Never reveal pricing to competing suppliers

Details of your supplier relationships should never be given to other suppliers. In your negotiation, the supplier should be made to offer pricing relative to his costs rather than to a competitive threat. If the supplier does not know what you are paying for the item(s) his only reference will be his cost. This may or may not be lower than what you are currently paying, but occasionally a “new bottom” is uncovered. For further incentive tell your supplier that if the offer is not acceptable, you won’t entertain another offer for several weeks.