You have three quotes on your desk for 500 dormitory beds. The prices are different — but which one is actually the best deal?
For buyers of dormitory furniture, comparing FOB prices is where good decisions are made and expensive mistakes happen. The lowest number is not always the cheapest bed once you compare what is actually inside the price.
What Does FOB Actually Include?
FOB (Free On Board) means the seller's responsibility ends once the goods are loaded on board the vessel at the named port of shipment.
A typical FOB quotation includes:
- Product cost (materials + labor)
- Export packing
- Inland transport from factory to the port of shipment
- Export customs clearance
- Loading charges at the port of shipment
It does not include ocean freight, marine insurance, or destination charges.
So when you compare FOB quotes, you are comparing everything up to the ship — that is exactly where the real differences hide.
The #1 Rule: Compare Like-for-Like
An FOB quote for "a bunk bed" tells you almost nothing. Before comparing prices, put the specifications side by side:
- Steel thickness and grade — a 1.0 mm vs 1.5 mm frame changes strength and price significantly
- Structure — apartment bed (bed above, desk below) vs simple bunk vs single bed
- Coating system — powder coating with pre-treatment vs basic paint; coating thickness
- Safety features — guardrail height, ladder type, anti-slip steps, edge treatment
- Load capacity — declared static and dynamic load ratings
- Panel materials — board type, thickness, edge banding, moisture resistance
- Accessories included — mattress, desk, wardrobe, storage steps, or bed only?
Ask each supplier for a spec sheet against the same checklist. If one quote includes a wardrobe and another does not, you are not comparing the same bed.
Five Hidden Factors That Change the Real Price
Even with identical specifications, five factors make the "same" FOB price genuinely different:
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Packaging quality
Dormitory furniture travels a long way. Proper export packing (protective corners, inner supports, sturdy cartons) costs more but prevents transit damage — and replacement costs are almost always higher than the packing you saved. Ask whether the packaging is included in the FOB price.
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Loading quantity per container
This is the biggest hidden variable. Furniture is volumetric: a design that packs more sets per 40HQ container dramatically lowers the shipping cost per bed (which you pay as the buyer, even under FOB terms, since you arrange freight).
Ask: how many sets fit in a 20GP and a 40HQ? A knock-down (flat-pack) design can double the loading quantity compared with pre-assembled frames. The supplier with the higher unit price may deliver a lower landed cost per bed.
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Payment terms
FOB quotes often assume different payment structures: 30% T/T deposit + 70% before shipment, or L/C at sight, or net terms. Confirm the deposit ratio and whether the price holds under your preferred payment method.
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Port of shipment
Quotes from the same region can differ if the supplier prices a different port. Confirm the named port (e.g., Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Shanghai) and whether inland transport to that port is included.
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Lead time and price validity
Dormitory projects are seasonal — peak demand comes before the autumn semester. Confirm:
- The production lead time the price is based on
- Whether the price includes a validity period (steel prices move!)
- Whether rush orders carry a surcharge
A price that cannot meet your move-in date is not a lower price — it is a higher risk.
How to Request Comparable Quotes
Send every supplier the same RFQ so they answer the same questions:
- Product type and full specifications (structure, dimensions, steel, coating, panels)
- Quantity and delivery schedule
- Packaging specification and sets per 20GP / 40HQ
- FOB port and whether inland transport is included
- Payment terms and deposit ratio
- Production lead time and price validity period
- Accessories included (mattress, desk, wardrobe, stairs)
- Load capacity and safety compliance details
- Warranty and after-sales policy for international projects
Then compare answers, not just prices.
Red Flags When Comparing Quotes
- A price far below the others with no spec sheet — check what was removed to get there
- No answer on sets per container — the quote may look cheap per unit but cost more per shipped bed
- Packaging "to be discussed later" — later usually means extra cost or fragile goods
- Price validity shorter than your approval cycle
- Vague payment terms — clarify before comparing, not after signing
The Cheapest Quote Is Not Always the Cheapest Bed
Comparing FOB prices is not about finding the lowest number. It is about comparing the same bed, packed the same way, loaded the same way, delivered in time — and then deciding which supplier gives you the most of that for your money.
At MuQi Furniture, we manufacture metal dormitory beds in our own factory and quote transparently: full specifications, export packing, sets per container, and a clear FOB price. If you are comparing quotes for a dormitory project, send us your spec sheet — we will give you a like-for-like price you can actually compare.
MuQi Furniture — compare the bed, not just the price.
