For shipping from China to Spain price, why did he choose us even though our quote was more expensive?
As a freight forwarder, I encounter people every day trying to lower their prices by offering quotes from other companies: "They're cheaper than you, are you going to do it?"
Most of the time, price is the key. But one time, a client chose us even our quote was more expensive.
1. Website Inquiry, Reconnected via WeChat Months Later
Late last year, a Spanish client left an inquiry on our website—a shipment from Shenzhen to Madrid, Spain DDP service. He left his email address and a WeChat ID.
I sent him a quote via email, but he didn't reply. Several months passed.
Many inquiries might just fade away like that. But I saw he left his WeChat ID, so I thought I'd try adding him again.
This July, he accepted my friend request.
He said it would be good to have a contact so he could ask anytime if he needed anything.
He wasn't that he didn't need a freight forwarder; he just hadn't seen the email.
2. What kind of person is the client?
This client was a purchasing agent and importer in Spain, helping local universities, brands, and retailers source goods from China and handling the entire logistics process.
He holds Spanish EORI and VAT numbers—meaning he's not an occasional individual buyer, but a professional importer with compliant operating capabilities.
His purchases are diverse: storage bags, lanyards, light bulbs, notebooks… but the orders are consistent and stable, not one-off transactions.
He previously didn't have a fixed freight forwarder, always looking for a reliable one.
3. Multiple rounds of inquiries, no deals closed
After establishing liaison, the client inquired about different types of goods. Each time, I cooperated diligently, providing multiple alternative solutions with varying lead times. But ultimately, none of them worked out—suppliers and freight forwarders snatched orders, clients cancelled orders at the last minute, various reasons.
Judging solely by the results, these rounds of inquiries were "ineffective follow-ups."
However, I never pressured the client, nor did I reduce the frequency of my responses because of the previous unsuccessful attempts. Every time he asked, I provided an answer; every time he changed his mind, I accepted it.
Towards the end of the conversation, he mentioned coming to China in October for the Canton Fair and wanted to meet in person—customer trust was slowly building.
4. Core Order Arrives: Notebooks Shipped by Air and Sea
At the end of July, the client sent a core inquiry: a batch of notebooks needed to be shipped in two batches, mostly by air and a small portion by sea, to a university in Madrid.
The characteristics of this shipment were: books are typically heavy cargo, making air freight inherently expensive, and the client had a specific, non-negotiable delivery time requirement.
I initially quoted a full-inclusive DDP price, but the client's immediate reaction was that it was too expensive.
Further reading:
What are the terms of door-to-door shipping?
5. Adjusted Plan, but Price Still Not Lowest
I did two things:
First, I changed the trade terms. I changed from full-inclusive DDP to DDU—customs duties were paid by the client in Spain, significantly reducing initial shipping costs. The final air freight cost did not include destination airport taxes, resulting in a substantial price reduction.
Second, I explained why it was expensive—books are heavy cargo, and air freight is charged based on actual weight, making the shipping cost inherently high.
The client had a quote from another freight forwarder that was cheaper than mine.
But he chose me.
He said the other freight forwarder's quote was about the same, but he decided to go with me because he had confidence in me.
To try our service, you can send your inquiry to: sales09@senghorlogistics.com
6. Why did the client still choose the more expensive option even though the price was higher?
The client later paid, and even paid an extra amount. I told him to keep the extra money to offset future orders.
He said something that I think best encapsulates this case:
"Mission accomplished. Great work."
He didn't choose us because of the lower price. He chose us because I had responded seriously to every inquiry, and I hadn't been indifferent to any unsuccessful attempts. I responded to every message he sent on the same day.
He knew this person was reliable.
7. This wasn't a story of closing a deal with a low price.
The profit margin for this order wasn't high. Looking at the numbers alone, it wasn't a big order. But the client clearly stated that he had more orders to come, and that his other projects would be coming in soon.
A client's value never depends on how much money they made on their first order, but on whether they are willing to entrust their next order to you.
The client said he would meet in Shenzhen when he came to Guangzhou for the Canton Fair in October. He used the word "meet," not "visit."
This difference reflects the difference in trust.
8. This case made me realize a few things:
First, the client didn't choose the lowest price, but the person he trusted.
Second, trust isn't built on a single quote. It's accumulated gradually through treating every inquiry seriously, remaining calm even after a failed sale, and responding promptly to every communication.
Third, don't be afraid of not offering the lowest price. What you should be “afraid” of is the client coming back to you after getting a low price. Because they know there are other valuable things besides price.
This article is based on a real cargo shipping service case and was written by Vilien, a salesperson at Shenzhen Senghor Sea & Air Logistics Co., Ltd.
Any inquiry about shipping from China, welcome to contact:
Post time: Aug-26-2026
