Why “delivery included” is not enough.
An Incoterm with a named place removes the ambiguity: it defines where the seller’s cost and risk end. That is why every quotation states the basis explicitly instead of assuming a default.
Sourcing terms · Commercial boundaries
Commercial terms are confirmed in writing, order by order.
Delivery basis, payment structure, sampling costs, size grading and inspection criteria all depend on the order. This page explains which terms exist, why each one is confirmed per quotation, and what is never assumed.
The principle
Every commercial term is written into the quotation.
Most sourcing disputes do not start with a bad factory. They start with two parties using the same words for different assumptions — “FOB”, “sample cost”, “approved”. The way to prevent that is to put each term on a document, per order.
Why terms are set per order.
Destination, order shape, material sourcing and sampling history all change what is reasonable. A fixed public policy would either overstate or misstate the terms that apply to a specific project.
Production is judged against the standard you approved.
Inspection criteria, measurement references and acceptance limits are agreed before production, so a finding can be checked against a document rather than an opinion.
Terms confirmed per order
Six commercial terms, and where each one is written.
None of these are published as fixed numbers. Each one is stated on the quotation or agreement for the actual order, where the specifics belong.
Delivery basis and Incoterms
Quotations state the delivery basis using Incoterms 2020 terminology, so both sides know where the seller’s responsibility ends and yours begins.
- The Incoterm, named place and mode are written on the quotation
- Freight, insurance and destination charges follow the stated basis
- The basis can differ between sample shipments and bulk orders
Payment terms
Payment structure is set per order in the commercial agreement, not published as a fixed public policy.
- Deposit and balance proportions are stated before production starts
- Sample fees and bulk payments may follow different structures
- Currency, account details and payment references are confirmed in writing
Sampling costs
Each sampling round is quoted before work starts, including what the fee covers and how courier costs are handled.
- What the sample fee includes, and what triggers a re-charge
- Courier account or shipping cost responsibility
- Whether and how sample fees relate to a following bulk order
Size chart and grading
Grading runs to your size chart, or to a chart developed for the project — the approved chart becomes the measurement reference for inspection.
- Which size chart is the approved reference, and its revision date
- Tolerance ranges applied at inspection
- How grade rules handle fit-critical points
Inspection and acceptable quality
The inspection plan, sampling method and acceptance limits for the order are agreed before bulk production, not argued afterwards.
- Which checkpoints apply and who performs them
- The measurement and workmanship criteria, tied to the approved sample
- How findings are recorded and what triggers a corrective action
Documents and shipment
Packing, carton marks, shipping documents and any destination-specific paperwork are confirmed against the delivery basis and your market requirements.
- Packing method, assortment and carton marking
- Documents issued for the shipment and who receives them
- Responsibility for destination-market labelling requirements
What is never assumed
Four boundaries that keep the quotation honest.
These apply to every inquiry, sample and order, regardless of how the conversation started.
- No price, term or date is valid until it appears on a written quotation or agreement
- Published lead times and MOQ ranges describe how orders are scoped, not a commitment to any specific order
- Sample results do not create production capacity or delivery commitments
- Anything not written into the quotation is an open question, not an assumption
From first message to loaded cartons
From brief to shipment: what happens when.
Eight stages carry every order from a text brief to loaded cartons. Each one has a decision attached; only the sampling window is published as a range, and every other duration is stated on the quotation for the actual order.
- 01
Send the RFQ
Category, order shape, destination market, timing context and available files — working estimates are accepted as estimates.
- 02
Feasibility review
Construction, process and supplier fit are checked against the brief. Open questions come back to you before anything is priced.
- 03
Receive the quotation
Scope, delivery basis with named place, payment structure and sampling costs — each stated for this order.
- 04
Sampling
About 3 working days from a tech pack, drawing or approved reference sample, and about 5 from images and a written brief.
- 05
Sealed sample
Your approval seals the measurement chart and workmanship reference that bulk is judged against.
- 06
Bulk production
Runs against the sealed sample and the recorded materials. Duration is stated on the quotation, not assumed.
- 07
Inspection
In-line checks during sewing and a final inspection before packing, at the acceptance level agreed before production started.
- 08
Shipment
Packing, carton marks and the document set are prepared against the agreed delivery basis and your forwarder.
Reading a quotation
What a quotation contains, and what moves the price.
No prices are published on this page because a number without its specification is noise. What is published is the anatomy: what every quotation states, which variables move the figure, and what is never inside it.
The scope, in writing, before payment.
Specification basis and approved reference, the Incoterm with its named place, the payment structure, sampling costs and courier responsibility, and the inspection criteria the goods are judged against.
What moves the price.
Fabric composition and weight, the colour count, the number of processes — print, embroidery, wash, finishing — quantity per style, and trims or hardware specifications. Change one, and the figure moves for a reason you can see.
Costs outside the garment price.
Destination duties, taxes and market-entry costs are outside a garment price unless the quotation is explicitly made on a DDP-style basis. Unquoted scope is an open question, not an assumption on either side.
Questions before the next step
Answer the terms questions before the brief.
These answers define the decision boundary for this page. Commercial terms and factory-specific feasibility still require project review.
01Why are payment terms and delivery bases not published as a fixed policy?
Because they depend on the order: destination, order shape, Incoterm, material sourcing and sampling history all change what is reasonable. Publishing one fixed structure would either overstate or misstate the terms that apply to your project. The written quotation is the only reliable source.
02Can I get sample terms confirmed before sending files?
Yes. Sampling scope and cost are quoted before any work starts. Share the product direction through the RFQ and the sampling quotation will state what the fee covers, how couriers are handled and what happens if the sample moves to bulk.
03Which Incoterms can be quoted on?
Quotations use Incoterms 2020 terminology and state the term and named place for each order. The appropriate basis depends on your destination, freight arrangement and customs setup, so it is confirmed per quotation rather than assumed.
04What happens if a delivered order does not match the agreed criteria?
Inspection criteria, checkpoints and acceptance limits are agreed before production, with findings recorded against them. Nonconformities follow the documented decision path on the quality-control framework page — the same evidence standard applies in both directions.
From research to a useful brief
Send us the terms you need confirmed.
You do not need every answer before the first conversation. Share the product direction, available files, quality expectations and known commercial context.