AED 10 vs AED 20? That's not the real procurement question
"Why are you paying AED 20 when this one is AED 10?" is the most common - and most misleading - question in purchasing.
The unit price is a trap. The real question is: which disc gives the lowest reliable cost per actual cutting job?
The math (example)
- AED 10 disc -> 20 cuts -> AED 0.50 per cut
- AED 20 disc -> 60 cuts -> AED 0.33 per cut
The "expensive" disc is about 34% cheaper for the work it actually does - and more reliable on site.
Look beyond the unit price
Cost per cut is only the visible part. The cheap disc quietly costs you more in:
- Cutting life (actual cuts)
- Replacement frequency
- Man-hours spent changing discs
- Downtime
- Material wastage
- Safety risk when a worn disc is pushed too far
- Consistent performance
The rule I buy by
After 17+ years in procurement and strategic sourcing across UAE/GCC construction and building materials, the principle never changed: procurement isn't buying the cheapest item - it's buying the lowest reliable cost for the actual work.
Same material. Different results. That's procurement.
- Nibin Varghese
Top comments (0)