A revised quotation for waterproof heated snow boots can move a sample line and a case-price line in opposite directions, and the numbers rarely come with an explanation. Buyers who simply ask "why is it different now?" usually get a one-line answer that does not survive a comparison with the first quote. The practical approach is to break the change into the cost blocks a factory actually controls, then ask for each block separately.

Separate the sample cost from the production cost

In custom footwear and custom EVA foam manufacturing, the sample stage and the bulk stage are priced by different logic. A first quote is often built on a reference design; a second quote reflects your artwork, your size range and your destination market. Ask the supplier to state, in writing, which of these two stages changed and why.

Read the sample terms the way a factory reads them

On our own product pages, sample fees are written per style or per design and are marked "subject to customer's artwork", because a plain solid colour and a multi-colour printed upper are not the same job. The EVA cheering hands listing states a sample fee of USD 600.00 per style, refunded once the order quantity reaches 10,000 pieces; the high density EVA garden kneeling pad listing carries the same fee with a refund threshold of 5,000 pieces. Same factory, same material family, different threshold — that is the kind of detail a buyer should ask about instead of assuming one policy covers the whole catalogue.

Timing sits in the same block. Our custom listings quote 5–7 working days for a sample and 25–30 working days of production after sample confirmation, with the note that timing is subject to adjustment based on actual order conditions. If a second quotation lengthens or shortens either figure, ask which step moved: plate-making, mold opening, or the queue in front of your order.

Where heated boot specifications quietly change the price

Heated winter footwear has more specification variables than a moulded slipper, and small specification edits between two quotes can look like price increases. Our heated boot listings are a useful reference for what to pin down.

• Size range. The rechargeable heated winter boots are listed for EU 39–46, while the waterproof electric warm snow boots page shows grey in EU 39–45 and wine red in EU 36–41, and its own summary line mentions a wider range. Confirm the size run you are being quoted before comparing unit prices.
• Upper and lining. One listing describes a bonded leather upper with plush and sponge lining; the other describes an ox-fibre micro-suede upper. Different material packages, different cost base.
• Heat settings and battery. The snow boot page lists three adjustable heat levels with warmth to the toe and instep; the winter boot page specifies a forefoot heating zone and a 10000 mAh battery. Battery capacity and heating-zone layout are two of the biggest single cost drivers in this category.
• Sole and ice grip. Both listings describe a rubber-and-MD outsole with stainless-steel anti-slip claws; retractable and fixed claw designs are not interchangeable in cost terms.

When you ask for a comparison, request the spec sheet next to each price rather than the price alone. A supplier who can put both on one page is showing you a real cost change; a supplier who cannot is usually re-quoting from memory.

Ask for the quotation to be rebuilt on your current brief

Our cooperation process runs from needs consultation, through proposal and quotation, design drafts and renderings, mold opening and printing molding, signature confirmation, to a 30% deposit on signing the contract. Payment terms on our product pages follow the same logic: 30% advance, with the balance of 70% due after pre-shipment inspection is passed. A quotation that moves should be re-issued against that process, not adjusted verbally.

Send the supplier a short list of the inputs you have changed since the first enquiry — artwork, colour count, size run, target quantity, destination country, packaging — and ask them to quote again from those inputs. Telling the factory your destination country matters: we recommend raw materials that meet the standards applying to that market, and a compliance upgrade between two quotes is a legitimate reason for a higher figure.

A message you can copy to your supplier

That single request does most of the work. It removes the vague "materials went up" answer, it exposes whether a case-price change comes from packing rather than production, and it gives you two quotations that can be compared line by line.

Before you sign the next revised quote

Check that the inspection scope named in the quotation matches what the factory actually runs. We carry out full manual inspection before shipment and support third-party inspection, with production tests covering areas such as colour fastness and material environmental testing; heated footwear also needs its electrical components covered in that plan. If a revised quote raises the price while the inspection line stays silent, ask which tests are included.

Pricing changes between quotations are normal in custom manufacturing. What matters is whether the supplier can name the block that moved. As a Shenzhen EVA foam and heated footwear manufacturer, we answer that question line by line — send your current specification and target quantity to sales@fulikaisz.com.cn or +86 13827489472 and we will re-quote against it, with the changed rows marked.