Industrial companies
Minimum order, lead times and areas, said before anyone asks.
A buyer rules suppliers out on minimum order and lead time. If you do not state them, they rule you out just in case.
The website states the minimum order, the usual delivery lead times, the areas served and the payment terms, which are the four things an industrial buyer uses to rule a supplier out before asking for an offer.
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The four questions that rule you out
Before asking for a price, a buyer wants to know four things: whether you supply quantities like theirs, in what time, how far you deliver and on what payment terms. If the website does not say, they have two options: ask, or move on. With three suppliers on the list, they often move on.
The minimum order, without hedging
Stating the minimum does not scare off customers: it scares off requests you were going to turn down. And it confirms to the buyer who does fit that they have come to the right place. If the minimum depends on the family, it gets stated per family.
Lead times you can stand behind
The usual lead time for stock items, the one for made-to-order work and what stretches it. An optimistic lead time published on a website is a future complaint; a realistic one is an argument. And if you hold stock of the fastest-moving references, saying so is one of the things that weighs most.
Areas, terms and payment
How far you deliver with your own transport, above what value carriage is included, and how invoicing works. In business-to-business transactions the payment terms are regulated in Spain by Law 3/2004 on late payment, and having it clear in writing avoids arguments both for you and for whoever buys from you.
What we do about it
Part of the maintenance: you never have to ask, and it is never billed apart.
- The minimum order stated Overall or per family, depending on how you work.
- Usual lead times For stock and for manufacture, with what stretches them.
- Delivery areas With your own transport and with carriers.
- Carriage terms Above what value and with which exceptions.
- Payment terms Clear and consistent with late payment rules.
- All of it linkable So it can be sent when it is asked for.
And this you change with one sentence
You write what you want changed and we publish it.
We have lowered the minimum order for this family
Changed on the terms page and in the family.
We now supply Portugal as well
Added to the delivery areas.
Change the manufacturing lead time to four weeks
Changed where it is read before asking for an offer.
Frequently asked questions
Is it not better to negotiate the minimum case by case?
You can carry on doing that. Publishing a general figure prevents requests far below it and does not stop you making exceptions.
What if the lead time depends on the workload?
You say so: «usual lead time X, subject to factory load». It is honest and nobody reads it as a broken promise.
Should I publish payment terms?
At least the general framework. In business-to-business transactions the terms have legal limits, and having it clear protects both sides.
What about Incoterms?
If you export, saying which terms you usually quote on saves half a conversation with every new buyer.
Where all this comes from
Every figure and every rule quoted above, linked to the official text.
The rest of what a website for industrial companies includes
Part catalogue
Your products by family, with dimensions, materials and finishes. Searchable and filterable.
Quote requests
A form with part, quantity and lead time. It reaches your inbox ready to answer.
Certifications on show
ISO, markings and approvals with their validity. The first thing an industrial buyer checks.
PDF data sheets
Every part with its downloadable sheet, always in the latest published version.
Spanish, English and Catalan
The same site in three languages. Selling abroad should not require a second website.
Industrial SEO
Optimised for searches by part number, material and process, which is how a buyer searches.
Backups and security
Secure certificate and a daily copy. Your catalogue does not get lost.
Does your website state your minimum order?
If not, some buyers assume it is too high and never ask. Saying it costs one sentence.
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