Where your quantity sits against the 100/250/500/1000/2500/5000/10000 break points (just under a break is the expensive place to be)
Construction type, temporary corrugate vs semi-permanent vs permanent metal, wood, or acrylic
Structural design and engineering, including any prototyping
Quantity and run length
Check before signing
Prototype or tooling charged per order rather than once
A heavier or permanent material quoted where temporary was specified
Freight under-estimated for a bulky low-weight item on dimensional weight
Assembly billed separately when shelf-ready was implied
Negotiation levers
Match the construction type to the campaign length rather than over-building
Reuse an existing structural design across campaigns
Design to ship flat to cut freight
About postcard - 4.25x5.5 pricing
Priced per unit with quantity breaks. Vendors quote steps at 100 / 250 / 500 / 1000 / 2500 / 5000 / 10000 units, and the per-unit rate drops at each break.
Why is one display quote five times another?
Almost always construction type. Temporary corrugate is a fraction of a permanent metal or wood fixture. Confirm both vendors are quoting the same build before comparing.
Why is freight so high on a lightweight display?
Displays are bulky, so carriers bill on dimensional weight, not actual weight. Designing the unit to ship flat or nested lowers it.