Anji DAD Furniture Sourcing / Office chair sourcing library
Why Do Similar-Looking Office Chairs Have Different Prices?
Compare office-chair quotations by mesh, foam, mechanisms, armrests, packing and included services. Use a same-basis checklist before approving a sample.
Editorial owner: Anji DAD · Published: · Updated:
Short answer
Similar pictures do not establish an identical configuration. Two quotations may include different materials, adjustments, components, packaging or services. Neither the cheaper nor the more expensive offer is automatically better. First ask both suppliers to quote the same written brief, then identify the differences and the evidence still missing.
This is a purchasing method, not a comparison of two tested chairs or real supplier prices. Use it to prepare a clearer conversation with suppliers. The illustrated product is an appearance reference; its exact configuration and commercial terms remain subject to confirmation.
1. Start with what the picture cannot confirm
A photo can help describe shape and visible surfaces. It cannot establish mesh specification, foam construction, mechanism functions, armrest travel or hidden connections. A polished base does not prove its material. Ask for the supplier model, configuration version and included options before comparing prices.
- Separate required features from optional upgrades.
- Request material and component references, not only marketing names.
- Confirm adjustments on a matching sample; do not infer performance from the image.
2. Put both quotations on the same basis
Use one row per question. Enter each supplier's actual answer in Quote A and Quote B; leave an unconfirmed field open instead of estimating. A difference is a question to resolve, not evidence that a supplier is dishonest. Foam applies to upholstered seats; mark it not applicable only after the selected construction is clear.
| Buying question | Quote A | Quote B | Evidence or open question |
|---|---|---|---|
| Model and version | Supplier to confirm | Supplier to confirm | Supplier model, configuration date and included or excluded options. |
| Mesh and upholstery | Supplier to confirm | Supplier to confirm | Material reference, construction, colour and fixing method. |
| Seat foam, where applicable | Supplier to confirm | Supplier to confirm | Foam specification and seat construction; confirm sample feel and recovery without treating density alone as a verdict. |
| Mechanism and adjustments | Supplier to confirm | Supplier to confirm | Actual controls, movement directions, travel and lock positions. |
| Armrests | Supplier to confirm | Supplier to confirm | Adjustment package, mounting, agreed play reference and replacement method. |
| Gas lift, base and casters | Supplier to confirm | Supplier to confirm | Exact references, material or finish confirmation, fit and intended floor use. |
| Packing | Supplier to confirm | Supplier to confirm | Assembly state, external carton dimensions, gross weight, units per carton and protection. |
| MOQ and options | Supplier to confirm | Supplier to confirm | Model, colour, material and branding minimums; mixed-order conditions. |
| Quotation scope | Supplier to confirm | Supplier to confirm | Quantity, currency, named trade basis, charges, validity and sample terms. |
| Acceptance and aftercare | Supplier to confirm | Supplier to confirm | Evidence, checks, approved version, compatible parts and written responsibilities. |
3. Check what is included beyond the chair
Compare the same quantity, currency, quotation validity and payment assumptions. Record sample charges, packing, agreed checks, replacement parts and any excluded services separately. Where an Incoterms rule is used, record the rule, edition and named place or port, then reconcile the included costs. ICC explains that these rules allocate delivery tasks, costs and risks; the acronym alone is not a complete quotation.
- Do not compare an unqualified factory price directly with a differently scoped export quotation.
- Ask which configuration, colour and packaging the MOQ covers; mixed orders require separate confirmation.
4. Link the quotation to the sample and production record
Keep a dated configuration sheet with the quoted components, approved sample reference and unresolved items. Record a proposed substitution before treating it as equivalent. Intertek describes furniture checks covering assembly, finishes and packaging, with production and pre-shipment checks against specifications. This supports defining a model-specific inspection brief; it does not mean Anji DAD or the pictured chair has been tested by Intertek.
- Ask for a matching component list, actual adjustment demonstration and packaging specification.
- For any report, check issuer, date, tested model, configuration and scope; request clarification if they do not match.
- Agree the inspection method, acceptance criteria and change-approval responsibility before production.
5. Send a useful follow-up instead of asking only for a discount
Please requote the attached configuration for our market, estimated quantity and destination. Identify every difference, exclusion and optional item. Confirm the sample configuration, packing data, quotation validity and evidence available. Mark anything not yet confirmed and tell us what is needed to resolve it.
- This is a message template, not a sent inquiry or a commercial commitment.
- Use the contact form to start with model, market, quantity and destination. The form does not upload quotation files; agree a suitable sharing method with Will.
Prepared with AI assistance for Anji DAD. Sourcing contact: Will Zhang, furniture sourcing coordinator in Anji, China. No factory audit, product test or supplier quotation is reported here.
Sources and scope
Apply the checklist to your next sourcing discussion
Buyer questions
Does a higher quote prove better quality?
No. Ask what changed in the specification, included services or evidence. Price alone cannot establish performance.
Can I compare two suppliers using the same product photo?
Use it as a visual brief, then obtain separate written configurations and matching samples. The photo does not prove the components are identical.
What if a supplier cannot confirm a field yet?
Mark it pending, identify who will provide the evidence and when, and resolve the relevant uncertainty before approving the configuration.
Discuss your requirement with Will Zhang
Share your market and the chairs you need with Will Zhang, furniture sourcing coordinator, at frankvxdiana@163.com or WhatsApp +86 178 5876 5364. Company, quantity and destination port can follow later. Final specifications, MOQ, price, lead time and packing are confirmed for each inquiry.