Secure Payment in International Trade: Cash in Advance
The safest method of payment in international trade is getting cash in advance of shipping the goods ordered, whether through bank wire transfers, credit card payments or funds held in escrow until a shipment is received. While cash in advance is the most desired by exporters, especially in situations where the risks of non-payment are high, it is often much less desired by customers.
Exporters prefer cash in advance before shipping orders because there is no risk of default. They will also have the cash in hand if there is any problem with the order or the customer is unhappy or a shipment is damaged. If the exporter needs to provide a refund or credit in these cases, it can do so without worrying whether the buyer will withhold payment until the issue is settled.
The main drawback of cash in advance is that many customers may not want or be able to afford to pay in advance. Paying cash in advance for goods can harm cash flow and buyers may be concerned that they may not receive the shipment. As a result, an exporter that requires cash in advance may receive fewer orders from its customers and may even lose customers to sellers with less stringent payment terms.
Payment in international trade is a balancing act. Exporters may insist on cash in advance to secure their balance sheets. As a result, however, their sales and potential growth may suffer if customers seek out vendors with more flexible payment terms.
Risky Payment in International Trade: Open Account Terms
At the other end of the payment risk spectrum is open account payment in international trade. Exporters can offer open account terms for payment in international trade by shipping goods to international customers before they receive payment for those goods with payments generally due in 30 to 90 days.
Open account terms can help to maximize potential sales volume because it is most advantageous and convenient to the customer. However, it is the highest risk type of payment in international trade for the exporter. Therefore, exporters need to consider whether the additional sales volume is worth the risk of payment default and take steps to manage that risk. This can include routinely conducting customer credit checks and looking for ways to minimize the impact of any payment default.
Conservative Modes of Payment in International Trade
Between the two extremes of cash in advance and open account terms are the options of documentary collection and letters of credit.
Documentary Collection as Payment in International Trade
Documentary collection involves having a bank collect payment on the exporter’s behalf once the buyer has received the goods ordered. Title to the goods does not transfer until the payment is completed. However, documentary collection does not verify the shipment or receipt of the goods involved and the exporter still has little recourse if the buyer still does not make the required payment.
Letters of Credit as Payment in International Trade
Letters of credit guarantee payment from one bank to another on behalf of the buyer and seller. The buyer’s bank releases payment to the exporter as soon as it receives proof that all of the terms and conditions of the transaction have been satisfied by both buyer and seller. Letters of credit can be important ways to ensure payment when a buyer has little obtainable credit history. Buyers benefit because they do not have to pay until they have received the goods ordered.
Although they provide more balanced risk mitigation for both buyers and sellers, there is one major drawback of using documentary collection and letters of credit as a mode of payment in international trade. These options can be expensive, time consuming and cumbersome to manage.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Method of Payment in International Trade
Identifying appropriate terms of payment in international trade requires strong data and information about buyers and their creditworthiness. By paying attention to the details, exporters can make rigorous checks on their international customers, including gathering information on their banking arrangements and business partners.
Once terms of payment for international trade are in place, this attention to detail must extend to specific payment agreements and arrangements. Exporters must also carefully prepare the documentation necessary for transactions to take place and be completed in a timely way. No matter how an exporter handles payment in international trade, everything from letters of credit to customs and excise documentation and other official documents must be complete and factually correct. Few things can create more delays in payment in international trade than documents with incomplete or incorrect information and responses.
Euler Hermes International Trade Payment Solutions
The key factors for success in international trade are the same as those in domestic business arrangements: a clearly defined process for assessing payment risk conducted by well-trained employees with regular monitoring from the beginning of the transaction to its end.
Euler Hermes provides international businesses with access to the data and services necessary to conduct profitable and stable international trade. Beyond offering trade credit insurance to protect against loss from payment default, Euler Hermes also provides access to a suite of tools designed to support foreign trade, a collection service that operates worldwide, and the ability to support and integrate with each company's processes and systems. The overall goal is to make sure companies succeed in international trade by making sure agreed-upon payment terms for international trade are applied successfully.
Our trade credit insurance is much more than a policy: our customers have access to a suite of tools which support foreign trade, with the added benefit of a collection service that operates worldwide. Find out more about trade credit insurance and look at our powerful information tools, EOLIS, SmartView and SmartLink to explore how to trade with confidence in international markets.
