Reading a hand cream quote: what’s included, and what isn’t

You send the same hand cream brief to three manufacturers and get three prices that are far apart. It’s tempting to pick the lowest and move on. More often than not, the gap isn’t about the cream. One quote covers the formula and filling only, another includes a printed tube, and the third includes the tube, cap and carton. Until you know what each price covers, you can’t compare them.

Here’s what to check, line by line.

What a complete quote covers

A hand cream that arrives ready to sell is made of several parts, and each one has to be paid for by someone:

• The formula, made in bulk by the manufacturer
• Filling and sealing the tubes
• The tube, plain or printed
• The cap
• The carton, if you use one
• Fragrance, which can be priced into the formula or charged per scent
• Testing, such as stability and compatibility with the tube
• Samples and development
• Packing and delivery terms, such as whether the price is at the factory door or delivered to a port

When a quote leaves one of these out, it isn’t wrong. It just means you’ll be buying that part somewhere else, or paying for it later.

Line by line

The tube

Ask who sources the tube and whether it’s printed. If the manufacturer sources it, the price per unit may include it, but the tube supplier’s minimum still applies. Printed tubes often have a higher minimum than filling does, so a quote that says 3,000 units may assume plain tubes or a stock design. If you source the tube yourself, you also take on its lead time and make sure it arrives at the factory on time.

The cap and the carton

Caps are sometimes listed with the tube and sometimes separately. Cartons are often left out entirely, because many brands sell hand cream without one. If you want a box, ask for it on the quote, with its own minimum and lead time.

Fragrance

Ask whether the price includes fragrance and whether it changes per scent. A richer or more expensive fragrance can move the price, and each scent is usually its own variant with its own minimum.

Minimums

Check whether the minimum is per scent, per product or for the whole order, and what sets it: the batch, filling, tubes or cartons. Two quotes at 3,000 units can mean very different total orders if one counts per scent.

Samples, development and testing

Some manufacturers include a set number of sample rounds, others charge per round or charge a development fee that’s credited against the first order. Stability testing, and testing how the cream behaves in its tube, can be included or billed separately. Depending on where you sell, you may also need other tests and documents, so ask what each manufacturer provides.

Price terms, validity and lead time

Check whether the price is ex-factory (you collect it at the factory) or delivered to a port, which currency it’s in, what deposit is required and how long the price is valid. Lead times can start when you place the order or only once all materials have arrived at the factory, which can be several weeks later.

Making quotes comparable

The easiest way to compare quotes is to ask for them the same way:

• Send every manufacturer the same spec: size, texture, key ingredients, fragrance, tube, cap, decoration and carton.
• Ask for the same quantities, ideally two tiers such as 3,000 and 5,000 per scent.
• Ask for a breakdown that shows the formula and filling, tube, cap, carton, fragrance and one-time costs on separate lines.

Then work out an all-in price per unit for each quote: the unit price, plus anything it leaves out, plus one-time costs such as samples spread across the order. Here’s an illustration with made-up numbers:

• Quote 1: $1.10 for formula and filling. Add a printed tube and cap at around $0.40 and a carton at around $0.15, bought from other suppliers, and it’s about $1.65 before freight.
• Quote 2: $1.70 including a printed tube, cap and carton.

Quote 1 looks a third cheaper, but it’s about the same price, with two more suppliers to manage and their minimums to meet. Quote 2 may be the better deal once you count the time.

Red flags

• A price without a spec, or with a spec that doesn’t match what you asked for
• “Packaging included” with no detail on what that means
• A minimum with no explanation of what sets it
• A price that’s only valid for a few days
• No mention of samples or testing at all

None of these means a manufacturer is a bad choice. They mean you should ask before you compare.

How Andle helps

We ask every manufacturer and supplier to quote the same spec, then lay the quotes side by side with what each one includes and leaves out. You can see an example comparison on our home page, and read more about making hand cream in Korea. If you’re planning a hand cream, tell us what you’re making and we’ll send a free spec and MOQ review within 48 hours.