A sourcing method of contacting roughly 20-30 candidate suppliers for quotes and logging pricing, MOQ (Minimum Order Quantity), and each supplier's ability to accommodate differentiation requests (custom colors, bundling, add-ons) side by side in a spreadsheet, rather than deciding after one or two conversations.
Apply: contact 20-30 candidate suppliers for quotes and track pricing, MOQ, and differentiation capability in a single spreadsheet to make a data-driven sourcing choice rather than picking the first workable quote.
When collecting Alibaba quotes under DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) terms, compare suppliers across three dimensions beyond price: MOQ, customization options offered, and lead time. A supplier with a slightly higher unit price but meaningfully lower MOQ or faster lead time can be the better choice for a first order, since it reduces upfront capital risk and time-to-market.