Before accepting a quote, a buyer should confirm two supported points: the price of each item and that changes to future-shipment details should not be made without the buyer’s consent. The U.S. International Trade Administration identifies item prices as quotation details and states the consent condition for future-shipment changes.
These two points do not establish the currency, total payable, payment schedule, payment method, charges, refund terms, quote validity, or acceptance deadline. A buyer should not treat any of those matters as confirmed unless they are stated in the quote or confirmed separately in writing.
How to check the supported points
- Check every item price. Each item in the quotation should have a stated price. If an item has no price, the buyer should request clarification before acceptance.
- Locate the shipment-change condition. The buyer can check whether the quote or related written correspondence states that future-shipment details should not change without the buyer’s consent.
- Keep the version reviewed. Any clarification about item prices or shipment changes should be retained with the quote. An item price alone does not establish the complete payment arrangement.
What the buyer must still confirm
The two supported points leave several payment questions unanswered. Before acceptance, the buyer should seek direct written answers on:
- The applicable currency, quantities, pricing basis, and total payable.
- Payment timing, payment stages, payment method, and allocation of bank charges.
- Taxes, duties, freight, insurance, handling charges, other costs, and who is responsible for them.
- The quote-validity period and acceptance deadline.
- The conditions for cancellation, rejection, overpayment, correction, or non-acceptance, including any applicable refund terms.
- Which shipment-detail changes require consent and how that consent should be recorded.
No values or rules for these additional matters are established by the two supported points, so the buyer should avoid inferring them from the item prices or shipment-change condition.