# Price Case Cards

Use these cards first for price and quotation problems.

## CASE-PRICE-001 Online display price is lower than actual quote

- Stage: Quote follow-up
- Trigger phrases:
  - Your website price is much lower
  - Online platform price and actual price do not match
  - Client doubts our sincerity because of low display pricing
  - 网页价格比实际的低
  - 客户说某平台价格和报价不一样
- Source anchors:
  - `03-email-case-library.md / SRC-003 / Cases 14, 47, 72 online price mismatch`
- Case takeaway:
  - Explain the gap with B2B variables: quantity tiers, customization, specifications, material grade, shipping terms, or old promotional listings.
  - Acknowledge the confusion honestly — "I have to say sorry that we write some lower cost on the website as attraction purpose."
  - Re-anchor the client on the actual commercial conditions: B2B pricing differs from B2C display pricing due to quantity, customization, specifications, and included services.
  - Emphasize that the quoted price reflects the real cost of delivering what the client actually needs.
  - If needed, offer to break down the price components so the client understands where the cost comes from.
- Reply mindset:
  - Clarify logic, not excuses
  - Move from list price to deal conditions
  - Rebuild trust fast with transparency
- Do not say:
  - The website price is fake
  - We use low prices only to attract traffic
  - Just ignore the website price

## CASE-PRICE-002 Client is comparing suppliers but still signals interest

- Stage: Negotiation stage
- Trigger phrases:
  - The client says your quality is good but another supplier is cheaper
  - They still want to cooperate but keep comparing
  - We need to defend our quote without losing the client
  - 客户比价，说别人更便宜
  - 客户说质量好但价格高
  - 客户在找其他供应商报价
- Source anchors:
  - `03-email-case-library.md / SRC-003 / Cases 15-19 price comparison and alternative supplier`
- Case takeaway:
  - Respond to the client's stated desire to keep cooperating — mirror their intent: "We sincerely hope we can continue to maintain a friendly and long-term cooperation."
  - Break down why the quotes differ: stock vs non-stock, material grade (domestic vs imported), spec level, included service, payment terms, or freight.
  - Use evidence and controlled comparison: offer to send samples of different material grades for the client to compare, or ask the client to share the competitor's specifications for a fair comparison.
  - Remind the client of past cooperation quality — "You are satisfied with our product quality, and there are not any problems until now."
  - After explaining, re-express cooperation willingness and offer a best price that came from "a company meeting discussion" (not a casual discount).
- Reply mindset:
  - Keep the relationship warm
  - Explain price structure with evidence
  - Convert comparison into value validation
- Do not say:
  - Then go buy from them
  - Our quality is better, trust us
  - The other supplier is lying about their price

## CASE-PRICE-003 Client keeps cutting price and adds conditions

- Stage: Negotiation stage
- Trigger phrases:
  - The client wants a very low target price
  - The order volume looks large but the target price is impossible
  - The client wants low price and extra requirements together
  - 客户砍价并提出附加要求
  - 客户目标价做不了
  - 大单但价格太低
- Source anchors:
  - `03-email-case-library.md / SRC-003 / Cases 18, 44 price cut with add-on requests`
- Case takeaway:
  - State clearly where the low target breaks commercial reality — ask the client where their target price comes from.
  - Show that you already tried to support the project: reference internal meetings, cost calculations, and the effort invested.
  - Use the "win-to-win" framing: "A long and good business really needs win to win, please kindly consider my requirement, otherwise, how we continue to?"
  - Keep the conversation on win-win terms — ask the client to adjust quantity, specs, payment, or other conditions if they want further support.
  - If the client's target is truly impossible, be honest: "We don't understand where US$X comes from" — this forces the client to justify their position.
- Reply mindset:
  - Hold the commercial floor
  - Link any support to conditions
  - Avoid naked discounting
- Do not say:
  - We have no profit at all, please pity us
  - This is our final final price
  - You are being unreasonable

