How to Review Your Suppliers and Cut the Cost of What You Already Buy

Most businesses look hard at a supplier when they first choose one, then rarely look again. Prices agreed three years ago carry on, quantities grow, and nobody checks whether the deal still makes sense. If budgets are tight, the products you already buy every month or every season are often the easiest place to save money without cutting anything you need.

This guide explains how to review your suppliers properly: why costs creep up, the signs it’s time to look again, how to compare prices fairly, and when it’s better to stay exactly where you are.

Why the cost of what you buy creeps up

Few suppliers raise prices dramatically. Costs usually rise quietly, for reasons like these:

• Layers of margin. Many branded and everyday products sold in the UK are made overseas, then pass through an importer, a wholesaler and a distributor before they reach you. Each step adds a margin.
• Old prices that never get reviewed. A price set when you ordered 200 units may still apply now you order 2,000.
• Specification creep. A heavier fabric, an extra print colour or premium packaging gets added once and stays on every order, whether you need it or not.
• Small, rushed orders. Topping up stock in small quantities at short notice usually costs more per unit than a planned order.
• Extras on the invoice. Set-up fees, delivery charges and surcharges that weren’t in the original quote.

7 signs it’s time to review your suppliers

1. You haven’t compared prices in over a year. If nobody can remember the last time you benchmarked a product, it’s worth checking.
2. Your order quantities have grown, but your unit price hasn’t moved. Bigger volumes should usually mean a better price.
3. Deliveries arrive late more than once. One delay can happen to anyone; a pattern costs you time and customers.
4. Quality changes from batch to batch. Colours, sizes or materials that drift are a sign your supplier isn’t controlling production.
5. Your final invoice rarely matches the quote. Unclear costs make budgeting impossible.
6. You have to chase for updates. Slow or vague replies usually get worse when something goes wrong.
7. Lead times are so long that customers complain. If people are waiting six weeks for something simple, there may be a faster route.

If two or more of these sound familiar, a review is worth an afternoon of your time.

How to review your suppliers in 5 steps

1. List what you buy and what you pay

Start with the products you reorder regularly. For each one, note the unit price, typical order quantity, how often you order, the lead time and any problems you’ve had. A simple spreadsheet is enough. You’ll often find that a handful of products make up most of your spend.

2. Write down the exact specification

You can only compare prices fairly if every supplier is quoting for the same thing. Record the material, size, weight, colours, branding method, packaging and any standards or certificates the product needs. Photos and an existing sample help a lot.

3. Compare the all-in landed cost, not just the unit price

A low factory price can look attractive until shipping, duty and import VAT are added. Always compare the landed cost: the full price to get the product to your door.

Cost	What it covers
Product	The unit price, including branding and packaging
Samples and set-up	Sample costs, printing plates, moulds or tooling
Shipping	Air, road or sea freight to the UK, plus local delivery
Duty	Import duty, which depends on the product’s commodity code
Import VAT	Charged on most goods imported into the UK, usually at the standard rate
Service or management	The cost of the agent or distributor managing the order

If you’d like to understand these costs in more detail, read our guide on how much it costs to import from China to the UK.

4. Sample before you switch

Never switch on price alone. Ask for a sample made to your specification and compare it side by side with what you buy now. Nothing should go into bulk production until you’ve approved it.

5. Move one product first

You don’t need to change everything at once. Start with one product, compare the quality, delivery and service over an order or two, then decide what to do next. It keeps the risk low and gives you real evidence instead of a sales promise.

When it’s better to stay with your current supplier

A review doesn’t always end in a switch, and that’s a good result too. Staying put often makes sense when:

• You need very small quantities, or goods within days
• Your supplier is reliable, responsive and priced fairly for your volumes
• The product needs frequent design changes at short notice
• The saving is small once landed costs and your own time are included

Sourcing from China works best for products you order regularly, in planned quantities, where a lead time of a few weeks is manageable.

Get a free supplier review

If you’d rather not do this yourself, we can do it for you. Send us up to 5 products you buy regularly, with your current prices and lead times, and our team will compare them with manufacturers in China. You’ll get a short written review with our honest view on each product: switch, improve the specification, or stay where you are.

It’s free, there’s no obligation and we never contact your current supplier. Request your free supplier review, or read more about how we help when costs are too high or a supplier keeps letting you down.

Frequently asked questions