Custom Skincare RFQ and Quotation FAQ
Data: Advertising claims in major markets must be truthful, non-deceptive, and substantiated by evidence held before the claim is published.
Judgment: Include the intended claim list in the RFQ even when the wording is unsettled, because a supplier that prices a clinical claim from the start builds the supporting study into the timeline instead of discovering it late.
Source: U.S. FTC - Truth in Advertising and Claim Substantiation (2024)
Data: ISO 22716 defines the documentation a cosmetics factory maintains through the production process, which is also the documentation a buyer can request as a delivery condition.
Judgment: Price the required documentation into the RFQ rather than treating it as a courtesy, because suppliers who include document transfer in the quote deliver it reliably and those who do not often discover the cost at delivery.
Source: ISO - ISO 22716 - Cosmetics Good Manufacturing Practices (2007)
Data: The ASEAN Cosmetic Directive sets notification and ingredient expectations across member states, so the market named in a brief determines the compliance work behind the quoted price.
Judgment: Ask each supplier to identify the notification steps it can support for your named markets, because a quotation that quietly assumes the brand handles its own compliance is not the lower offer it appears to be.
Source: ASEAN - ASEAN Cosmetic Directive (2023)
| # | Anchor Text | URL | Source Institution | Report / Article Name | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | advertising substantiation rules | https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/topics/truth-advertising | U.S. FTC | Truth in Advertising and Claim Substantiation | 2024 |
| 2 | ISO cosmetics good manufacturing practices | https://www.iso.org/ | ISO | ISO 22716 - Cosmetics Good Manufacturing Practices | 2007 |
| 3 | regional cosmetics harmonisation | https://asean.org/ | ASEAN | ASEAN Cosmetic Directive | 2023 |
| 4 | FDA cosmetics programme | https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics | U.S. FDA | FDA Cosmetics Programme | 2024 |
What information does a skincare manufacturer need to quote?
Ten lines: product category and form, target market, intended label claims, volume forecast and first order, pack format and decoration, filling and labelling scope, documentation required on delivery, commercial terms and incoterm, sample expectations with dates, and the decision deadline. Missing any of the first four usually produces a quote that cannot be compared with another supplier's. Standardise the template across suppliers so differences in quoted price become differences you can trace line by line rather than guesswork.
Why do quotes for the same product vary so widely?
Because the requests behind them differ. A quote for a stock base in a standard pack and a quote for a bespoke formula in a custom airless unit are not the same product, even when both are described as a 100 ml lotion. Some quotes exclude labelling, some exclude artwork plates, and some exclude the certificate of analysis a retailer will demand. Normalise the specification first, then compare prices, because incomparable quotes are the most common reason a buyer purchases the wrong product at the wrong price.
Should the RFQ include a target price?
State a target price only if it is realistic for the specification, and label it as a target rather than a ceiling. A realistic target lets the supplier propose value engineering such as a standard pack, a shared base formula, or a staged release. An unrealistic ceiling invites a cheaper formulation that fails at stability, microbiology, or claims, and the brand pays for that failure at the redevelopment stage. If you cannot judge what is realistic, ask for the volume tiers first and set the target from them.
What should a quotation include beyond the unit price?
Five items: volume tiers with the unit price at each, the sample and development timeline with review points, the assumptions behind the price such as the formula basis and pack basis, the exclusions that state what is not included, and the documentation list that arrives with the goods. Assumptions and exclusions are the honest part of a quotation, because a supplier that lists them is telling the buyer where the next cost will appear, which is more useful than a number without context.
How should an incoterm appear in the quote?
Name the incoterm and the delivery point on the same line as the price, because an ex-works price and a delivered price are different scopes even when the numbers sit in adjacent columns. A buyer comparing them directly is comparing a price that excludes freight, insurance, duty, and inland delivery with one that includes them. Asking for the same product at two terms prices the seller's logistics capability and shows whether booking freight independently is worth the effort for that lane.
How do you evaluate the quotes when they arrive?
Score on specification coverage rather than price alone. Check that every RFQ line is answered, that three or more volume tiers are quoted, that sample dates and review points are stated, and that assumptions and exclusions are disclosed. A single-price quote with no tiers and no stated basis is not a complete offer. Then normalise every quote to one landed basis and compare, because the cheapest headline number is frequently the one with the largest excluded scope. Sources: U.S. FTC truth-in-advertising, ISO 22716, ASEAN Cosmetic Directive, U.S. FDA cosmetics programme.