Different types of payment methods are available to exporters and buyers that they can enter into by mutual agreement. There’s always a risk involved when it comes to the recovery of invoice amounts; in the case of exports, it’s even higher due to the physical distance between the two parties and differences in the legal structures of the two countries.
Here are 5 types of payment terms in export:
Open account payment in International Trade, the buyer receives the goods shipped by the exporter and then makes the payment at the end of an agreed credit period. The credit period can be a fixed duration – 30 days, 60 days, 90 days, etc. There is a gap between the date of receipt of the purchase order and the date of receipt of payment, with activities like production and shipping to be concluded in between.
The time gap involved in this method puts a burden on the working capital situation of the exporter. Nevertheless, the exporter may choose to opt for this payment method if the importer is a strong player with prospects of high volumes in the future. An exporter may also agree to an open account payment mode if there is a trusted relationship between the two parties, or if the amount of money at stake is negligible.
In this payment method, both parties involve their respective banks to complete the payment. The remitting bank represents the exporter while a collecting bank works on behalf of the buyer. Once the exporter ships the goods, they can submit the shipping documents and a collecting order to the remitting bank, who in turn will send these to the collecting bank along with the collection instructions. This is then passed on to the buyer, on whose payment the collecting bank transfers the amount to the remitting bank. Finally, the exporter receives the amount from the remitting bank.
Documentary collection may be ‘at sight’ or after a time-lapse:
CAD payment term / DP in export, happens when the buyer needs to pay the amount due at sight. This payment is made before the documents are released by the buyer’s bank (collecting bank). It is also known as sight draft or cash against documents.
DA payment term in export, is an arrangement where the buyer is required to make the payment only after a specific duration. In this mode, the buyer accepts the time draft and makes a promise to pay. Once this acceptance is received, the bank can release the documents to the buyer.
This is a safe and common international trade payment mechanism. The buyer’s bank gives a written commitment to the seller, called a Letter of Credit. It is an assurance to the exporter that the buyer’s payment will be settled as per the agreed timeline and will be subject to the agreed terms and conditions.
This is by far the safest & the best mode of payment in international trade for the exporter, in which they ship the goods to the buyer only after the receipt of payment from the buyer. Depending on the terms agreed upon, the payment may be full or partial. However, since in this case the buyer takes on the bulk of the risk associated with the transaction, most importers are unwilling to enter into cash-advance agreements.
Consignment method of payment in International Trade is a variation of open account in which payment is sent to the exporter after the goods have been sold by the foreign distributor to the end customer. The key to succeed in exporting on consignment is to partner with a reputable and trustworthy foreign distributor or a third-party logistics provider. Appropriate insurance should be in place to cover consigned goods in transit or in possession of a foreign distributor as well as to mitigate the risk of non-payment.
Timely receipt of the sale proceeds is the biggest concern for an exporter once they ship the goods to the port of destination. Though credit risk is inherent in the export industry, there are a few steps that one can consider to reduce it.