Create a common comparison unit
Define the exact product or the functional specification you are comparing. Record the identifier, variation, colour, relevant dimensions and quantity. If the proposal is a set, list every component and the number of each component per set. A price per item cannot be compared directly with a price per complete gift box.
Use the same quantity basis across proposals where possible. If quantities differ, request clarification instead of assuming the unit price will remain unchanged at another volume. Keep currencies visible and use a documented approach if internal comparison requires conversion. Do not silently combine amounts expressed in different currencies or on different dates.
Separate included, excluded and unknown
Create a row for branding, setup, personalisation, packaging, assembly, delivery and any stated taxes or fees. Mark each as included, separately priced, excluded or awaiting confirmation. An empty cell is unknown, not free. Ask whether a sample, artwork revision or additional name list introduces a charge before treating it as part of the offer.
Keep product facts beside the price. Material, size, print position and packed configuration may explain an apparent difference. If the alternatives genuinely differ, compare them as options with tradeoffs rather than forcing them into an identical-product ranking. A lower figure is useful only when the team understands what changes with it.
A hypothetical comparison without false precision
Imagine two proposals for eighty employee sets. Proposal A lists the product and logo application but leaves individual packaging unconfirmed. Proposal B lists complete packed sets and excludes delivery. This is a hypothetical example, not a Brandkom quotation. The organiser cannot yet name a cheaper complete option because each proposal has a different open component.
The organiser sends both suppliers the same scope table and asks for the missing elements. The team then compares the confirmed totals, the approved product differences and the proposed schedule. If one element remains unknown, it stays visibly unresolved rather than receiving a guessed amount that makes the spreadsheet look finished.
Approve the scope as well as the total
Before selecting an offer, check validity, assumptions, payment terms and the process for changes using the supplier’s actual written response. Keep these points in the purchasing review without turning a planning article into legal or financial advice. Ask the responsible purchasing team to resolve any terms it does not understand.
When working from the Brandkom catalogue, retain the product identifiers and the quantity used for the displayed or confirmed price. A saved shortlist helps align the discussion, but it does not replace confirmation of the complete order scope. Archive the accepted version so later revisions can be compared against an agreed baseline.
Before you move forward
- Compare the same order unit and quantity.
- Record exact products and relevant variations.
- Label every service as included, excluded or unknown.
- Keep currency and the quoted price basis visible.
- Archive the accepted scope and quotation version.
Common questions
Is the lowest unit price always the lowest order cost?
No. Branding, packaging, assembly, delivery and other stated charges can change the complete total. Compare confirmed scope and quantity before drawing that conclusion.
What should we do with an unspecified charge?
Mark it as awaiting confirmation and ask a direct question. Do not assume it is included or fill the gap with an invented amount.
Ready to turn the brief into a shortlist? Explore the catalogue or start a project in Brandkom’s free Gift Design Studio.