A toy quotation that only shows a unit price is not a quotation, it is a starting position. This guide lists what a complete injection moulded quotation contains, and the costs that are usually excluded until the invoice arrives.
The complete line item list
- Unit price by break. Three or four quantity breaks, each stated as a price with the quantity it applies to.
- Tooling cost. With cavity count, steel grade, shot life and ownership terms stated. A tooling number without the cavity count is not comparable.
- Material grade and source. The specific resin and grade, not the family name, and whether colourant is included.
- Packing specification. Individual polybag, inner box, export carton, and the pieces per carton. This is a real cost and it varies by a factor of three between options.
- Testing and certification. Which reports are included, which are charged separately, and who pays for a re-test after a failure.
- Payment terms and milestones. Deposit, balance timing, and whether tooling payment is separate from production payment.
- Lead time per stage. Tooling, first article, and repeat production, each with the trigger event that starts the clock.
The six costs most often left out
- Colour change or purge cost. Especially where your order is small relative to the press size. Ask explicitly whether a colour change is charged as a set-up.
- Decoration. Pad printing, hot stamping, and any coating are usually quoted separately from the moulded part, and the set-up for each print colour is a separate charge.
- Assembly labour. Where the toy needs sub-assembly, the quotation may cover moulded parts only. Confirm whether assembly is in scope.
- Hardware and purchased parts. Screws, springs, magnets and batteries are frequently excluded and billed at cost plus handling.
- Carton and marking charges. Special carton printing, pallet specifications and any retailer-specific labelling.
- Re-testing after a failed report. The first test may be included and the re-test charged. If the material is likely to fail, this is a predictable cost.
Questions that expose an incomplete quote
- Is this price for moulded parts only, or moulded and assembled?
- Is packing included, and which packing specification does the price assume?
- Are the colourants and masterbatch included at this price?
- Which test reports are included, and what triggers a re-test charge?
- Is the tooling price for the production tool or a prototype tool, and what changes if we later need more cavities?
- What is the price if we change the colour, and what is the minimum run for a colour change?
The comparison trap
Comparing two quotations on unit price alone is how buyers end up paying more. A lower unit price with an excluded packing charge, a separate assembly charge and a higher tooling number can be the more expensive programme by a wide margin. Normalise the quotations onto the same line item structure before comparing, and treat any supplier unwilling to itemise as a supplier whose exclusions you will discover later.
Related reading
Our unassembled component programme is quoted with the interface data included, and the sourcing guides cover the audit, tooling cost and MOQ side of the same evaluation.
