Early Supplier Involvement (ESI) offers several advantages to buyers:

Shared expertise for problem solving: Engaging suppliers early allows for collaborative problem-solving, leveraging the supplier's specialized knowledge to enhance product development.

Improved understanding of seller capabilities: Early engagement provides insights into the supplier's capabilities, facilitating better alignment with project requirements.

Lower development costs: Collaborative efforts in the early stages can lead to cost savings by identifying efficiencies and reducing the need for later-stage modifications.

These benefits are highlighted in the CIPS Intelligence Hub:

"ESI can bring significant benefits to your organisation, due to the involvement of suppliers in the initial stages of product development... Here are some additional benefits that your organisation will see when adopting ESI... Helps to reduce cost... Integrates supplier capabilities in the manufacturers supply chain..."

— CIPS Intelligence Hub: Early Supplier Involvement