FactoryMatch VN — Sourcing guides
How to Write an RFQ That Gets Accurate Quotes from Vietnamese Factories
How to write an RFQ that a Vietnamese factory can price accurately the first time comes down to ten elements: a precise product definition with photos, materials, dimensions with tolerances, quantities and reorder pattern, quality level and target market, customisation, packing, delivery terms and destination, a realistic timeline, and the quote format you want back. The reason most enquiries fail is simple — a request like "Please send your best price for handbags" cannot be priced, because a handbag can be a promotional tote or a fully lined leather product, and the factory cannot tell which one you mean. This guide walks through each of the ten elements.
Why do vague enquiries get vague prices?
Every week, factories in Vietnam receive enquiries like this: "Please send your best price for handbags." And every week, those enquiries get a polite, meaningless answer — because there is nothing in them to price. A bag can be a simple promotional tote or a fully lined, multi-compartment leather product; the factory cannot know which one you mean, so it either guesses low to win your reply or does not answer at all. A good RFQ solves this in one page.
How to write an RFQ: the ten elements
1. What the product is
Name it precisely, and attach photos or a reference link. If a similar product exists in your market, a photo of it is worth a paragraph of description.
2. Materials
State the material you want, or the performance you need if you are open to factory suggestions ("cowhide leather", "600D polyester", "solid rubberwood"). Material is usually the largest cost driver.
3. Dimensions and tolerances
Size, weight, capacity — with the tolerance you will accept. This is also what your inspection will measure later.
4. Quantity per order and expected pattern
A trial quantity, a per-order quantity, and how often you expect to reorder are three different numbers. Give all three; factories price them differently.
5. Quality level and target market
Training grade, retail grade, and premium grade are different products. Naming your market (and any standard it applies) prevents both over- and under-engineering.
6. Customisation
Logo method (print, embroidery, deboss, woven label), custom colours, private-label packaging — list each one. Customisation drives tooling, setup, and minimum quantities.
7. Packing
Retail box, polybag, bulk carton — and whether you need barcodes or your own labels applied. Packing is a real cost; leaving it out guarantees a revised quote later.
8. Delivery terms and destination
FOB from a Vietnamese port, or another Incoterm? Which destination port or city? Freight structure changes the right packing and carton configuration.
9. Timeline
When do you need samples, and when should the first shipment leave? A realistic timeline gets you a production slot; an impossible one gets you silence.
10. What you need back
Ask for the quotation structured the way you compare: unit price by quantity break, sample cost and sample lead time, production lead time, and packing configuration. Factories answer structured questions with structured answers.
What happens after you send it
At FactoryMatch VN, your RFQ is matched against verified production capacity across eight sectors — garments and textiles, footwear, wooden furniture, leather bags, sports goods including hand-stitched balls and gloves, processed agricultural products, seafood, and fresh fruit. We coordinate sampling, quotation, production follow-up, inspection, and export documents, and we are your single contact throughout: buyers never need to chase factories directly, and factory details stay protected on both sides.
You do not need a perfect RFQ to start — send what you have, and we will ask the missing questions in one consolidated reply instead of ten emails.
Send your RFQ through factorymatchvn.com/rfq or email it to contact@factorymatchvn.com. WhatsApp: +84 356 413 333.
FAQ
What if I don't have a tech pack or a complete specification?
Send what you have. A reference photo, approximate dimensions, your target market, and a rough quantity are enough to start. FactoryMatch VN replies with the missing questions in one consolidated message, so the specification is completed in a single round instead of ten emails back and forth.
How detailed should the quantities in an RFQ be?
Give three numbers: the trial quantity, the per-order quantity, and how often you expect to reorder. Factories price these differently — setup and tooling are spread across volume, and reorder patterns affect production scheduling. One vague quantity produces one vague price; three clear numbers produce a structured quotation.
Can one RFQ cover several different products?
Yes, provided each product gets its own block: definition, materials, dimensions, quantity, and customisation per item. A combined RFQ with one mixed paragraph forces the factory to guess which details belong to which product. Structured per product, a multi-product RFQ is easy to quote line by line.
What happens after I send my RFQ to FactoryMatch VN?
Your RFQ is matched against verified production capacity across eight Vietnamese export sectors. FactoryMatch VN coordinates sampling, quotation, production follow-up, inspection, and export documents, and remains your single contact throughout. Buyers never chase factories directly, and factory details stay protected on both sides.