In international B2B trade, we often encounter experienced buyers who are highly sensitive to market prices but sometimes fall into the trap of "visual logic." Last week, we consulted with Susan, a long-term client from the UK. She wanted to develop a new tea tin with dimensions of 11x11x17cm and provided a very aggressive target price: £0.30.
Susan’s reasoning sounded perfectly logical: "The previous tin I purchased from you was 15.3x9.6x12.7cm at £0.44 per unit. This new design is much narrower—it looks significantly 'slimmer' than the old one. Based on material usage, the price should drop substantially."
This is a common misconception among clients who may not be deeply familiar with the manufacturing process. At Guan International, we believe that a simple refusal damages trust, while professional knowledge sharing converts orders.
Our Resolution Process:Instead of haggling over the price, we presented a technical calculation sheet from our engineering department. We explained to Susan that the core of tinplate product pricing is based on the "unfolded surface area" of the tinplate sheet, not the perceived visual volume.
We performed a live calculation:
- The Old Tin: The surface area was approximately 926 cm².
- The New Tin: Although narrower, the nearly 5cm increase in height resulted in an unfolded surface area of 990 cm².
This meant the raw material consumption for the new tin had actually increased by about 7%. Furthermore, since the client insisted on a 0.23mm thickness to maintain a premium feel, the raw material cost provided no room for the requested price cut.
In-depth Communication & Solution Optimization:When Susan saw the data comparison, she recognized the logical discrepancy. However, as a professional supply chain partner, our job is not just to explain, but to solve the client's budget anxiety.
We proposed an optimization of the packaging logic: Because of its wider shape, the old tin could only fit 18 units per carton. While the new tin was taller, its smaller base allowed us to adjust the packing arrangement to fit 24 units per carton. This minor adjustment offset the unit price increase caused by material costs and reduced the per-unit sea freight logistics cost by 12%.
Key Takeaway for New Clients:Procurement pricing isn't about "guessing" by comparison; it’s calculated through science. At Guan International, we adhere to transparent pricing. If you are under target price pressure, tell us your market strategy. We will help you find real cost-saving opportunities through material selection, process simplification, or logistics optimization, rather than sacrificing quality.