RFQ Tips and Tricks
An RFQ or Request for Quote is when you query a manufacturer for pricing skews for your game. There isn’t a set timeline for when you should RFQ for manufacture, but my personal belief is that you should begin the process early, and cast your net relatively wide in terms of manufacturers.
Last week I wrote about the importance querying multiple manufacturers, and highlighted a few differences between two RFQs we’ve received.
Some nice factories from Furnace
This week I want to go a little deeper into the topic. I want to offer special thanks to Matt Holden of the Indie Game Alliance who provided a ton of excellent insights on the topic.
Details, Details, Details
Getting samples are great. Having them confirm as much detail as you can - if it's a wood meeple, what's the size? What kind of wood? Painted or not? Has it been through safety testing?
Before you dive into the RFQ process, you need to have a cursory understanding of printing materials and process. Make sure that you are quoting like for like as much as possible, and don’t be shy about asking for or providing more details.
Here are a few resources for understanding manufacturing materials:
Gatekeeper Gaming has a great series of articles on components and sourcing: Printed Components, Sourced Components
Manufacturer, Panda GM has really nice component guide, and more specs in their design guidebooks
Make sure your quotes are using the same gsm and core for printed materials, that meeples are the same size, material, and are using the same machining process.
When you do find a discrepancy in pricing between manufacturers, don’t be afraid to ask. It could be a difference in sourcing materials, ordering certain components (versus manufacturing in house), or due to quality or type of material.
Communication Matters
Pay attention to things like strength of communication. The harder time you have getting a quote, ensuring the accuracy of it and getting across what you want to make, the greater margin for error and miscommunication there is, and that often leads to surprise cost overruns, manufacturing errors, or both.
If you’re reading this English language blog, then it is likely that you don’t speak the native language where your manufacturer is based (most are in China). That means that your sales rep is translating your quote and specifications into another language.
This street goes both ways. As a publisher you need to make sure that you are being specific and formal enough in your communications to reduce the margin of error. You also need to pay close attention to the ease with which you and your manufacturing partners communicate, and clarity of their communication.
Are they Ethical?
There's other reasons a factory could be cheaper. Ask if they've been certified by large organizations like Disney. These companies do extensive checks - far more than the local government - to make sure the factory operates responsibly in terms of human rights and child labor, environmental impact, and so on. Essentially, the larger companies do a background check to ensure that it won't be a PR nightmare if it comes out that they work with this manufacturer, and you can piggyback on their findings.
I had been using this list of manufacturers who are all certified as ethical producers. Matt’s strategy of piggybacking off of larger publishers is brilliant. This isn’t to say that large corporations are ethical or moral in and of themselves – but even if their reasons are self serving, they have far more resources than small publishers in doing their due diligence.
Other Considerations (rapid fire)
Freight on Board: Pay attention to the FOB (freight on board) line. That will tell you at what point you need to take ownership of the freight. If there is no line item, it might mean that you need to handle logistics from the factory to the port.
Location: Some Chinese provinces are experiencing mandatory rolling blackouts. This could mean manufacturing delays. Look into where they are in relation to major ports.
Environmental considerations: Depending on what your environmental goals are, you’ll need to be upfront about what your needs are and get quotes in that context. Some manufacturers may already be using 100% recycled plastics, others might not and will need to source them.
Do as much due diligence as you can: Find people who have actually used a manufacturer, not just gotten a quote from them. Find games they’ve manufactured and buy them, play with the components, get a feel for their quality.
What other tips and tricks do you have when looking for a manufacturing partner?
