Two quotes for the same brush cutter, ten percent apart, can end up costing the same by the time the machines reach your warehouse. The difference is in the costs that are not on the price list. These are the five that catch importers most often.
1. Packing volume, not carton weight
Freight is charged on volume for most garden machinery. A carton that is three centimetres deeper costs the same on paper and significantly more in a container. Multiply that across a thousand units and the cheapest quote can become the most expensive.
Ask for the carton dimensions and units per container with every quotation. A supplier who cannot provide a loading plan is a supplier who has not shipped that model often.
2. Spares you did not order
Every container of brush cutters generates demand for nylon heads, blades, spark plugs, air filters and starter ropes. If those parts are not on the first order, you either air-freight them later at retail rates or leave the machine out of service.
A five to ten percent spares ratio on the first order costs a fraction of the machine price and prevents the most expensive kind of after-sales complaint.
3. Certification gaps
A machine that cannot be sold legally is a total loss, not a discount. Certification costs appear in three places: the initial test report, the labelling and manual work to match it, and the second test if the specification changes.
- Confirm the certificate covers the exact model and engine family you are ordering.
- Check that the label, manual and packaging all carry the same declarations.
- Keep copies with the shipment — customs and dealers both ask.
4. Warranty claims and the labour behind them
Gearbox and clutch failures dominate claims on brush cutters. The cost is not the part; it is the labour, the return freight and the customer who now distrusts the brand.
The cheapest way to reduce claims is to specify the parts that fail: a gearbox that has been run under load, a clutch specified for continuous work, and a shaft that is balanced. Ask what testing the factory does before packing — the answer tells you what to expect in the field.
5. Detention, demurrage and the last mile
Containers that sit at port because documents are late generate charges that never appear in a supplier quotation. The same applies to pallets that cannot be unloaded because the packaging was not designed for a forklift.
- Agree the document set and the sending date before production.
- Confirm pallet dimensions and stacking limits with your warehouse.
- Check the delivery address can take a 40-foot container, not just a van.
Building a landed cost sheet
The sheet that matters has six lines: unit price, freight per unit, duty and clearance, inland transport, spares allocation and a warranty provision. Only the first line appears on a supplier quotation — the other five decide whether the order makes money.
Frequently asked questions
How do I compare two quotes fairly?
Ask both suppliers for carton dimensions, units per container, spares pricing and the document set, then calculate the landed cost per sellable unit.
What is a normal spares ratio?
Five to ten percent of unit volume on the first order, lower on repeat orders once you know the failure pattern.
Can certification be reused across models?
Sometimes, when the engine family and safety components are identical. Always confirm the certificate lists the exact model reference.
Our brush cutter and hedge trimmer range ships with a loading plan, spares list and certification documents with every quotation — ask for one with your destination port.