Two Quotes, One Project: How to Compare Custom Inflatable Quotations Line by Line

Ask each supplier to state the material and thickness, not just "PVC". Double-layer PVC is the general construction for custom advertising inflatables; 0.4 mm PVC appears on large-format projects; 0.5 / 0.6 / 0.7 mm PVC mesh is specified where the structure carries load, spans further or faces sustained exposure.

Also ask how seams are made and reinforced, and where reinforcement sits on this particular shape. Two quotes that both say "double-layer PVC" can still differ in how the stress points are built, which is what decides whether the piece survives a second season.

The air system should appear as a model with its power, airflow, pressure and voltage, not as "blower included". As a reference, a 650 W electric pump moves 1,600–2,000 L/min at 2.0 psi, and a 1600 W electric pump moves 4,800–5,200 L/min at 4.5 psi; both run on 110–240 V, 50–60 Hz.

Check the plug type for the destination and whether a spare pump is offered for a touring or unattended installation. Both pumps cover 110–240 V at 50–60 Hz, so the same air system suits 110 V and 220–240 V markets. Confirm the plug type for the destination country.

List the accessories against each quote: carry bag, ground stakes or ballast points, ropes, repair material, spare valve caps, and any lighting. An item that is missing from one quote is the usual reason the totals differ.

Ask directly what is excluded. A short written list of exclusions is more useful than a long list of inclusions, and it is the fastest way to make two documents comparable.

Freight is charged on volume as much as weight, so the packed size and gross weight belong in the quotation. Ask for the packed dimensions, the number of cartons, the gross weight and whether the carry bag is inside the export carton.

Without those figures, a freight quotation is an estimate, and the difference between two suppliers' totals may simply be a different guess at the volume.

Lead time only means something with a starting point. Production is commonly 3–8 / 7–15 / 15–25 days (simple / standard / complex), counted from final design approval rather than from the order date; freight and import time come on top. Lead time is confirmed per project once artwork, size, quantity and destination are fixed; treat any figure quoted before that as indicative.

Ask each supplier what happens before the clock starts: how many drawing revisions are included, how quickly a mockup comes back, and what the approval deadline is for the event date you have given.

Confirm the incoterm on each quotation and what it leaves with you. EXW, FOB, CIF and a DDP option place customs clearance, duty and import tax in different hands, and a lower goods price under one term can end up higher landed. Freight ranges are indicative: express or air usually 4–15 working days, and sea, rail or truck usually 20–45 days, after dispatch and subject to route and customs

Then check the commercial lines: payment method and the deposit and balance split, and how long the price holds. A quotation is normally valid for a limited period, commonly around 15 days unless the supplier states otherwise, and freight is usually rechecked before payment because rates move.

MOQ is 1 piece for most custom projects, so ask what changes if you order one piece now and repeat the design later: pattern and print setup are paid once per design, and a repeat order on an approved design should reflect that.