They acknowledge the kit is missing but say the cable is waiting on stock. The other listed spare items are available.

Then ask for separate options: available contents now with the cable still owed, or a defined credit covering specified items. You should be able to see which obligation each offer would close.

We once accepted a credit labelled spare kit and then discovered everyone had a different idea of what remained due, so get the contents named before the number becomes the whole conversation.

And keep the fitted cable out of the shortage calculation; its presence completes the main package, not the additional kit.

The revised offer lists the contents properly. Credit for the whole kit, or shipment of available items with the extra cable to follow. No cable availability date.

Can your maintenance buyer price an identified alternative kit or cable? A credit without a replacement cost leaves the real choice hidden.

Buyer has a quotation for the approved cable reference from another source. The seller's cable portion of the credit is lower than that delivered price.

You can ask for a revised credit, but don't treat a better number as guaranteed. Compare the cost difference with how much the uncertain spare availability matters to your workshop.

And tell the planner the spare is unavailable now; a purchase conversation isn't a cable sitting in stores.

Does the alternative quotation have confirmed availability, or is it another price attached to a wait?

Stock confirmed against that reference. Seller has increased its cable credit after seeing the quote, although it still leaves us paying the extra carriage.

That sounds like a choice you can actually make now. I wouldn't spend another month arguing over carriage if the workshop needs the spare, but the budget owner should see the difference.

Will the remaining spare contents ship independently of that cable decision?

Agreed: cable credit only, available spare contents shipped separately. Budget owner accepted the carriage difference and we ordered the alternative cable. Both parcels are pending receipt.

Retain the two receiving lists and the cable-credit confirmation together, so stores can close each part of the arrangement without accidentally marking the whole kit received early.