What to Consider When Choosing an International Payment Method

Before they even make their first sales call, exporters must determine the best way to get paid in full by their customers in a timely way. This means defining the terms of payment for international trade.

One of the most important tasks for anyone working in international sales is to keep track of factors that may influence a customer’s ability to pay.  There are many reasons a customer in an overseas market might not pay, including political change, an economic shift, the state of their banking relationships, and the business culture in their market. Information about these factors and how they impact customer payment is critical to making the best decisions about payment terms when growing sales internationally.

Common Methods of International Payment

There is no one payment option that is appropriate for all situations. Although cash in advance offers the lowest level of risk for exporters, many customers engaged in international trade cannot afford to pay in advance or do not want to do so. Even those customers willing to provide payment in advance may not be able to buy as much as they want or need under those terms. As a result, cash-in-advance payment terms can hamper an exporter’s ability to attract and retain customers. In some cases, exporters may lose business to competitors that are willing and able to offer more favorable terms of payment in international trade.

The good news is that there are other payment terms available for international trade. The first step in choosing the right one is to monitor a customer’s ability to pay and any factors that might influence or change that ability. 

The second  step is to use this information to identify the range of payment terms the company is willing to accept in order to accommodate customer needs. Each payment option has its pros and cons so companies should choose carefully based on the customer’s country, industry, creditworthiness, the length and strength of the relationship, and any other relevant criteria.

The most common methods of payment in international trade include:

• Cash In Advance
• Open Account Terms
• Consignment
• Documentary Collection
• Letters of Credit

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.

Risky Payment in International Trade: Consignment

Similar to open account terms, consignment is an agreement that the buyer will pay for the shipment after the buyer sells the goods. The seller retains title to the goods until the goods are sold, and the unsold goods are returned to the seller in a timeframe agreed to in the purchase contract. This is a very low-risk method of trade for the international buyer, but highly risky for the seller.

Conservative Modes of Payment in International Trade

Between the extremes of cash in advance, open account terms, and consignment 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 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.