Let me show you what usually happens:

• You find a supplier with the lowest price.
• You quickly make a deal.
• Production starts.

Then things go wrong:

• Delays
• Poor quality
• Extra costs

Here’s the real issue:

Many UK businesses try to cut costs by going for the lowest price per unit.

Cost vs Quality is not a tradeoff – it’s a smart strategy.

After years of sourcing for UK Manufactures, here are 3 key lessons I’ve learned:

• Build a good relationship with suppliers before talking about price
• Check and control quality before production starts
• Don’t depend on just one country -spread your risk

But many companies don’t do this. Instead, they:

• Ask suppliers for big discounts without thinking long-term
• Skip quality checks in the early stages
• Rely on just one vendor

And then they’re stuck when problems come up.

Here’s what actually works:

• Start with tier-2 suppliers – they often work harder and have potential
• Set up quality checks early -fix problems before they grow
• Stay Flexible – Always keep backup suppliers or have SOB ( Share of Business)

If you only focus on getting the lowest price, you may lose a lot in the long run.

But if you focus on the total cost over time, you can save big and build a stronger supply chain.If you want to stop chasing the cheapest option and start sourcing smart.