WeldRead a three-wheeler quotation as four blocks: the trade term that sets where your price stops, the specification the price is tied to, the cost lines the quotation leaves out, and the commercial terms that decide when you pay. Importers who check those four blocks before comparing unit prices avoid most of the disputes that follow a first container order of cargo tricycles or tuk tuks. Below is each block, with the exact wording to look for in a proforma invoice, using the ICC Incoterms® 2020 rules as the reference for trade terms.
What should a three-wheeler quotation actually contain?
A factory quotation is only comparable when it states the vehicle, the quantity, the packing and the price basis. If any of those four items is missing. You you comparing estimates, not prices. Ask for all of the following in writing:
- Модель name or internal reference, plus the full configuration: engine size or motor and battery voltage, cabin type, cargo box or passenger body, axle type, tyre size, brake type
- Order quantity and whether the price is valid for that quantity only
- Упаковка format, CBU, SKD or CKD, and what the packing cost includes
- Unit price, currency, and total price for the order
- Incoterm plus the named port or place, for example “FOB Ningbo” or “CIF Mombasa”
- Spare parts and accessory lines, priced as separate items
- Documents included: commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, certificate of origin, any conformity certificate
- Production lead time counted from deposit, and the validity period of the price
- Payment terms and the beneficiary bank details
- Warranty scope: what is covered, for how long, and what the buyer pays
Once those lines exist, two suppliers can be compared line by line instead of by a single headline number.
EXW, FOB or CIF: which price basis should you accept?
The trade term decides where your cost stops and where your risk starts, so it changes the true cost of the order even when the vehicle is identical. The eleven Incoterms® 2020 rules split the cost and the risk between buyer and seller, and each rule lists its full cost allocation in its own article A9/B9, the reason two “same price” quotations can differ by a large margin once freight and insurance are added.
| Term | Where the price stops | Who books and pays main freight | When it makes sense |
|---|---|---|---|
| EXW (Ex Works) | At the supplier’s premises, not loaded | Buyer, from the factory gate | Rarely for a first container, you must also handle export clearance and inland haulage in China |
| FOB (Free On Board) | Loaded on board the vessel at the named Chinese port | Buyer | Most common for importers who already work with a freight forwarder and want control of routing and cost |
| CIF (Cost, Insurance and Freight) | At the named destination port, freight and minimum cover paid | Seller | Useful for a first order when you do not yet have a forwarder, or when you want one invoice covering goods and freight |
| DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) | At your address, duty paid | Seller | Convenient but hard to price honestly for vehicles: duty, VAT and local clearance vary by market and by import licence |
For container shipments of three-wheelers, FOB is the cleanest basis for comparison because freight is quoted separately by a forwarder you can audit. If a supplier only offers CIF, ask for the FOB equivalent as well, so you can see what the freight portion really costs.
How do you read a proforma invoice line by line?
A proforma invoice is the quotation converted into a document you can pay against. Treat every line as a question you are allowed to ask about.
| Line on the PI | What to verify |
|---|---|
| Unit price per model | Does the description match the specification sheet you approved, including engine size, body type and tyre size? |
| Упаковка | Is packing a separate line or included? Ask what CBU/SKD/CKD changes in unit price and in how many units fit per container |
| Spare parts | Are consumables quoted separately, and are part numbers listed? |
| OEM branding and accessories | One-time tooling or per-unit cost? What is the minimum order for custom colours or logos? |
| Documents | Which certificates are included free of charge and which are charged? |
| Freight and insurance | Only present under C-terms; ask for the FOB breakdown as well |
| Total and currency | Is the total consistent with quantity × unit price plus packing and spares? |
| Bank details and beneficiary | Does the beneficiary name match the company signing the contract? |
Which costs are never inside a factory quotation?
Even a CIF quotation stops at the destination port. On your side of the border you normally pay import duty or taxes, port and terminal charges, clearing agent fees, inland trucking, and any registration, homologation or inspection fees required by your authority. Duty on three-wheelers differs by country and by the tariff line used at declaration, so model those numbers against your own tariff schedule rather than a generic percentage, the ITC Market Access Map publishes applied tariffs and non-tariff measures by product and destination and is a good first check. Our landed cost guide shows how to assemble the full cost stack, and the HS code guide explains which classification questions your broker will ask.
How do packing format, spare parts and OEM branding change the price?
