Time is money. These days, wholesale buyers who can efficiently obtain multiple quotes from qualified vendors for PV hardware that’s ready to ship gain a competitive edge. The ability to review multiple quotes in a timely manner also leads to the best options at the best prices.
This strategy is particularly necessary in a market landscape where geopolitical factors, such as tariffs and other import regulations, can greatly affect project budgets and timelines. Even when projects are cancelled due to unforeseen costs, sourced solar equipment becomes available for resale within the secondary market, which provides another opportunity for buyers to find top-quality products for good deals.
EnergyBin offers developers, EPCs, and installers an efficient way to connect to your pre-approved vendors to find what you need when you need it. In this article, we’ll show you how to set up your My Vendors list, search for products and send RFQs, and send your Bill of Materials (BOM) to your My Vendors list.
Set up My Vendors
To build your My Vendors list on the EnergyBin platform, go to Manage on the top Menu bar, and then select My Vendors from the drop-down menu. From here, search for and add those companies that you do business with. Add as many vendors as you prefer. Keep in mind, only companies that are pre-qualified EnergyBin members can be added to this list.
Consider toggling the gray bar that’s pre-set to Normal to Favorite for each of your vendors. Doing so will highlight their inventory listings green in your search results when you search for products. When you’re finished, click the green Save button.
Now you have a My Vendors list that you can use to request quotes.
Search for products and send RFQs
There are two ways to send RFQs to your My Vendors list. The first way is to start with a product search. This approach is best utilized when you have a specific product you’re looking to buy. In the top Search bar, enter the item you’re looking for.
In this example, we searched for Longi solar panels. The search results show that one company from our My Vendors list has LR5-54HABB Black Bifacials. To request a quote, check the box on the left side of their listing. Then, select RFQ in the gray bar above.
The RFQ email template appears, which will be sent to the selected company. If you’d like, you can opt to send this same email to your My Vendors list by clicking on the box in the RFQ Options section.
A word of advice, don’t presume that a vendor can’t help with your request if you see that their inventory listing notes a quantity that’s below your required quantity. Many companies have brokering services to quickly locate products for buyers.
Additionally, they may have recently received new inventory into stock that’s not yet listed on EnergyBin. Request a quote to determine whether they can help.
Send RFQs for your Bill of Materials
The second way to send RFQs to your My Vendors list is to go to Broadcast on the top Menu bar and select Send from the drop-down menu. This approach is best utilized when you have a Bill of Materials that you’re looking to source.
On the Send a Broadcast workflow, select RFQ and then select Full System for a specific project’s Bill of Materials.
To ensure this RFQ is sent only to your My Vendors, select COMPANIES in the Filters section. Click Send to My Vendors only. Then proceed with uploading your BOM in the Attach Files section and complete the other fields on the form. Click Continue.
Before your RFQ is sent, review the Email Preview. Note that the form auto-fills your name and contact information. When ready, click Send.
If you prefer this feature, you can skip the product search for a single item and go directly to the Send a Broadcast workflow. Instead of Full System, select Single Part / Item.
Think of the Broadcast feature as the fastest way to get in touch with your vendors, which is especially convenient when you’re in a time crunch.
Grow your network
In the solar industry, relationship-building is critical to success. Having a curated list of qualified vendors with whom you’ve built trustworthy relationships helps your company to remain resilient in times of market uncertainty.
EnergyBin isn’t just a database that provides real-time insights on solar hardware and availability, it’s also a community of your industry peers. As a member, work to introduce yourself to other members, make connections, and build relationships just as you would at trade shows and industry events.
Over time, add qualified companies you’ve built relationships with to your My Vendors list. When it’s time to request quotes, you’ll be ready to receive replies that you can rely on to get projects done and within budget.
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