Anchor

Should-Cost & Price Challenge

Anchor turns supplier pricing conversations into evidence. It builds should-cost models from known inputs and pragmatic proxies, benchmarks proposed increases against relevant market signals, and prepares negotiation-ready challenges that protect margin without relying on gut feel. Anchor does not “auto-reject” increases or invent a number—your team sets the guardrails and target posture, and Anchor produces the analysis, comparisons, and quantified scenarios that make decisions fast and defensible. Built to support judgment, not replace it.

Primary Outputs

Typical deliverables

Should-cost model with cost stack assumptions, ranges, and sensitivity (inputs, yields, labor, freight, overhead)

Market benchmark pack: supplier claim vs. relevant indices, known quotes, and historical purchase patterns

Price increase challenge brief with quantified counterpositions and “if/then” trade options

Comparable quote normalization: apples-to-apples unit economics across suppliers, tiers, and freight terms

Negotiation talk track blocks: evidence-led questions, pressure points, and concession sequencing

Decision defensibility notes: what data supports the position, where uncertainty remains, and the risk of acceptance

Core Capabilities

What it does

Builds should-cost models using your BOM/routing inputs where available, or practical proxies when not

Benchmarks price actions against market signals, historical purchases, and known quote patterns to spot weak claims

Separates “real” cost drivers from padding (rounding, opacity, double-counting, and vague surcharge logic)

Creates counterposition scenarios: accept, reject, phase, cap, or trade for service levels, lead times, or commitments

Normalizes supplier quotes into comparable unit economics (incoterms, freight, pack sizes, yields, and tiers)

Produces negotiation-ready briefs that keep discussions focused on data, not posture

Operational Fit

How it’s used

Used By

Strategic Sourcing, Procurement, Finance, and category owners preparing supplier negotiations.

Used For

Annual price reviews, ad-hoc increase challenges, re-bids, and should-cost backed negotiation posture.

Typical Questions

Is this price increase justified by real cost movement—or is it padding?
What should this item cost based on inputs, yields, and freight realities?
What counterposition do we take, and what trades make sense without creating new risk?

Agent Overview