How to compare supplier lead times fairly

“30 days” may mean production time after deposit for one supplier and time from sample approval for another. Put the start event and the endpoint next to every duration before ranking speed.

Draw the timeline

For each offer, add time for sample submission and review, material procurement, production, inspection, handover, and the buyer's transport. Mark which steps can overlap. Ask the supplier what inputs it needs and what capacity is currently reserved. A promised duration without a confirmed slot can be a planning figure, not a guaranteed date.

Compare what matters

Calculate the earliest realistic delivery to the same receiving point and the consequence of missing your own deadline. Record supplier assumptions and any paid expedite option separately. If a faster quote skips a test or uses a different specification, restore the common scope before comparing. Recheck dates when approval or payment is delayed.

Worked date comparison

Supplier A says “25 days after deposit”; Supplier B says “30 days after sample approval”. Enter prices for the same quantity in the comparison tool and put those exact triggers in each terms field. On a separate calendar, add expected sample review, deposit, inspection, and freight time to reach the same warehouse. Common error: sorting 25 and 30 as if both begin today and end at delivery. A late buyer approval can change which offer reaches the warehouse first.

Source context: Microsoft Learn — Requests for quotation (RFQs) overview supports this limited point: An RFQ can request prices, delivery times, incidental charges, and discounts. The buyer procedure above is Suppliers Help editorial guidance. Source checked 2026-09-27.