外贸学院|

热门产品

外贸极客

Popular articles

Recommended Reading

Industry Research: Market Analysis and Application of B2B Foreign Trade Quotation Strategy

发布时间:2025/04/16
作者:AB Customer
阅读:292
类型:Industry Research

This article is designed for foreign trade novices, focusing on B2B market analysis and quotation strategy application. Starting from the key factors affecting pricing, it deeply analyzes how factors such as cost, competition, and customer demand affect foreign trade quotations. It systematically explains practical quotation strategies such as cost-plus pricing, competition-oriented pricing, and customer value-based pricing, and is accompanied by specific cases and operation steps to help novices develop reasonable pricing plans and improve order conversion rates and profit margins.

screenshot_2025-04-16_11-09-39.png

This article is designed for foreign trade novices, focusing on the market analysis and application of foreign trade B2B quotation strategies. We will start with the key factors that affect the quotation, and deeply explore practical quotation strategies and their effective implementation methods. After reading this article, you will master the knowledge required to formulate a scientific and reasonable quotation plan, thereby improving order conversion rate and profit margin.

1. Introduction

In foreign trade B2B business, quotation is crucial, which directly affects the customer's decision and the company's profit. Just like the price in the vegetable market, if the price is too high, customers may turn to competitors; if the price is too low, the profit may be insufficient. Foreign trade novices often encounter confusion in the quotation process. They worry that too high a price will lead to customer loss, or too low a price will lead to reduced profits.

2. Market analysis dimension of quotation strategy

Cost composition analysis

Think of cost components like the ingredients in a dish. Costs include direct costs, such as raw materials, production costs, shipping costs, and taxes; and indirect costs, such as administrative and marketing expenses. For example, if you sell handmade crafts, the cost of the raw materials (wood, paint, etc.), the labor cost of making the crafts, the shipping costs to the customer, and any import and export taxes are all direct costs. Administrative costs (such as a supervisor's salary) and marketing costs (such as advertising) are indirect costs.

Cost Category
Specific project categories
Direct costs
Raw materials (various basic materials required for production, such as cotton and chemical fibers in the textile industry)
Direct costs
Production costs (worker wages, depreciation of production equipment, production site rental, water and electricity charges, and other costs incurred in the production process)
Direct costs
Transportation costs (domestic transportation costs, international transportation costs, including sea transportation, air transportation, land transportation costs, as well as loading and unloading fees, transportation insurance fees, etc.)
Direct costs
Taxes and fees (tariffs, value-added tax, consumption tax and other taxes and fees involved in import and export links)
Indirect costs
Management expenses (management staff salaries, office space rental, office equipment purchase and maintenance fees, travel expenses, communication fees, and other business operation and management related expenses)
Indirect costs
Marketing expenses (advertising expenses, exhibition participation fees, market research fees, promotional activities fees, sales commissions, and other expenses incurred in promoting products and expanding markets)

Competitor Research

To find out about competitor pricing, you can use various channels. B2B platforms are like large shopping malls where you can see competitor products and prices. Trade shows are also a good place to gather information. You can create a table that compares your products with your competitors in terms of price, features, and quality.

competitor Product Price Unique Features
Competitor A $X Function 1, Function 2
Competitor B $Y Function 3, Function 4

Customer demand insights

To understand your customers' needs, you can conduct background checks and have in-depth conversations. For example, if you sell high-end electronics, some customers may be more price-sensitive, while others may be more concerned with the latest features and brand reputation. By asking the right questions, you can learn what they really want.

3. Analysis of three core quotation strategies

Cost-plus pricing

  1. Calculate the cost of your product accurately: List all the direct and indirect costs involved in making and delivering your product. For example, if you are custom-making a piece of furniture, calculate the lumber, nails, paint, labor, and shipping costs.

  2. Set a reasonable profit margin: This depends on your business goals and market conditions. Common profit margins in certain industries are usually around 20% to 30%.

  3. Form a basic quote: Add the profit amount to the total cost to get the basic price.

  4. Consider market fluctuations: Keep an eye on changes in raw material prices and adjust costings accordingly.

  5. Review and Improve: Regularly review your cost-plus pricing strategy to ensure it remains competitive.

This method works well with standardized products and first-time customers. For example, if you sell standard screws, cost-plus pricing can be a straightforward pricing method.

Competition-Based Pricing

  1. Build a competitor price database: Continuously collect and update competitor price information from various sources.

  2. Analyze your product’s differentiators: Identify what makes your product unique, such as better quality, faster delivery, or additional features.

  3. Determine your price positioning: Based on your differentiation, decide whether to price your product above, equal to, or below your competitors.