Three variables move a quotation without changing the vehicle. Упаковка format changes volume and labour: CBU ships assembled, SKD and CKD arrive in modules and reduce what you pay for space, at the cost of local assembly work. Spare parts change the order value but protect the fleet, a spare controller that you cannot source locally can idle a machine for weeks while the next container is loaded. OEM branding changes tooling and minimum quantities, so ask whether the tooling is a one-off charge and whether the logo programme applies to every future order. The import format comparison and the spare parts checklist cover the trade-offs in detail.
Why do two suppliers quote very different prices for the same tricycle?
Most price gaps come from specification drift rather than from a real discount. A cheaper “same model” often carries a smaller engine or motor, a lighter axle, thinner frame tube, fewer ply tyres, a smaller battery, no cabin, or a different packing format. Другое common causes are a trading company quoting instead of the factory, an expired currency assumption, a quotation valid only for a much larger quantity, and a price that quietly excludes spare parts or documents. When a quote is far below the others, ask the supplier to state the specification in the same format as the others and to confirm the Incoterm with the named port, the gap usually narrows or explains itself.
What commercial terms belong in a quotation?
Beyond price, a quotation should state the payment structure, the delivery window, the validity of the price, the inspection right, the warranty scope and the document list. Payment terms are the part importers most often leave vague: TT in advance, a deposit plus balance against copy of the bill of lading, and documentary credit all shift risk differently, and the payment terms guide sets out what each structure costs you. Two extra points are worth writing in: a price-adjustment clause covering currency or raw-material movement during long lead times, and an explicit sentence confirming that the buyer or their agent may inspect the goods before the container is sealed, the pre-shipment inspection checklist lists what that inspection should cover.
How do you compare two quotations on the same basis?
Rebuild every quotation into one comparison sheet before you decide. Ask each supplier for the same specification sheet, the same quantity, the same packing format and the same Incoterm, then place the replies side by side:
| Comparison column | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Unit price at FOB named port | Removes the freight variable so you compare the factory’s own price |
| Specification sheet | Reveals whether the vehicles are actually the same |
| Упаковка format and units per container | The cheapest unit price is not the cheapest order if fewer units fit |
| Included spare parts and documents | Excluded items are the hidden second invoice |
| Lead time from deposit | A long lead time raises your storage, freight and currency exposure |
| Payment and warranty terms | Cash-flow and risk terms are part of the real price |
| Validity period | A quote that expires in days cannot be planned against |
What should you confirm in writing before paying a deposit?
Before the deposit leaves, the quotation should be converted into a sales contract or an accepted proforma invoice that fixes the specification, the packing, the Incoterm and named port, the delivery window, the payment schedule, the inspection right and the warranty scope. Incoterms® rules deliberately do not cover payment or product quality, so both must be written into the contract itself, together with the country whose law governs it and how disputes are settled. Also confirm that the goods will be declared under the tariff line your broker expects, advance rulings or written classification advice from your own customs authority make that easier; the WTO’s Trade Facilitation Agreement commitments on advance rulings and published fees are the basis for that request in most member states.
Frequently asked questions
Is an EXW price always cheaper than FOB?
The factory invoice is lower, but the cost is not. Under EXW you must arrange inland haulage in China and the export declaration yourself, which usually costs more and adds delay for a buyer without a local agent. Compare EXW and FOB quotations only after adding those two items.
Can I ask one supplier for both FOB and CIF prices?
Yes, and you should. A supplier quoting both lets you see the freight portion directly and audit it against your own forwarder’s rates. If only CIF is offered, ask for the FOB equivalent before you compare with other suppliers.
Should the quotation include import duty at my end?
No, a factory quotation stops at loading or at your destination port. Duty, taxes and clearance fees are paid in your country and depend on the tariff line used at declaration, so model them separately using your national tariff or the ITC Market Access Map.
How long should a three-wheeler quotation stay valid?
Ask for a written validity period and treat anything under two weeks as short for a container order, because freight, currency and raw-material costs move. If you expect a long decision cycle, ask for the price basis that can be re-confirmed on the day you order.
Does a quotation replace a sales contract?
No. A quotation or proforma invoice records the price and terms you agreed; the contract is where quality, payment, inspection, warranty and dispute resolution become enforceable. Send back an order confirmation that repeats those points in full.
Next step
Send your destination port, target quantity and preferred packing format through the request a quote page, and WeldSen will reply with a quotation broken down by line, vehicle, packing, spares and documents, so you can compare it against any other offer on the same basis. You can also review the export catalogue first to shortlist the models you want priced.
Готовы применить это к вашему заказу?
Укажите рынок назначения и количество — мы ответим с рекомендациями по моделям, упаковке и оценкой полной стоимости в течение одного рабочего дня.
Browse by type:Passenger tuk-tuksCargo tricyclesElectricATVs
