Dell Expiring Quotes: What Resellers Need to Know About New Tariff-Driven Quote Policies

U.S. import tariffs loom, Dell and other OEMs are moving aggressively to protect margins by accelerating quote expirations and revising pricing. If you’re a reseller, here’s what you need to know – and how to stay ahead.

Dell Quote Expirations Happened on March 31, 2025

Dell has confirmed that all reseller-issued quotes were force-expired by March 31, 2025, citing the impact of new U.S. tariffs on imported technology hardware. According to multiple sources across the channel, Dell’s partner sales teams have begun notifying resellers of the change directly. Starting April 1, any deal will require new quotes reflecting updated tariff-driven pricing, with anticipated increases ranging from 10% to 25%.

While not formally announced on Dell’s public channels, the change is being communicated by account managers and partner reps. The reason is clear: Dell is proactively aligning pricing to avoid locking in pre-tariff quotes that would erode margin post-April.

Why Are Dell Quotes Being Expired?

The core issue is the upcoming U.S. tariff increases on Chinese-manufactured IT products. Tariffs jumped from 10% to 20% in early March, and the numbers have been climbing since then. Dell’s strategy is to ensure no reseller quote with pre-tariff pricing remains valid into Q2. 

For solution providers managing hundreds of hardware and software deals, this means active quotes – even those marked with 30-day validity – may become void after March 31.

Industry-Wide Response: HP, Lenovo, Cisco Also Adjusting

While Dell’s mass expiration date is the most aggressive response seen so far, other OEMs are adjusting too:

• HP Inc. implemented across-the-board price hikes of 10–20% on PCs and printers in February and March, aligned with each wave of new tariffs.

• Lenovo provided a short grace period on quotes through April 7 for server and desktop products but has already increased pricing on other models.

• Cisco has held off on quote cancellations, instead focusing on supply chain adjustments. However, its CFO acknowledged pricing may shift if tariff pressures persist.

  
  

What This Means for Resellers

The quote-to-order process is under pressure. Dell expiring quotes due to tariffs is only the beginning. Similar practices are emerging across OEMs, forcing resellers to re-engage clients, revise proposals, and manage awkward conversations about last-minute price hikes.

Distributors like Ingram Micro and D&H Distributing are urging clear communication and early quoting to get ahead of the uncertainty. Many have increased inventory levels temporarily, but those buffers won’t last long if tariffs remain elevated.

How to Respond: Automation is Now a Must

With reseller new quotes tariffs becoming the norm, it’s critical to upgrade your quoting infrastructure. ResellerOS provides an automated way to:

• Ingest and re-quote vendor PDFs and Excel files instantly with QuoteAI

• Adjust pricing across hundreds of line items in a few clicks

• Track contract-compliant pricing and flag mismatches via built-in validation tools

• Stay current with tariff-driven pricing changes using version control and quote history

• Push urgent quotes into Salesforce as Sales Orders and begin PO generation instantly

  
  

As quote cycles shrink and volatility increases, resellers need quoting systems that can pivot in real time.

Final Take: Prepare Now for a Tariff-Driven Q2

Whether you’re quoting Dell, HP, Lenovo, or another vendor, expect more frequent expirations and shorter price locks. Dell’s March 31 quote purge is a signal to the entire channel: tariffs are changing the rules, and manual quote management is no longer viable.

Invest now in quoting automation that can scale with pricing volatility. Your margin – and your customer relationships – depend on it. Schedule a call here to discuss.