Home › Guides · Updated 3 November 2026 · By Kevin Lim, founder of DUMO Innovations

"We already have a supplier": how to reply without arguing against them

Short answer: Don't argue against the supplier. Say it's good they have one, then ask what works well and what they wish was better. Offer to be the backup quote or to take one small job, so there is a next step that doesn't mean firing anyone. Most customers aren't loyal to the supplier. They just don't want the hassle of changing.

What they meanMost customers aren't loyal to the supplier. They just don't want the hassle of changing.

Ask first"Good to hear, sounds like they take care of you. What do you like most about them, and what do you wish they did better?"

Then send"Many of our customers keep their main supplier and have us as backup. Can I send you our price list so it's ready if you ever need it?"

Why the chat went cold after your intro

You finally got through to the purchasing person. The intro went well. Then:

"Thanks for the info, but we already have a supplier. We've been using them for years."

The most common reply:

"Oh ok. But our price is cheaper than theirs, I'm sure. Can I just send you a quotation to compare? Our quality is better also 🙏"

Now you have said the old supplier is worse, without knowing anything about them. The customer has worked with that supplier for years, so the criticism lands on them too. They reply "ok, will keep in view" and the chat goes quiet.

What a polite "no" is hiding

It's the polite way to end the chat. They don't know you yet, and this is the shortest sentence that closes the topic.
Changing is a hassle. New account, new price list, new person to call when something goes wrong. Staying is easier than switching, even if you are a bit better.
They have a relationship. The current supplier answers at 10pm, remembers the usual order and knows who to call. You can't beat that with a brochure.
There is a quiet problem. Late deliveries, a price rise, a slow reply. Nobody has asked them yet, so nobody knows.

Only the last one is an opening. Ask a question to find out which you have.

Ask about their supplier, don't fight it

✅ Agree, then ask what works and what doesn't

"Good to hear, sounds like they take care of you. Just curious, what do you like most about them? And is there anything you wish they did better? Not trying to replace anyone, just want to understand what matters to you."

You stay friendly and you learn the standard you have to meet. If they name something they wish was better, you now have a reason to talk again.

✅ Ask to be the backup

"Understood. Many of our customers keep their main supplier and have us as backup, for when stock is short or delivery is late. Can I send you our price list so it's ready if you ever need it?"

You are not asking them to leave anyone. A backup is easy to say yes to, and it puts you in the room when something goes wrong with the main supplier.

✅ Offer one small job

"If you have one small order coming up, a rush job or something the usual supplier is slow on, let me do that one. If it goes well, you decide what happens next. If not, nothing changes for you."

A small job lets them check you without any risk. Do it well, report back, and ask how it went.

Copy-paste replies for each kind of "already have a supplier"

Work out which kind it is, then send the matching line. Swap in your own product and terms.

Replies to "we already have a supplier", by the real reason
They say	Send this
Thanks, we already have one (that's all)	Good to hear. If you don't mind, what do you like most about them? Just want to know what a good supplier looks like to you.Polite closer. A friendly question can restart the chat, and if it doesn't, you leave on good terms.
Changing suppliers is too troublesome	Understood. I won't ask you to change. Can I just be your backup for when stock runs short? I'll set up the account so it's ready.Remove the work of switching. Backup is easy to say yes to.
We've used them 10 years, very close	Sounds like they look after you well. I'm not trying to replace them. Just keep my number for the day they're late, can?Respect the relationship. Your number is the only thing you ask him to keep.
They're okay lah, sometimes late	How late is sometimes? If a rush job comes up, I can handle one to show you how we work.He has just told you the problem. Offer the small job, not the whole account.
Our head office decides the supplier	Got it. Who at head office decides? I'll send a one-page profile you can pass on, so you don't need to explain us.He is a messenger. Make the profile easy to forward.

Practise these replies on an AI customer that pushes back. Free trial →

A simple follow-up after he agrees to be "kept on file":

Day 0: send your price list with a short note.
Day 14: ask how the main supplier is doing, and whether any order is running late.
Day 30: send something useful, such as a stock update or a lead-time list.

Three ways to start a fight you cannot win

Running down the current supplier. You don't know the history. The customer chose them and will defend that choice.
Leading with a cheaper price. It tells them you think price is their problem. If it isn't, you have made yourself look like every other caller.
Sending a quotation and waiting. A quotation with no question attached is a brochure. Ask what they'd compare it against and agree when you'll check back.

What studies say about relationships and trust

There is little research on this exact sentence. Two studies on how companies buy from suppliers support the advice above: relationships and trust carry a lot of weight, so build them in small steps.

No personal relationship means less trust. Researchers interviewed 24 senior managers at 10 Australian companies that buy and sell logistics services. When buyer and supplier managers had no personal relationship, the managers reported less trust, less sharing of important business information and slower conflict resolution. So a customer who says they have a supplier is often protecting a relationship you have not built yet. Atif Saleem Butt, 2019, Heliyon. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e01799
Trust and communication build commitment. A study of 170 buyer-supplier relationships among Finnish SMEs found that contracts were more effective at keeping later transaction costs down, while trust and communication were more powerful at building commitment. A small first job where you communicate well builds the kind of commitment a price quotation cannot. Khuram Shahzad, Tahir Ali, Jukka Takala, Petri Helo and Ghasem Zaefarian, 2018, Industrial Marketing Management. doi:10.1016/j.indmarman.2017.12.012

Practise it before a real customer

DUMO SALES is an AI sales coach for Malaysian teams. Your salesmen practise replies like "we already have a supplier" on their phone, with an AI customer built from your own products and prices. The customer ends the chat if you only attack the other supplier, and opens up if you ask what could be better. After each session, DUMO SALES analyses the conversation, scores it across 8 dimensions and coaches you on the line that decided the deal. Managers get a data-driven view of who needs coaching and which objections the team keeps losing on.

Start a free trial →

FAQ

What do I say when a customer says they already have a supplier?

Say that's good to hear, then ask what they like about the supplier and what they wish was better. Don't criticise the supplier. Offer to be the backup quote or to do one small job, so the customer can try you without changing anything.

How do I win a customer who is happy with their current supplier?

Don't ask them to leave. Ask for a small first step: a quote to compare, a trial order, or being on the list when the supplier is late or out of stock. A small job done well is an easy way to start.

How do I know if "we already have a supplier" is a real reason?

Ask one easy question: how is it going with them lately? If they name a late delivery, a price rise or a slow reply, there is an opening. If they only say it's fine, ask to stay in touch and send something useful once a month.