The real cost of choosing suppliers on price alone

A lower per-unit price is the easiest number to compare between suppliers, which is exactly why it's so often mistaken for the only number that matters.

Quality variance is a hidden cost

Suppliers competing purely on price often have thinner margins for quality control, which shows up later as inconsistency — a cost that lands on customer trust, not a line item.

Switching costs compound

Every supplier change requires requalification time and carries transition risk. Chasing the lowest bid repeatedly means paying that switching cost again and again.

What we optimise for instead

We weigh consistency, responsiveness, and alignment with our standards alongside price — because the total cost of a supplier relationship is more than the invoice.

Price still matters. It's just rarely the only variable worth optimising.