The starting point
Before comparing wholesale quotations, name the unit being priced and the quantity inside it. Convert the offers to the same unit, then check that product specifications and commercial terms also match. A lower carton price alone does not show a lower cost per bag.
Write the packing chain without skipping a level.
For a bag product, identify bags per roll or pack, rolls per retail box where applicable, and retail units per shipping carton. For film, identify rolls per carton and the width and length of each roll. Ask what “piece” means if the quotation uses it without a definition.
Do not invent a missing level. If the catalogue gives bags per box and boxes per carton but no confirmed rolls per box, you can calculate bags per carton. You cannot safely infer the roll arrangement from those two numbers.
Calculate quantities from actual catalogue references.
| SKU | Recorded packing | Calculation | Bags / carton |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0001yw | 100 bags / roll; 80 rolls / carton | 100 × 80 | 8,000 |
| 0576yw | 120 bags / box; 100 boxes / carton | 120 × 100 | 12,000 |
| 0657yw | 120 bags / box; 50 boxes / carton | 120 × 50 | 6,000 |
| 0718nm | 90 bags / pack; 60 packs / carton | 90 × 60 | 5,400 |
These totals are arithmetic based on supplier catalogue values. They do not confirm current inventory, a final packing agreement or interchangeability between the products. In particular, the two pet-waste examples have the same retail bag count but different quantities per carton.
Normalize the price before ranking the offers.
The basic formula is: price per 1,000 bags = quoted price ÷ bags in the quoted unit × 1,000. Use one currency and the same included costs.
Illustration only — not 4Season prices
Suppose Offer A is US$60 for a carton containing 12,000 bags and Offer B is US$36 for 6,000 bags. A is US$5 per 1,000 bags; B is US$6 per 1,000 bags. B has the lower carton price, but A has the lower price per bag.
This example uses invented prices to demonstrate the calculation. It does not recommend one product, assume equal quality or quote an order. Material, dimensions, closure, thickness and packing still need to match before a price ranking is useful.
Check whole-carton quantities and minimum-order units.
If you need at least a target number of bags, divide that target by bags per carton and round up to a whole carton where that packing rule applies. With 8,000 bags per carton, a target of 20,000 bags becomes three cartons, or 24,000 bags. Confirm whether the supplier permits a different packing arrangement before changing the total.
The supplier states a minimum of 5,000 pieces. Ask what that minimum applies to: the selected SKU, a custom design or another agreed unit. For film, confirm the meaning of “pieces” and the roll conversion explicitly. A calculated quantity does not establish that an order meets the supplier’s actual minimum or production conditions.
Keep other costs and terms visible.
Request the currency, quotation validity, payment terms, agreed delivery basis, named destination or place and what packaging is included. Ask whether artwork, printing setup, samples, freight, insurance, duties or taxes are separate. Do not compare one offer with freight included against another that excludes it without adjusting the basis.
For film, compare width and length first. A price per roll hides major differences between a short retail roll and a 400-yard roll. The cling-film buying checklist includes a length and area calculation.
Send both the order quantity and its unit.
Use a sentence such as “Please quote this SKU for three cartons, 80 rolls per carton and 100 bags per roll: 24,000 bags total; confirm current packing and terms.” Replace the example values with your selected product’s confirmed requirements.
The specification planner can multiply pack quantities, and the catalogue CSV keeps the recorded units visible. Send the SKU, quantity chain and destination to request a comparable quotation.
Relevant product ranges
Sources & scope
Method: AI-assisted drafting and organisation using the supplied catalogue and the sources listed here. Catalogue examples are supplier references; calculations are shown so buyers can reproduce them. No independent product testing was performed for this article.
This guide combines supplier catalogue facts with general procurement guidance. It does not report independent product testing or grant a product approval. Request a correction or supporting document.