How is the quote built, when do I pay, and what happens after?
The quote is cost-plus and built line by line. Each line carries the distributor cost, inbound freight, outbound freight, cargo insurance, any duties or fees we pay, and the margin. Nothing sits inside a line that is not one of those.
A cost-plus quote, or the questions we need answered first, comes back within two working days.
What we need before we can quote
A request carries four fields per line: MPN, quantity, target date and deliver-to address. Build the request on the site or paste a BOM.
Every part is classified on its orderable part number before a quote is issued. A family name is not a classification. Package variants of one base part can carry different classifications. Verification of your company runs alongside the classification work, so nothing waits on it later.
How the quote is built
We price each line from what it actually costs to put that line in your hands. Distributor cost. Inbound freight to Los Angeles. Outbound freight to you. Cargo insurance. Any duties or fees we pay. The margin sits on top of that total. It is the one figure on the quote that is ours rather than a cost.
The list is also read as a whole, for fit with what you make or repair. Every part is sourced to order, so lead time follows the distributor's stock position and is stated on the quote.
When you pay
A new buyer prepays the first order in full. After the first order the deposit covers landed cost and the balance falls due on delivery confirmation.
Wire and card accepted; other arrangements by written agreement. Payment comes from your own account in your own country. You receive a proforma invoice grouped by tariff line, with your company named as the payer.
What happens after the funds clear
The order goes to the distributor once funds have cleared and the paying name matches the buyer named on the invoice. Nothing is ordered before that point, because the parts are bought to your order.
The lot is received and inspected in Los Angeles. Date and lot codes are photographed, labels are scanned, moisture barrier bags are checked, counts and weights are compared against the packing slip. The shipment is then labeled, packed and documented. Electronic Export Information is filed and the citation reaches the carrier before departure. Tracking and documents reach you the day it moves.
Questions
What is in a cost-plus quote?
Each line is built from distributor cost, inbound freight, outbound freight, cargo insurance and any duties or fees we pay, plus the margin.
That is the whole structure. You are looking at a cost with a margin on it rather than at a list price we set.
How long does a quote take?
Two working days. If a line needs something answered before it can be priced, the questions come back inside the same two days.
Do I have to pay the whole order up front?
On your first order, yes. A new buyer prepays the first order in full.
After that the deposit covers landed cost. The balance falls due on delivery confirmation of that order.
How do I pay?
Wire and card accepted; other arrangements by written agreement. The payment has to come from your own account in your own country.
The proforma names your company as the payer. The paying name has to match it.
When do you actually order the parts?
Once the funds have cleared and the paying name matches the buyer on the invoice. Every part is sourced to order, so your order is what triggers the purchase from the distributor.
What lead time should I plan for?
Lead time follows the distributor's stock position and is stated on the quote. Put a target date on each line of the request and the quote will tell you what that line supports.
Why is the proforma grouped by tariff line?
So the invoice matches the entry that gets made at your end. Import formalities, duties and taxes at destination are yours. The grouped invoice is what your side works from.
Build a request list We reply within two working days, with a quote or with the questions we need answered first.
Guides
- Buying electronic components from the US as a buyer in the United Arab Emirates
- Buying electronic components from the US as a buyer in Türkiye
- Buying electronic components from the US as a buyer in Southeast Asia
- Why buy through a US sourcing company
- The provenance pack
- The end-user statement and the export filing