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Requesting a Quote

Nova | 09/26/2026 | 5 views

When to request a quote vs. just placing an order

Place an order directly when:

  • You know exactly what you want and the portal price is acceptable.
  • You're stocking standard inventory.

Request a quote when:

  • You're considering a large order and want a custom price.
  • You need shipping cost confirmed before committing.
  • The order has special requirements (custom kitting, scheduled shipments, etc.).
  • Your finance team wants approval before purchase.

How to request a quote from the portal

  1. Build the cart as you would for an order — add products and quantities.
  2. At checkout, instead of Place Order, click Request Quote.
  3. Add a note about what you need (e.g., "Need this delivered week of June 15", "Looking for volume pricing on item X").
  4. Click Submit Request.

What happens next

  1. Quote created — the request lands in Nav Air's CRM as a draft sale order with state=Quotation. Your assigned rep is notified immediately.
  2. Rep reviews — they'll check pricing, confirm stock, validate any special requirements. Sometimes they'll call you for clarification.
  3. Quote sent back — you receive an email with the formal quote (PDF + portal link). The portal link opens the quote with Accept / Reject buttons.
  4. You accept — the quote auto-converts to a sales order with the same number; fulfillment begins.

Quote validity

Each quote has an expiration date (default 30 days, configurable). After expiry, prices may change — you'd need a fresh quote. Don't let big orders sit untouched for weeks.

Negotiating

If the quote is close but not quite right, reply to the email or use the portal's Comments section on the quote. Asking the rep about line-item discounts, free freight, or volume tiers is normal. They want your business.

Common pitfalls

"My quote turned into an invoice already"

If the rep set the quote to confirm-on-acceptance, clicking Accept immediately created the order AND the invoice. This is the fastest path but can surprise you. If you wanted to review further, message the rep before accepting.

"The quote shows different shipping than the portal estimated"

Portal shipping is an automated estimate based on weight and zip. Quote shipping is what the rep actually negotiated with the carrier (often LTL freight for big orders). The quote price is binding.

"I want to add an item to a quote I haven't accepted yet"

Reply to the quote email or use the Comments section asking the rep to add it. Don't create a second quote; that confuses tracking.

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