What is a quotation reply?
A quotation reply is the email or document an exporter sends in answer to a buyer's request for quotation (RFQ). It gives the price, terms and product details the buyer asked for, so they can compare suppliers and decide. A complete, fast reply is often the difference between being shortlisted and being ignored.
What every quotation reply should include
Product and specifications
Model or design number, material, size, weight, finish. Match the buyer's wording.
Price and Incoterm
Unit price in the buyer's currency, with FOB or CIF and the port named.
Quantity and MOQ
The quantity asked for, and your minimum order.
Payment terms
Advance and balance, and against which document.
Lead time
Days from order confirmation, not from today.
Packing
Units per polybag and per carton, and carton size if asked.
Certificates
Only the ones you hold, such as ISO, OEKO-TEX or BSCI.
Validity
How long the price holds, usually 15 to 30 days.
Quotation reply email template
Subject: Quotation for [product] – [your company] (Ref: your RFQ dated [date])
Dear [Buyer name],
Thank you for your enquiry for [product]. Please find our quotation below.
Product: [name, model or design number]
Specifications: [material, size, weight, finish, colour]
Quantity: [quantity requested] · MOQ: [minimum order]
Unit price: USD [price] per [unit], FOB [port] (CIF [destination port]: USD [price])
Payment terms: [e.g. 30% advance, 70% against copy of bill of lading]
Lead time: [days] after order confirmation and advance payment
Packing: [e.g. 2 pcs per polybag, 24 pcs per export carton]
Certificates: [e.g. ISO 9001, OEKO-TEX, BSCI]
Validity: This quotation is valid for [30] days.
We can send samples within [days]. Please let us know if you would like any changes to the specifications or quantities.
Best regards,
[Your name] · [Title]
[Company] · [Phone / WhatsApp] · [Website]
Which Incoterm to quote
| INCOTERM | YOU PAY UP TO | WHEN TO USE IT |
|---|---|---|
| EXW (Ex Works) | Goods ready at your factory | Buyer has its own forwarder in your country |
| FOB (Free On Board) | Goods loaded on the ship at your port | The default for sea freight when the buyer does not say |
| CIF (Cost, Insurance and Freight) | Freight and insurance to the buyer's port | Smaller buyers who want one landed price to the port |
| DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) | Everything to the buyer's door, duties included | Only when you know the destination's duties and logistics well |
A worked example
A UK homeware buyer asks for 2,000 cotton cushion covers, 45 x 45 cm, in three colours, with your price and lead time. A complete reply names the design numbers, fabric (100% cotton, 220 GSM), price per piece FOB Nhava Sheva and CIF Felixstowe, MOQ per colour, 30% advance and 70% against a copy of the bill of lading, 45 days lead time, 50 pieces per carton with carton size, your OEKO-TEX certificate, 30 days validity, and an offer to send samples within a week. Anything the buyer asked that you cannot meet is said plainly with an alternative.
How to follow up after you send a quotation
- Day 3: confirm they received it and ask if anything needs changing.
- Day 7: send something new: a photo of a similar shipment, a sample offer or a colour card.
- Day 14: ask directly whether the order is still planned and when they decide.
- Monthly: if they went quiet, send a short update until they say no. Many orders arrive months later. Xporta can bring back buyers who went silent in your inbox.
Common mistakes that lose orders
- Replying days later. Buyers often compare the first quotations that arrive.
- Missing a point from the RFQ. A buyer who has to ask again often moves on.
- Price without an Incoterm. "USD 3.40" means little without FOB or CIF and a port.
- Lead time from today. Count it from order confirmation and advance, or you will miss it.
- Promising certificates you do not hold. It ends the relationship at the first audit.
- Generic text. Copy-pasting into a general AI tool loses your product details and past prices.
Before you reply: check the RFQ
- Is the buyer real? Check the company website, address and email domain. A free email address and a vague product list is a warning sign.
- Can you meet the specification? If not, say so and offer the closest alternative rather than ignoring the point.
- Is the quantity realistic? A trial order is normal; an order far above their size is a reason to ask questions.
- What is missing? If the RFQ leaves out the Incoterm, destination or packing, ask in the same reply and quote your default.
Email body or PDF?
Put the key lines (product, price with Incoterm, MOQ, lead time, validity) in the email body so the buyer sees them on a phone. Attach a PDF quotation on your letterhead with the full table, product photos and terms for their files. Name the file with your company, product and date, for example "Mehta-Textiles-quotation-cushion-covers-2026-10-16.pdf".
Quoting in the buyer's currency
Quote in the currency the buyer uses: USD for most markets, EUR for the eurozone, GBP for the UK. Exchange rates move, so keep the validity short when the rupee is volatile, and say which currency the price is fixed in.
A short follow-up email
Subject: Re: Quotation for [product] – [your company]
Dear [Name],
Following up on our quotation of [date] for [product]. Do you need any change to the specifications, quantity or price terms?
We can also send a sample of [design number] this week if that helps your team decide.
Best regards,
[Your name]
Let your agent write it
Xporta reads the RFQ, your catalogue and your past quotations
It answers every point (specifications, certificates, packing, MOQ and lead time) and prices the way you quote, in your tone. You check it and send. Looking for new buyers to quote? See how to find buyers for export.
Try it on an RFQQuestions
What is a quotation reply?
How do I write a quotation reply email?
Should I quote FOB or CIF?
How fast should I reply to an RFQ?
How long should a quotation be valid?
Can Xporta reply to RFQs in my inbox?