A supplier price comparison sheet helps you compare the same goods, in the same quantity, at the amount each supplier asks you to pay. Put pack size, delivery charges and payment terms beside the quoted price before choosing. Use the template and worked example below for your next stock order.
Seasonal buying makes this check useful: a low price can come with a larger minimum order or a delivery date that misses your selling window. Confirm availability before committing money, especially around local holidays.
Supplier price comparison sheet: a template to copy
Use a notebook page or spreadsheet tab for each product. Compare identical brands, sizes and quality, keeping the original quotes behind each entry.
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Product specification | Brand, product name, size, grade and variant |
| Quantity needed | Pieces, kilograms or another common unit |
| Supplier and quote reference | Business name, quote date and reference |
| Pack size | Pieces per carton or quantity per pack |
| Minimum order | Smallest quantity the supplier will sell at this price |
| Quoted price | Price per piece, pack or carton; label the unit |
| Tax basis | Whether the quote includes GST, with the supplier’s breakup |
| Discounts | Confirmed reduction and any conditions attached |
| Delivery and other charges | Full amount for this order, including applicable tax |
| Final amount payable | Supplier-confirmed total after charges and discounts |
| Delivery commitment | Available quantity and expected arrival date |
| Payment and return terms | When payment is due and how shortages or damage are resolved |
| Quote validity | Last date the supplier will honour the offer |
Write Awaiting confirmation against a missing charge or unclear pack size. An empty cell should not silently become zero.
After choosing an offer, see purchase order vs purchase bill.
Make both offers comparable first
A carton price and a piece price cannot be compared directly. Convert the quantities to the unit you actually sell or count.
Ten cartons of twelve identical pieces mean 120 pieces. Check both suppliers mean the same product: a similar-looking box may contain fewer pieces or a different size.
Next, ask both suppliers for the total payable for that quantity, delivered to your shop. Do not compare one quote before GST with another after GST. Ask for a clear breakup if either quote leaves tax or freight uncertain.
For a simple cash comparison:
Delivered amount per piece = final amount payable ÷ total pieces ordered.
This is a buying comparison, not a calculation of accounting inventory cost. Keep any expected input tax credit separate and confirm its eligibility and treatment with your CA. Do not subtract an assumed credit from the cash you need to pay the supplier.
Worked example: two quotes for a Pune shop
Imagine Kavita runs a household-goods shop in Pune. She needs 120 identical storage containers for a seasonal display. Two local Maharashtra suppliers quote for ordinary delivery to her Pune shop.
All prices below are hypothetical, tax-inclusive amounts. The delivery figures also include any applicable tax. There are no additional charges or conditional discounts in this example; it is not a GST-rate guide or a sample tax invoice.
| Comparison | Supplier A | Supplier B |
|---|---|---|
| Quantity offered | 120 pieces | 10 cartons × 12 pieces |
| Total pieces | 120 | 120 |
| Quoted goods price | ₹100 per piece | ₹1,212 per carton |
| Goods amount | ₹12,000 | ₹12,120 |
| Delivery amount | ₹600 | ₹240 |
| Final amount payable | ₹12,600 | ₹12,360 |
| Delivered amount per piece | ₹105 | ₹103 |
Before delivery, Supplier A looks cheaper: ₹100 per piece against Supplier B’s ₹1,212 ÷ 12 = ₹101. After delivery, Supplier B costs ₹240 less for the same 120 pieces, or ₹2 less per piece.
Check the arithmetic: ₹12,000 + ₹600 = ₹12,600; ₹12,120 + ₹240 = ₹12,360. The difference is ₹12,600 − ₹12,360 = ₹240.
For this ordinary local supply, the supplier location and place of supply are both Maharashtra, so taxable goods attract CGST and SGST. That same-state treatment is explained in CBIC’s GST FAQ, question 85. Confirm the current product rate and treatment of charges on gst.gov.in or with your CA; this comparison does not assign a rate to storage containers.
Kavita still checks delivery and payment terms. If Supplier B cannot deliver before the display opens, she may choose A and record why the extra ₹240 was worth paying. The sheet makes that choice visible.
Check conditions that can change the decision
Before confirming an order, check these points with the supplier:
- Quantity: Does the quoted price apply to what you need, or only to a larger order?
- Availability: Is the stock ready, or is delivery only an estimate?
- Payment: Is the price conditional on immediate payment? Record any later-payment price separately.
- Returns: Who handles damaged pieces, and who pays for collecting them?
- Validity: Will the supplier still honour the offer when you place the order?
Keep conditional rebates separate from confirmed discounts. A benefit earned only after a later purchase should not reduce today’s payable amount unless the supplier has actually included it in this order.
Keep quotes separate from recorded purchases
Save the accepted quote and your decision note with the order. When goods arrive, match the quantities, charges and supplier bill against that agreement before recording the purchase.
Yojika’s purchase bills add received stock and record the vendor balance. That makes the checked supplier bill useful for your ongoing records; the comparison sheet remains a separate planning document. Read the purchase and inventory features, or download Yojika to explore the purchase workflow.
Frequently asked questions
What should a supplier price comparison sheet include?
Record the exact product, pack size, quantity, quoted price, tax basis, delivery charges, final payable amount and payment terms. Keep the quote date, validity and delivery commitment beside the numbers.
How do I compare a carton price with a piece price?
First confirm how many identical pieces each carton contains. Compare both offers for the same total quantity, then divide each final delivered amount by that quantity.
Should I choose the supplier with the lowest unit price?
Check the delivered amount, required quantity, delivery timing and payment terms together. A cheaper piece price can become a more expensive order once delivery is added.
Can I deduct expected GST credit from the amount I need to pay?
Keep the supplier’s payable amount visible in your cash plan. Ask your CA to confirm any input tax credit eligibility and treatment separately before using it in a cost comparison.
Does this comparison need to be entered as a purchase bill?
Keep quotes in a separate comparison sheet while deciding. Record the actual purchase after checking the delivery and supplier bill; entering competing quotes as purchases would overstate your records.