IntermediateTECHNICAL
In your previous purchasing experience, how did you compare and evaluate multiple quotations for the same item, and what criteria did you use beyond just the lowest price?
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Sample Answer

In my last role, I regularly handled RFQs where we’d get 4–6 quotations for the same item, especially MRO and packaging materials. I started with a basic apples‑to‑apples cost comparison, but my decision matrix always went beyond price. I scored each vendor on total landed cost, lead time reliability, quality history, payment terms, and service. For example, on a $300K annual spend for corrugated boxes, the cheapest quote was 5% lower on unit price, but that supplier had a 12% late delivery rate and higher damage claims. Another supplier was only 2% more expensive, offered 45‑day terms instead of 30, kept 2 weeks of safety stock for us, and had less than 1% quality issues over 18 months. When I ran a total cost analysis, we saved about $40K a year in avoided line downtime and rejected shipments by not choosing the absolute lowest price.

Keywords

Use of a structured comparison matrix beyond unit priceConsideration of total landed cost, quality, and reliabilityConcrete example with quantified impact and tradeoffsEvidence of data-driven decision making and risk management