The commercial side nobody explains upfront
Most articles about kurma suppliers talk about origin and taste. Few explain how the actual transaction works, and that is often where buyers get caught out. A supplier's minimum order quantity, deposit terms and discount tiers matter as much as which country the dates came from.
Minimum order quantity isn't fixed
Some suppliers set an MOQ as low as 5kg for a first-time buyer testing the product, others won't talk below a full carton, usually 10-15kg depending on variety. MOQ tends to drop once you've placed two or three orders and the supplier trusts you'll reorder. It rarely appears on a public price list — you have to ask directly.
Deposits and payment terms
A first order from an unfamiliar supplier is usually full payment upfront, sometimes with a bank transfer receipt required before dispatch. Repeat buyers can often negotiate a deposit-plus-balance arrangement, or short invoice terms if the volume justifies it. Suppliers who insist on full cash upfront indefinitely, even after several repeat orders, are worth questioning.
Where the discount actually sits
Bulk discount is rarely a flat percentage. It usually steps at specific weight thresholds — a jump at 10kg, another at a full carton, sometimes a further step at pallet quantity for distributors. Ask for the full tier sheet rather than a single quoted price; a supplier without one is probably pricing case by case rather than running a real wholesale operation.
Reading the invoice, not just the price
A proper wholesale invoice should show variety, grade, weight and country of origin as separate line items, not a single bundled figure. That level of detail also makes it easier to compare two suppliers on the same terms. Our overview on wholesaler variation in taste and texture is a useful companion once you're comparing grades side by side, and our notes on sustainable wholesaling practices covers the sourcing side of the same decision. For a broader look across suppliers, see Kurma supplier in Malaysia.