Supplier Negotiation Script

When to use this

• First contact with a new supplier and you want the right opening.
• Existing supplier and you want better terms on the next order.
• Diversifying to a new origin and negotiating from scratch.
• Volume jumping and the seller wants to capture the leverage.

The framework. The Seven Levers

1. Unit price. The obvious one. Anchor with a target based on benchmark research or competitor sourcing. Always ask for the best price, not a number you will accept.
2. MOQ (minimum order quantity). Suppliers quote a high default. for a first order, request a smaller trial MOQ to test before commitment.
3. Payment terms. The default is 30% deposit, 70% on shipment. Negotiate to a smaller deposit (10-20%) with the balance net 30, or a 30/60/10 split where the final 10% is held until quality is confirmed. LC and escrow are alternatives. Cash terms are a real cost.
4. Lead time. Confirm production days, ask about expedite options, and pin down the actual ship date in writing.
5. Packaging. Branded, custom box, polybag spec. negotiate inclusion in the unit price or as a separate cost. crucial for FBA prep compliance.
6. Quality control. Pre-shipment inspection, AQL level, third-party inspection service, sample retention. negotiate who pays.
7. Tariff sharing. For tariff-volatile categories, negotiate that price adjustments require evidence and a cap, not unilateral supplier price hikes.

Step by step

1. Collect inputs. The product, current quote or expected starting numbers, the seller's target volume, the seller's leverage (volume, future orders, brand credibility).
2. Set targets per lever. What is the ideal and what is the walk-away on each.
3. Sequence the asks. Initial email focuses on price + MOQ. Round 2 covers payment terms and lead time. Round 3 covers packaging and QC. Tariff sharing appears late, when the relationship is warm.
4. Write each email. Professional, brief, dollar-specific. Each ask is its own email or its own paragraph.
5. Plan the concession ladder. Be willing to accept on lever 4-5 in exchange for lever 1-2. Never give all in one round.
6. Document agreements. Email confirmation of every term agreed. spoken agreements with overseas suppliers do not stick.
7. Run the quality check, then deliver.

Output format

## Negotiation Plan. [supplier or product]

### Targets per lever
1. Unit price: target [$], walk-away [$]
2. MOQ: target [N], walk-away [N]
...

### Email sequence
Email 1 (price + MOQ): [template]
Email 2 (payment + lead time): [template]
Email 3 (packaging + QC): [template]
Email 4 (tariff sharing, if relevant): [template]

### Concession ladder
[what to give up on to get what]

Worked example

Quality check

• Targets and walk-aways are set for every lever, not just price.
• The negotiation is sequenced over multiple emails, not one giant ask.
• Concessions are planned in advance. you trade lever 4 for lever 1.
• Every agreed term is documented in writing, not spoken.
• Tariff-sharing language is in writing for tariff-volatile categories.

Common mistakes

• Negotiating price only. Leaving MOQ, payment, and packaging unnegotiated.
• One giant email. Asking for everything at once produces a flat 'no' or one small concession.
• No walk-away. Without a real walk-away, the supplier knows you will accept.
• Spoken agreements. Production for orders agreed by WeChat or call alone often diverges from what the seller thought was agreed.

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