## CASE-PRICE-004 Old or key customer keeps benchmarking and pushing down

- Stage: Existing-customer reorder stage
- Trigger phrases:
  - Large customer keeps benchmarking competitors
  - Video call ended and they still demand lower price
  - We need to win without joining endless price cuts
  - 大客户不停降价比价
  - 老客户一直压价
  - 客户拿同行比价
- Source anchors:
  - `03-email-case-library.md / SRC-003 / Cases 38, 50 large customer keeps comparing prices`
- Case takeaway:
  - Confirm respect for the relationship and the project history — reference the video meeting, the time invested, and the cooperation history.
  - Reframe the decision around material consistency, stability, support, and long-term risk — provide a visual comparison (good feedback vs bad feedback from other suppliers).
  - If useful, provide a structured comparison pack for the client's internal use — help them justify your price to their management.
  - Address the real cost pressures honestly: exchange rate changes, material cost increases, shipping cost increases — show the math.
  - Offer value-adds instead of price cuts: spare parts, extended warranty, priority production slots, technical support.
- Reply mindset:
  - Defend strategic value with evidence
  - Equip the client to justify your quote internally
  - Keep the tone calm and senior
- Do not say:
  - If you want cheap, quality will be bad
  - You are always forcing us
  - We will match any price

## CASE-PRICE-005 Price increase or surcharge update

- Stage: Quote follow-up or reorder stage
- Trigger phrases:
  - We need to raise prices because of raw material or exchange changes
  - The client was already upset last time
  - We need a firm but rational increase notice
  - 涨价话术
  - 原材料涨价怎么跟客户说
  - 汇率变化要涨价
- Source anchors:
  - `03-email-case-library.md / SRC-003 / Cases 33, 38, 41, 66, 70, 73-75 price increase wording`
- Case takeaway:
  - Treat price increase as a normal business adjustment, not an apology letter — be confident and factual.
  - Explain the cause briefly and directly: raw material increase, exchange rate change, shipping cost increase, tax policy change.
  - Use the standard framework: "Please do trust we would not add the cost without reason, as long as we have the reasonable profits sure we would not charge from our customers."
  - Offer a time window, stock reservation, or earlier order placement if appropriate — "The earlier you confirm, the more you can save."
  - Promise to inform the client promptly if prices decrease in the future — this builds trust for the long term.
  - If the increase is large (>10%), send a "testing" email first to gauge the client's reaction before sending the final price.
- Reply mindset:
  - Be straightforward and confident
  - Show logic and timing
  - Preserve authority while still supporting the order
- Do not say:
  - We are very scared you will be angry
  - Please accept this once for our sake
  - We have no choice, take it or leave it

## CASE-PRICE-006 Client says buying locally is cheaper

- Stage: Negotiation stage
- Trigger phrases:
  - Client says they can buy cheaper in their own country
  - Client says local supplier offers better price
  - Client uses local pricing to pressure us
  - 客户说当地买更便宜
  - 客户说在本地采购更划算
- Source anchors:
  - `03-email-case-library.md / SRC-003 / Case 53 client says local purchase is cheaper`
- Case takeaway:
  - Use the "reverse general" approach — if the client can truly buy cheaper locally, why are they still talking to you? There must be something you offer that the local option doesn't.
  - Distinguish between a one-time sample order and a long-term supply relationship: "If you only need this sample order, I also strongly advise you to buy locally. But if this is a test order for future bulk business, I strongly advise you to keep this sample order with us."
  - Remind the client of the time and effort both sides have invested — "We already spent much time on this order, I do trust both of us would love to make all of our effort more valuable."
  - Position your value as a long-term supply partner, not just a price point.
- Reply mindset:
  - Call the bluff professionally
  - Distinguish sample vs bulk economics
  - Anchor on long-term value
- Do not say:
  - That's impossible, local prices can't be lower
  - You're lying about the local price
  - Fine, go buy locally then

