RFQ email to vendors — scripts that get quotes back

Suppliers skim dozens of buying emails a day. “Best price for bottle?” gets silence or a padded number. A structured RFQ email — product, specs, quantity tiers, EXW + FOB ask, and a reply format — signals a real order, so the good salespeople answer first and quote accurately. Copy a script below, then turn it into the full document buyers pay you attention for.

1. Standard RFQ email (use this by default)

The workhorse: quotation request email format with everything a factory needs to price in one round — no back-and-forth.

Subject: RFQ - [product + size] ([OEM/ODM]), [qty] units, FOB [port]

Dear [supplier name / Sales team],

I am [name] from [company], a [brand / Amazon seller / distributor] selling in [market].
We are sourcing [product, key specs, colors, logo method] and plan [first order] units,
est. [annual] units/year. Price-break tiers [1k/3k/5k].

Packaging: [retail box / bulk], barcodes, export carton.
QC: AQL critical 0 / major 2.5 / minor 4.0, pre-shipment inspection right.
Certs: [CE / FDA / LFGB] — please confirm existing certificates.

Please quote EXW + FOB [port], payment [30/70], samples [cost, days], mass [days].
Reply with: unit price per tier, tooling, sample terms, lead time, MOQ, validity.

Best regards,
[name] · [company] · [phone]

2. Urgent RFQ email (when you need quotes this week)

Same bones, deadline on top. Factories triage by urgency — state yours or wait in line.

Subject: URGENT RFQ - [product], quotes needed by [date], [qty] units

Dear [supplier name / Sales team],

We are placing an order within [2 weeks] and need your best quote by [date].
Product: [product + 3 key specs]. Quantity: [qty] units, FOB [port].
Packaging: [retail box / bulk]. QC: AQL 2.5 major, inspection right.

Reply with unit price, tooling, lead time, MOQ and validity.
Ready buyer — decision goes to the first complete, comparable quote.

Best regards,
[name] · [company] · [phone]

3. Follow-up email (after 3–4 days of silence)

Forward the original email, one line on top. Never rewrite — forwarding shows the full spec history and costs you ten seconds.

Subject: Re: RFQ - [product], [qty] units (following up)

Dear [name],

Following up on the RFQ below — we are shortlisting suppliers this week.
If the specs fit your line, please send unit price per tier, lead time and MOQ.
If not, a one-line no is equally helpful.

Best regards,
[name]

4. Sample request email (before any mass order)

Never skip samples. This email separates factories confident in their quality from traders stalling you.

Subject: Sample request - [product + spec], before [qty]-unit order

Dear [name],

Before confirming our [qty]-unit order, we need [2] samples in [color/spec]
with [logo method]. Please confirm: sample cost, production days, courier cost
to [country], and whether the fee deducts from the mass order.

Our QC baseline: AQL critical 0 / major 2.5. Inspection right reserved.

Best regards,
[name] · [company]

Subject lines that get opened

The request-for-quotation email subject does half the work. Formula: RFQ + product + quantity + FOB port. Three ready options:

• RFQ - [product + size], [qty] units, FOB [port]
• URGENT RFQ - [product], quotes by [date]
• Sample request - [product], before [qty]-unit order

From email to the full €9 RFQ

These scripts win replies. The full RFQ wins negotiations: the 10-section structure in our RFQ template with filled example, the China specifics in our China supplier RFQ guide, the marketplace flow in our Alibaba RFQ guide, plus a Mandarin summary and a one-page sample PDF. Generate it from one product name, preview free, unlock once for €9 — no subscription, no sales calls.

RFQ email FAQ