To compare quotes from Morbi factories, first make them describe the same thing: the same product, grade, size, thickness, packing, Incoterm and validity period. Only then does the price tell you which offer is better.
Most quotes are not comparable as received. One quotes Premium FOB Mundra, another quotes an unstated grade ex-factory, and a third gives a price valid for seven days. Lining them up takes one email with a clear template.
Send every factory the same request
Write one specification and send it to every factory. Ask each to quote against it line by line, and to state anything it cannot meet. A factory that changes the specification to win on price is telling you something.
- Body type and water absorption group, for example porcelain or vitrified (BIa) or wall tile (BIII).
- Size, thickness, finish and surface, such as glossy, matt or carving.
- Grade, with the factory's written definition of that grade attached.
- Tiles per box, square metres per box, box weight, and boxes per pallet.
- Pallet type and how many square metres fit in one 20 ft container within the weight limit.
- Incoterm and named port, such as FOB Mundra or CIF at your port.
- Production lead time from advance payment and sample approval.
- Payment terms, quote validity period and what triggers a price revision.
Check what is inside the price
Tiles fill a container by weight, not volume, so the square metres per container matter as much as the price per box. A thicker tile or a heavier box means fewer square metres in each container, and a higher cost per square metre landed.
Check who pays for pallets, export packing, inland transport to the port and port handling. Check whether private-label boxes or custom printing carry an extra charge. Under FOB the factory pays up to loading at the port; under CIF it also books freight. Our guide to FOB, CIF and DAP explains the difference.
Ask how long the price holds. Fuel is one of the largest costs for a Morbi plant, and gas prices moved sharply in 2026. Many factories now attach a short validity period and a right to revise if fuel moves. For the detail, see how gas prices affect Morbi tile costs.
Put the replies in one table
Enter every reply into a single table, one row per factory and one column per item in your request. Mark any blank or changed item clearly. A gap usually means the factory has left out a cost or a condition, and you should ask before you compare.
Then convert each offer to the same basis: the same Incoterm, the same port and the cost per square metre in a full container. Only at that point is the cheapest line in the table the cheapest offer.
Look beyond the number
- Confirm the quote comes from the factory that will make the tiles, not a trader adding a margin.
- Ask which anti-dumping or countervailing rate the exporter holds in your market, since this changes your landed cost.
- Ask for test reports to ISO 10545 and the certifications your market requires.
- Compare samples from each factory side by side under the same light.
- Treat a quote far below the others as a question to answer, not a bargain to take.
Next step
We send one specification to a shortlist of audited factories, line up the replies and check the samples, so you compare like with like. You agree our fee in writing before we start. To see what affects the numbers in the first place, read what drives tile prices, or book a free sourcing review.