## CASE-PRICE-007 Price stalemate — encourage partial order to break deadlock

- Stage: Negotiation stage
- Trigger phrases:
  - Price negotiation is stuck, neither side will move
  - Client won't confirm because of price gap
  - We need to break the deadlock without giving in
  - 价格僵局
  - 谈判僵持不下
  - 客户因为价格不下单
- Source anchors:
  - `03-email-case-library.md / SRC-003 / Cases 56-57 price stalemate, encourage partial order`
- Case takeaway:
  - Use the "retreat to advance" strategy — encourage the client to place a smaller initial order to test the market, then discuss better terms for larger follow-up orders.
  - Frame it as solving the deadlock together: "Let's solve the first part first, after all, we cannot wait or delay any more."
  - Offer a structured deal: first order at current price, with a commitment to review pricing for the second order based on volume.
  - Create urgency with external factors: material price trends, production schedule, holiday timing.
  - If the gap is small (1-3%), consider offering a symbolic concession framed as coming from a company meeting decision — "I don't know how to use words to describe this complex mind."
- Reply mindset:
  - Break the deadlock with a smaller first step
  - Create momentum toward the order
  - Use time pressure as a natural lever
- Do not say:
  - This is our absolute bottom price
  - We will never change this price
  - You must accept or we walk away

## CASE-PRICE-008 New customer refuses to pay mold fee

- Stage: Negotiation stage
- Trigger phrases:
  - New customer won't pay mold fee
  - Client wants custom product but refuses tooling cost
  - Mold fee is blocking the order
  - 新客户不愿付模具费
  - 客户不想出开模费
  - 模具费谈不拢
- Source anchors:
  - `03-email-case-library.md / SRC-003 / Cases 63, 65 new customer refuses mold fee`
- Case takeaway:
  - Explain that the mold fee covers real engineering work — design, testing, and verification that the product meets the client's exact requirements.
  - Reframe the mold fee as a "sincerity deposit for customized requirements" — it shows the client is serious and ensures the engineering team prioritizes their project.
  - Offer to refund or offset the mold fee when the order reaches a certain quantity threshold — this makes it feel like an investment, not a cost.
  - For existing customers with good history, consider splitting the mold cost or absorbing one mold while asking the client to pay for the other.
  - Key framing: "This amount just keeps in our account, when your order is placed one day, then we remove it."
- Reply mindset:
  - Position mold fee as investment, not cost
  - Link payment to commitment and priority
  - Offer refund mechanism tied to order volume
- Do not say:
  - Everyone pays mold fees, no exceptions
  - We can't start without payment
  - Your order is too small to justify free tooling

## CASE-PRICE-009 Wrong price quoted — how to recover

- Stage: Quote follow-up or order confirmation
- Trigger phrases:
  - We quoted the wrong price, too low
  - Price was miscalculated, need to increase after quoting
  - Client already accepted the wrong price
  - 报错价了怎么办
  - 价格报低了要涨回来
  - 采购报错价格
- Source anchors:
  - `03-email-case-library.md / SRC-003 / Cases 21, 35, 48, 67, 71 wrong price quoted`
- Case takeaway:
  - If discovered before production: frame it as a material cost update or supplier change — "We had a meeting with our product department today, and after double discussion, we found a way to keep the same design, same material, same quality at $X/pc."
  - If discovered after client accepted: be honest but frame it as a shared problem — "Please do trust we would not add the cost without reason." Offer to split the difference.
  - If a new employee caused the error: acknowledge the mistake directly, express genuine distress, and offer to prove your reliability through quality and service going forward.
  - Never let the client feel deceived — transparency is critical. Frame the correction as protecting the quality of what they'll receive.
  - Use the "company meeting" framing to show the price correction was a serious, considered decision.
- Reply mindset:
  - Be honest about the error
  - Share the cost of the mistake
  - Protect the relationship above the margin
- Do not say:
  - The old price was a mistake, pay the new one
  - Our employee was incompetent
  - You should have known the price was too low
