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Sourcing & Suppliers

Single Sourcing

Single sourcing is the deliberate choice to buy a particular item from just one supplier, even though alternatives exist.

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Organisations choose single sourcing to maximise volume leverage, deepen a supplier relationship, ensure consistency or simplify administration. It concentrates spend and can unlock better pricing and closer collaboration than spreading orders across several vendors.

The trade-off is risk concentration: if the chosen supplier fails, there is no ready alternative. Single sourcing differs from sole sourcing, where only one supplier is actually capable of meeting the need. For critical items, many buyers prefer dual sourcing to balance leverage against resilience.

Frequently asked questions

What is single sourcing?
Single sourcing is choosing to buy an item from one supplier despite alternatives being available, usually to gain volume leverage or a closer relationship.
What is the difference between single sourcing and sole sourcing?
Single sourcing is a choice made when alternatives exist. Sole sourcing happens when only one supplier can actually provide the item, so there is no choice.

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