  4. Monitor competitor price changes: Be prepared to adjust your prices if your competitors change them.

  5. Test the market: Try different price levels to see how the market reacts.

  6. Communicate your value: When presenting your prices to customers, highlight your differentiators.

This strategy is suitable for markets with fierce competition and homogeneous products. For example, in the smartphone market where products are relatively similar, a competition-oriented pricing strategy is usually adopted.

Customer value-oriented pricing

  1. Assess the customer’s purchase size and long-term value: If a customer is likely to place large orders regularly, then his long-term value is high.

  2. Design a tiered pricing system: Offer different prices based on order quantity or other factors. For example, offer discounts for large-volume orders.

  3. Provide value-added service packages: such as free installation, after-sales support or extended warranty.

  4. Understand your client’s budget: Try to understand how much your client is willing to spend.

  5. Custom Quotes: Tailor your prices and service packages to meet your clients’ specific needs.

  6. Follow-up: Keep in touch with the client after the quote to resolve any issues.

This approach is well suited for high-net-worth clients and custom projects. For example, if you provide custom software solutions to a large enterprise, a customer value-oriented pricing strategy can help you maximize profits while meeting customer needs.

4. Quotation strategy execution skills

Quotation Design Specifications

A well-designed quotation should include product details, payment terms, and validity period. Here is a simple template:

 Product Name: [Product Name]
 Product Description: [Describe the product]
 Quantity: [quantity]
 Unit price: [price]
 Total price: [total price]
 Payment Terms: [Payment Method and Due Date]
 Validity period: [start date] - [end date]

Price negotiation strategy

When a customer tries to negotiate a price, you need to develop a good communication strategy. For example:

Customer: “Your prices are too high, can you give me a discount?”
You: “I understand your concern. However, our product is [please state your differentiator] and is very cost-effective. If you order in larger quantities, we can give you a small discount.”

Dynamic pricing adjustment mechanism

Exchange rate fluctuations and raw material price increases will affect your costs. You should establish a corresponding price adjustment mechanism. For example, if the exchange rate changes by more than 5%, you can review and adjust the quotation.

5. Case analysis and risk warning

Success Stories

A new foreign trader won a large order by using a customer-value-oriented pricing approach. The customer was a high-net-worth company that was looking for customized products. The newcomer analyzed the customer's needs in detail, designed a tiered pricing system, and provided value-added services such as free training. In the end, the customer was very satisfied and placed a large order.

Lessons from failure

Another novice ignored cost accounting and offered a very low price in order to win the order. However, due to the increase in raw material prices during the production process, the project ended up losing money. This shows that accurate cost accounting is crucial.

Risk Warning

New entrants need to pay attention to legal risks, such as the validity period of the quotation, the matching of contract terms, etc. Make sure that all terms in the quotation are clear and legally binding.

6. Summary and tool recommendations

The following flowchart can help you choose the right quoting strategy:

Receive enquiries → Analyze requirements → Calculate costs → Prepare quotations → Send quotations → Follow up negotiations → Sign contracts

We also recommend some useful tools, such as costing templates, competitor analysis tools, and currency conversion software, that can help you make more informed decisions when it comes to pricing.

Are you ready to improve your foreign trade B2B quotation skills? Sign up for our exclusive training program now to help your business reach new heights!

B2B Quotation Strategy Cost-Plus Pricing in International Trade Customer value driven pricing Foreign trade quotation strategy Foreign trade quotation process

智领未来,畅享全球市场

想要在激烈的外贸市场中脱颖⽽出?AB客的外贸极客为您简化繁琐业务,通过智能⾃动化技术,将营销效率提升3-10倍!现在注册,体验智能外贸的便捷和⾼效。
了解AB客
专业顾问实时为您提供一对一VIP服务
开创外贸营销新篇章,尽在一键戳达。
开创外贸营销新篇章,尽在一键戳达。
数据洞悉客户需求,精准营销策略领先一步。
数据洞悉客户需求,精准营销策略领先一步。
用智能化解决方案,高效掌握市场动态。
用智能化解决方案,高效掌握市场动态。
全方位多平台接入,畅通无阻的客户沟通。
全方位多平台接入,畅通无阻的客户沟通。
省时省力,创造高回报,一站搞定国际客户。
省时省力,创造高回报,一站搞定国际客户。
个性化智能体服务,24/7不间断的精准营销。
个性化智能体服务,24/7不间断的精准营销。
多语种内容个性化,跨界营销不是梦。
多语种内容个性化,跨界营销不是梦。
https://shmuker.oss-accelerate.aliyuncs.com/tmp/temporary/60ec5bd7f8d5a86c84ef79f2/60ec5bdcf8d5a86c84ef7a9a/thumb-prev.png?x-oss-process=image/resize,h_1500,m_lfit/format,webp