Why Most Ottoman Quotes Are Basically Fiction

If you’ve sourced upholstered products long enough, you’ve seen it:
You ask five factories for a quote. You get five prices. None of them are truly comparable.

Because the cheapest number is often built on silent assumptions:

cheaper foam (feels flat in a month)
lighter frame (wobble later)
“standard packaging” (arrives bruised)
vague tolerances (lid gaps you can see from across the room)

For ottomans, the quote only becomes real when the factory is forced to answer the boring questions: structure, foam feel, upholstery method, hardware, QC gates, and packaging.

That’s exactly what this RFQ template does.

The Buyer’s Rule: If It’s Not Written Down, It Doesn’t Exist

A good ottoman supplier doesn’t just say “OK.”
They confirm:

what they will build
how they will check it
how they will pack it
and what happens if it drifts

This is also where Teruier’s approach is different in practice: we don’t treat “design → sampling → mass production” as three separate conversations. We run it as one coordinated flow—trend intent translated into buildable specs, then protected by QC checkpoints and packaging standards. That coordination is what makes a reorder feel like a reorder, not a new product.

Copy-Paste RFQ Template (Ottoman / Storage Ottoman / Ottoman Bench)

1) Project Basics

Product type: (Ottoman / Storage Ottoman / Ottoman Bench / Set of 2)
Target market & channel: (EU community retail / concept store / boutique hotel lobby shop, etc.)
Target price level: (Good / Better / Best) + target ex-works range (if you have one)
Order plan: trial qty + reorder qty
Delivery terms: EXW / FOB / DDP (specify destination)
Timeline: sample deadline + production deadline

2) Dimensions & Tolerances (Stop “Looks Different Than Sample”)

Provide a simple table:

Overall size: L × W × H (mm)
Seat height: (mm)
Leg height: (mm)
For storage ottoman: lid overhang + internal storage dimensions
Tolerance required:
- overall size tolerance: ± ___ mm
- lid gap tolerance (storage): max ___ mm difference side-to-side
- leg wobble: must pass “flat floor corner-press test” (no rocking)

Ask the factory:

“How do you keep the frame square during production (jigs/fixtures)?”
“What’s your standard tolerance, and can you hold ours?”

3) Construction Spec (The Hidden Part That Decides Returns)

Frame material: (solid wood / engineered wood / mixed)
Reinforcement: corner blocks (yes/no), centre support (bench: yes/no)
Leg fixing method: (metal plate + screws preferred)
Max load expectation: ___ kg (static)

Ask for:

an internal structure photo of a similar item
a short “press corners” stability video on the sample

4) Foam Feel Spec (Buy the Feel, Not the Foam)

Seat feel target: Firm / Medium / Plush
Foam build: single layer / multi-layer (base + topper)
Foam density range: ___ (factory to propose if you don’t know)
Recovery standard: “No permanent dents after normal sitting”

Buyer prompt (works brilliantly):

“Please recommend the foam build that holds shape for retail customers, not showroom display.”

5) Upholstery & Finish (What Customers Photograph)

Fabric: (bouclé / sherpa / velvet / linen blend / PU, etc.)
Colour: Pantone / swatch reference + confirm dye-lot control
Seam style: top stitch / hidden seam / piping
Corner finishing requirement: clean, no wrinkling
For tufting: button type + spacing tolerance

Ask for:

close-up photos of corners in bright light
seam straightness photo (front-on)

6) Storage Hardware (If Applicable)

Hinge type: soft-close / safety hinge / standard
Lid alignment standard: must sit level, consistent gap
Open/close test: 10 cycles—no shifting

Ask for:

a 10-cycle open/close video
hinge placement method (jig or manual)

7) Packaging Spec (The Cheapest Way to Cut Returns)

Packaging requirement: ship-ready for courier handling

dust bag / protective wrap (yes)
corner protectors (yes)
internal stabilisers (no movement inside carton)
carton strength requirement: factory to propose
bench packaging: anti-sag support underneath

Ask for:

packed carton photo (open) showing corner + internal protection
“shake test” result: no movement

8) QC Checkpoints

Request a simple list with pass/fail criteria for:

frame squareness check
leg stability check
seam/piping alignment check
foam feel & recovery check
storage lid alignment check (if applicable)
final appearance check under bright light
packaging check (corner + movement)

Ask:

“Who signs off each checkpoint (line QC / final QC)?”
“Can you send inspection photos for our order?”

9) Sampling & Pre-Production Gate

Sample requirements:

1st sample: structure + size + appearance
2nd sample (if needed): final fabric + final foam feel
Pre-production sample: required before mass run (yes/no)
Golden sample: keep as reference standard (yes)

How to Read Supplier Replies

When replies come back, score them like this:

Green Flags

They answer with specifics, not “OK no problem”
They propose foam build options with trade-offs
They describe how they keep frames square (fixtures/jigs)
They show packaging photos and can upgrade packaging without drama
They talk about checkpoints and tolerances naturally

Red Flags

“We do standard packaging” (no details)
No mention of tolerances
“Same as sample” but no golden sample process
Storage ottoman quote without lid alignment method
Bench quote without anti-sag packaging plan

Where Teruier Quietly Wins

This RFQ template is simple—yet it reveals who can truly deliver retail-ready product.

And it fits Teruier’s way of working:

Design intent gets translated into specs (materials, feel, tolerances)
Specs get protected by checkpoints (not wishful thinking)
Packaging is engineered, not guessed (so the product arrives as intended)

That’s easier to execute when you’re rooted in a real craft-manufacturing ecosystem. Around Fuzhou’s craft hub, you don’t just have “a factory”—you have three supply chains that can move together:

artisans who understand finish and hand-feel
materials that can be locked and replenished
process know-how for repeatable build quality

And yes, the region’s older craft culture (lacquer traditions, oil-paper umbrellas, horn comb craft and the broader heritage of decorative making) shows up today in one practical thing buyers care about: finish discipline—the difference between “fine in photos” and “good in the customer’s hands.”