Before You Quote: Collect These 12 Fields First
Before You Quote: Collect These 12 Fields First
Last checked: May 2026
This is an informational answer card for small suppliers who answer stock, MOQ, sample, quote, and delivery questions through chat or email.
It does not sell a product, collect payment, link to checkout, collect contact details, or request private business data.
The Situation
A buyer asks:
Do you have this fabric in stock? What is the MOQ? Can I get a sample? How soon can you ship?
The seller cannot quote yet because the buyer has not provided enough detail. The seller still needs quantity, destination, deadline, sample need, and item requirements before deciding whether to quote, ask one follow-up, or decline.
The useful decision is simple:
Should I keep answering stock / MOQ / sample questions one by one,
or should I collect the required pre-quote fields first?Before
Buyer: Do you have sage fabric?
Seller: Maybe. How many meters do you need?
Buyer: Not sure, maybe 50.
Seller: Do you need a swatch first?
Buyer: Yes, and can you ship by next Friday?
Seller: Where are you located?The quote keeps slipping because the seller is discovering the request one message at a time.
After
The buyer submits:
- item or material interest
- quantity range
- sample need
- destination
- needed-by date
- special requirements
The seller can then decide:
ready_to_quoteneeds_one_follow_upsample_firstnot_availableoutside_moqoutside_timeline
This does not promise stock, price, sample availability, or delivery. It only collects enough information to make the next quote decision cleaner.
Turn The First Three Questions Into One Page
If your quote process still starts with scattered chat messages, write down the first three questions buyers ask before you can answer stock, samples, MOQ, price, or delivery.
Then map those questions into one simple inquiry page:
- what the buyer wants
- how much they need
- whether they need a sample
- where it ships
- when they need it
- what detail is still missing
The goal is not to promise stock or price early. The goal is to know whether you can quote now, ask one precise follow-up, or decline clearly.
Start with one paragraph:
A buyer asks about [item]. Before I can quote, I need to know [quantity], [sample need], [destination], [date], and [missing detail].
The 12 Fields To Collect Before Quoting
| # | Field | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Buyer name | Identifies the requester. |
| 2 | Company or shop name | Separates trade requests from casual browsing. |
| 3 | Contact method | Gives the seller a stable reply route. |
| 4 | Product or material category | Routes the inquiry to the right inventory group. |
| 5 | Item name, SKU, or reference | Prevents vague matching. |
| 6 | Requested quantity or range | Determines MOQ, stock fit, and price tier. |
| 7 | Sample needed | Separates sample workflow from bulk quote workflow. |
| 8 | Destination country or city | Affects shipping feasibility and lead time. |
| 9 | Needed-by date | Shows urgency and timeline feasibility. |
| 10 | Intended use | Catches unsuitable material, compliance, or mismatch risk. |
| 11 | Special requirements | Captures color, width, composition, certification, packaging, tolerance, or customization. |
| 12 | Permission to follow up | Allows one quote-related follow-up without implying marketing consent. |
Fabric-Specific Add-Ons
For fabric or materials suppliers, add these fields when they apply:
| Field | Why it helps |
|---|---|
| Color or color family | Common first filter. |
| Composition | Cotton, linen, polyester, blend, and similar details. |
| Width | Affects suitability and price comparison. |
| Roll, yard, or meter need | Aligns stock unit with buyer language. |
| Swatch request | Separates sample stock from bulk stock. |
| Repeat-order interest | Helps decide whether a one-off stock item is enough. |
How The Inquiry Maps To A Quote Sheet
The inquiry page collects buyer intent. The quote sheet turns that inquiry into a seller-side decision row.
| Inquiry field | Quote-sheet field | Seller-side decision |
|---|---|---|
| Buyer name | Buyer / company | Who receives the quote. |
| Company or shop name | Account / buyer type | Trade buyer, shop, maker, or casual inquiry. |
| Contact method | Reply route | Where the seller can answer. |
| Product or material category | Matched category | Which stock area to check. |
| Item name, SKU, or reference | Matched item / SKU | Whether the seller can identify the request. |
| Requested quantity or range | Available quantity + MOQ | Whether stock and MOQ fit. |
| Sample needed | Sample availability | Quote now or sample-first. |
| Destination country or city | Shipping dependency | Whether shipping and timing are plausible. |
| Needed-by date | Lead-time check | Whether the request fits timeline. |
| Intended use | Suitability note | Whether the material appears appropriate. |
| Special requirements | Fulfillment boundary | What is and is not included. |
| Permission to follow up | Follow-up needed | Whether to ask one precise question. |
Demo Quote-Sheet Row
Demo data only. Replace every sample row with your own accurate, authorized stock, MOQ, sample, price, and lead-time information before using this with buyers.
| Field | Demo value |
|---|---|
| Inquiry ID | DEMO-001 |
| Requested item | Cotton-linen blend A |
| Demo color | Sage |
| Requested quantity | 50 meters |
| Sample needed | Yes |
| Destination | Demo city |
| Needed-by date | Demo date |
| MOQ | 30 meters |
| Sample status | Swatch available |
| Lead time | 3-5 business days after confirmation |
| Quote status | sample_first |
| Follow-up needed | Confirm shipping city and final meter count. |
Safety Boundary
Demo data only. Replace every sample row with your own accurate, authorized stock, MOQ, sample, price, and lead-time information before using this with buyers.
Do not use real supplier names, customer names, private SKUs, exact factory data, unpublished inventory, scraped catalog data, or private buyer messages in this example.
This page does not collect buyer inquiries, supplier inventory, contact details, quote requests, uploads, or private business data.
What This Page Is Not
This page is not:
- a product page
- a checkout page
- a paid download
- a quote automation service
- a supplier database
- a customer intake form
- a real buyer-data collection form
- a stock verification tool
- a margin calculator
- a promise of stock, price, delivery, sales, business results, or proof that this example will work for a specific supplier
It is only a public information surface about one pre-quote decision.