Before a big one-off purchase, put the quotes on one sheet, one column per supplier. Add up what each one would cost you over the same period, such as year one, not just the headline price, then compare the advance, delivery time, warranty and how long each quote is valid. Write down which one you chose and why, on the same sheet.
Quote comparison sheets that list your must-haves first, put price, delivery, installation, accessories, payment terms, deposits, warranty and validity side by side, total each quote over the first year, mark anything a quote leaves out as unknown rather than zero, and record why one quote was chosen are already covered in published quote-comparison templates and supplier-quote guides; this page is a short version for an owner making one big purchase.
Quotes for a machine, equipment, a display unit or a set of fittings can arrive over a week by WhatsApp, PDF and a visit, and each can leave out something different: delivery, fitting, a starter kit, service after the warranty. An owner may decide on the first quote or a friend's word, and later be unable to say why.
First, write down your must-haves
Write down what the item must do before any quote arrives, so the quotes are judged against your needs rather than against each other:
- what it has to do, and the size or capacity you need;
- what has to come with it to use it on day one;
- when you need it by, and whether you can wait;
- what you want from the warranty and from service after it.
Purchase teams call this kind of sheet a comparative statement. For an owner, it is one page for one decision. If you get two quotes, not three, the sheet works the same way.
The comparison sheet, line by line
One column per quote, with these lines:
- supplier and contact; date received;
- what exactly is quoted (model, size, what's included);
- price as quoted;
- delivery; fitting or installation; any starter kit or accessories needed to use it;
- paid service before the first year ends;
- year-one total: the price plus delivery, fitting, kit and paid service in year one;
- advance asked; delivery time; warranty;
- what is noted for year two (written down, not added to the total);
- valid until; must-haves met (yes or no);
- chosen, and why, in one or two lines.
Ask each supplier the same questions; where a quote is silent on something, write "ask" in that cell and leave it out of the total until the supplier answers.
Compare the amounts as each quote states them: the total the supplier asks you to pay, as written on the quote.
Worked example: three quotes for a pressure washer
Illustrative example: the suppliers, prices, warranty terms, delivery times and validity dates are invented. A fictional car-wash and detailing studio in Ambala, Haryana, with the owner and four staff and two wash bays, is buying a new hot-water pressure washer with a foam lance. The old washer still runs, so the owner can wait for delivery. Verify independently.
The quotes arrived on Tue 3 Nov (A), Thu 5 Nov (B) and Sat 7 Nov (C) 2026.
| Line (₹) | Quote A | Quote B | Quote C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price as quoted | 1,86,000 | 1,72,500 | 1,79,900 |
| Delivery | included | 2,400 | included |
| Fitting and first run | included | 3,500 | 2,750 |
| Starter kit (hoses, lance, nozzles) | included | 9,800 | included |
| Paid service before year one ends | 0 (1-year warranty) | 7,350 (6-month warranty; service plan for months 7–12) | 0 (1-year warranty) |
| Year-one total | 1,86,000 | 1,95,550 | 1,82,650 |
| Advance asked | 93,000 (half the price) | none (pay on delivery) | 45,000 |
| Delivery time | 7 days | 10 days | 21 days |
| Noted for year two (not added) | service plan 14,400 a year | ask | ask |
| Valid until | Fri 20 Nov | Mon 30 Nov | Sat 14 Nov |
Set against C, the quote with the lowest year-one total:
| Compared with C (₹) | Headline price | Year-one total |
|---|---|---|
| Quote A | 6,100 more | 3,350 more |
| Quote B | 7,400 less | 12,900 more |
B has the lowest headline price but is the dearest in year one.
Choosing, and writing down why
Decide on the totals, with the must-haves met, before a quote you might want lapses. The Ambala owner compared year-one totals and decided before the earliest validity date on the sheet, C's Sat 14 Nov. Then look at the advance and the delivery time against when you need the item.
The Ambala owner wrote the decision on the sheet on Wed 11 Nov: "C: lowest year-one total; 21-day wait is fine because the old washer still runs; asked C for its year-two service price before paying the advance." The advance of ₹45,000 is paid on Wed 11 Nov, before C's quote lapses on Sat 14 Nov; delivery is due about Wed 2 Dec (21 days).
"Three quotes", "year one" and "decide before the earliest validity date" are the example's choices, not rules.
How the purchase is shown in your accounts, and anything about tax or paying for it with a loan, are questions for your CA; this sheet only compares what each supplier is asking you to pay and do.
After you order
For regular stock and supplier orders, the same idea of putting quotes on one page and writing why is in the section "Before you raise the PO: compare quotes on one page" of matching purchase orders, deliveries and bills.
For the big purchase, keep the sheet with the order and the bill, filed as in organising purchase bills and expense receipts. Put any service plan date on the annual renewals list. Schedule the advance and the balance in the supplier payment schedule. If the supplier is new, add their details to your supplier master records. Once the item arrives, record it in the fixed-asset register.
A printable blank sheet
| Line | Quote A | Quote B | Quote C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supplier and contact | |||
| Date received | |||
| What exactly is quoted | |||
| Price as quoted (₹) | |||
| Delivery (₹) | |||
| Fitting or installation (₹) | |||
| Starter kit or accessories (₹) | |||
| Paid service before year one ends (₹) | |||
| Year-one total (₹) | |||
| Advance asked (₹) | |||
| Delivery time | |||
| Warranty | |||
| Noted for year two (not added) | |||
| Valid until | |||
| Must-haves met (yes / no) |
Chosen, and why (one or two lines), with the date: ________________
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