🧮 Free tool
MOQ Deal Breaker
Supplier B quotes $1.90/unit against A’s $2.10 — but wants a 2,000-pc MOQ. Is the lower sticker price actually cheaper? Add what it really costs: the cash locked in inventory while it sells through, and your share of freight. The table below does the math — the answer isn’t always what you’d expect. Everything runs in your browser; nothing is sent anywhere.
Supplier quotes
Your assumptions
Defaults are conservative starting points — change them to match your reality.
Confirm freight with your forwarder — rates move weekly.
True-cost comparison
How we calculate (methodology)
Effective unit price P — if your quantity reaches the tier-2 threshold, the tier-2 price applies.
Goods total G = P × MOQ.
Months to sell T = MOQ ÷ your monthly sales.
Capital lock-up = (G ÷ 2) × annual rate × (T ÷ 12). Assumes steady sales, so average inventory is half the order value.
Freight share per unit = ceil(MOQ × unit volume ÷ usable CBM) × freight per container ÷ MOQ.
True unit cost TC = P + capital lock-up per unit + freight share per unit.
Break-even q* for the cheapest-sticker supplier B vs the true-cost winner A: q* = (G_B + freight_B + capital_B) ÷ TC_A — the volume B must reach before its true cost catches A.
All figures are planning estimates from your inputs. Confirm freight and duty with your forwarder before ordering.
Planning estimate only — not a negotiation outcome guarantee.
FAQ
Why isn’t the cheapest unit price always the cheapest deal?+
A low unit price usually comes with a high MOQ. That locks up more cash in inventory and can waste container space. This calculator adds capital lock-up cost and freight share to each quote so you compare true per-unit cost, not sticker price.
What is capital lock-up cost?+
Money tied up in unsold inventory has a cost — the return you could have earned elsewhere, or the interest you pay on it. We estimate it as (order value / 2) × your annual capital rate × months to sell through, assuming steady sales. It is a planning figure, not a bank quote.
Are these numbers exact?+
No. Every figure here is a planning estimate based on the assumptions you enter (sales speed, capital rate, freight). Confirm freight with your forwarder and duty with your customs broker before committing. The value is in the comparison, not the absolute number.