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Glossary + FAQ

Sourcing glossary: plain-English answers for the terms buyers keep seeing.

If a procurement term slows you down, this page should make it usable fast. It is written to answer common questions without turning the homepage into a knowledge dump.

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Common terms

Quick definitions you can reuse in a brief or call.

MOQ

Minimum order quantity. The smallest production run or order size a factory will accept on the terms you want.

FOB

Free on board. Usually the price up to loading at the port; freight and downstream charges are separate.

Lead time

The time from order confirmation to sample, production, or shipment completion.

QC

Quality control. The checks used to catch problems before the goods leave the factory.

Sample

A pre-production or reference unit used to confirm the spec before mass production starts.

MOQ flexibility

How much the factory can move on minimum order size when the order is a trial or repeat run.

FAQ

Short answers to the questions that slow buyers down.

What should I send first?

Send the product, quantity, target market, and any deadline or budget constraint. That is enough to start a useful sourcing conversation.

Why do quotes change so much?

Because the spec is often unclear. Material, finish, compliance, quantity, and timeline all change the real cost.

Why does compliance matter so early?

Because the wrong factory can be cheap and still unusable. If the market needs a certification, the supplier has to fit that from the start.

How do I avoid comparing bad quotes?

Use the same yardstick for each supplier. Ask the same questions on price, MOQ, payment, timeline, and quality control.

Simple rule

If a term is unclear, define it before you compare suppliers. Unclear terms create fake savings and expensive mistakes.

Need the next step?

Use the glossary to clean up the brief, then move to contact or the RFQ form.

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