard or evidence of typical terms in either country.

WHO: example request for quotation and specification fields

Normalize quotations and exclusions

Place the quoted unit, currency and included work side by side. Separate recurring product charges from samples, setup, tooling, packaging or other quoted items. Leave unknown costs blank and request clarification. A lower unit price is not a meaningful advantage if it applies to a different specification or excludes work included in the other offer.

Record the delivery basis exactly. Incoterms rules allocate certain buyer and seller obligations, costs and risks; ICC explains why the chosen rule needs a named place and edition. Have the appropriate adviser clarify any mismatch rather than treating different delivery terms as interchangeable. Keep tariff, origin, tax and legal questions outside this product-quote comparison.

• Same quantity, variant mix, material and packaging?
• Same quoted unit and clear currency?
• One-time and repeat-order charges shown separately?
• Included work, exclusions and validity stated?
• Delivery rule, named place and edition recorded where applicable?

Use the detailed factory quote comparison checklist

ICC: what Incoterms rules cover and how to identify them

Separate samples, materials and production lead time

Ask each supplier for a dated estimate with a clear start trigger. Separate sample preparation, buyer review, revisions, material availability and production. Confirm whether any activities overlap and what must happen before the next stage starts. Keep transport estimates separate from factory production estimates.

If one supplier quotes production after sample approval and another counts from payment or material receipt, resolve the difference before comparing dates. Record shutdowns or capacity assumptions only when the supplier confirms them for your project. Do not replace unanswered schedule questions with generic country lead-time ranges.

Build a supplier-specific production timeline

Compare MOQ and customization tradeoffs

Ask whether the minimum applies to the whole order, each colour, size, material or packaging version. Confirm the permitted combination and what changes if you reduce variants or use an existing option. Compare the order you would actually place, not a headline minimum for a different configuration.

Record supplier-specific tradeoffs such as a separately quoted setup charge, a different unit price or fewer customization options. Ask whether the same arrangement would apply to a repeat order. Neither a low minimum nor a larger accepted order demonstrates that a country is cheaper or that a supplier is better for your product.

Compare unresolved evidence and transition effort

Finish with a decision record, not a national ranking. Identify which points are confirmed in current documents, which are supplier estimates and which still need samples or specialist review. Consider the work required to establish a new supplier: approved file sharing, sample review, communication responsibilities and a controlled trial.

If an unresolved essential requirement could change the decision, request the evidence before committing. If both offers remain viable, choose the next comparison step and its owner. The outcome may be further review, a limited trial, keeping the existing supplier or pausing; there is no required country winner.

Plan a second supplier and a controlled trial

Review factory sourcing support