2. Methods of Payment for Export Sales
Cash in Advance
Open Account
Letter of Credit
Sight Bill
Usance Bill
3. Cash in Advance/Advance Payment
With cash-in-advance payment terms,
an exporter can avoid credit risk because payment is
received before the ownership of the goods is
transferred.
For international sales, wire transfers and credit
cards are the most commonly used cash-in-advance
options available to exporters.
5. Open Account
An open account transaction is a sale where the goods
are shipped and delivered before payment is due,
which in international sales is typically in 30, 60 or 90
days.
It is one of the most advantageous options to the importer
in terms of cash flow and cost, but it is consequently one of
the highest risk options for an exporter.
7. Letters of credit
An LC is a commitment by a bank on behalf of the buyer
that payment will be made to the exporter, provided that
the terms and conditions stated in the LC have been met,
as verified through the presentation of all required
documents.
The buyer establishes credit and pays his or her bank to
render this service.
10. Documents Against Payment (D/P)/
Sight Bill
In this method of payment,
the exporter ships the goods to his buyer and
sends his draft (bill of exchange) with the necessary
export documents through his bank.
The exporter bank then sends the documents to the
corresponding bank in buyer's country.
11. Documents Against Payment (D/P)/
Sight Bill
The bank of importer asks the importer to pay the draft
& release the documents.
If the buyer pays the amount
then bank handover the documents to buyer and
if the buyer does not make the payment,
then bank will not handover the documents to buyer and
exporter will suffer loss.
12. Documents Against Acceptance (D/A)/
Usance Bill/ Time Draft
This is the most unsecured method of payment in export trade.
In this method of payment exporter sends the documents to
his buyer through his bank.
The buyer's bank handover the documents to the buyer only
upon
acceptance which implies that he agrees to pay the amount
of draft (bill of exchange)
after expiry of the period of credit (or usance period).
13. Documents Against Acceptance (D/A)/
Usance Bill/ Time Draft
The maximum usance period is for 180 days.
The disadvantage of Documents Against Acceptance
(D/A) terms is that
It allows buyer to take delivery of the goods before making
the payment.