Question 1

How do I tell whether a buying requirement is real?

Accepted Answer

Look for a specific specification rather than a bare category name, a quantity that is realistic for the product, a named delivery place, a stated timeframe, and a company you can find in an independent register. Then ask two or three precise questions and see what comes back. Real buyers answer a numbered list. Requests that are only for your lowest price with no volume, or for free samples before any commercial detail, are usually not worth a full quotation, though they can still be worth a short standard reply.

Question 2

What payment terms should I offer a buyer I have not dealt with before?

Accepted Answer

Something that splits the risk. A deposit with the balance against shipping documents is the common first-order structure; a documentary letter of credit suits larger values, provided you check that every document it calls for is one you can actually produce within the dates it sets. Documents against payment gives more protection than documents against acceptance. Reserve open account terms for buyers with a payment history, and where you do want to extend credit to a new buyer, credit insurance is usually cheaper than the discount you would give for cash in advance.

Question 3

What documents will the importer need from me?

Accepted Answer

A commercial invoice, a packing list and the transport document are the routine core. Beyond that it depends on the destination market and can include a certificate of origin or a preferential origin declaration under a trade agreement, an inspection or analysis certificate, a sanitary or phytosanitary certificate, a fumigation certificate, a conformity or test report, or an import licence the buyer obtains themselves. Ask the buyer to list what they need, confirm which of those you can issue, and make sure the description, value, consignee and marks agree across every document.

Question 4

The quantity asked for is far above or below what I can supply. Should I still reply?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and say so plainly. If it is below your minimum, state your minimum and offer the nearest quantity you can serve, with the reason, since a buyer testing the market often has a larger requirement behind the first one. If it is far above your capacity, offer a part of it against a stated delivery schedule rather than declining or overcommitting. Both replies are normal commercial answers. Silence and a quiet overcommitment are the two responses that cost you the relationship.

Question 5

Why do buyers go quiet after the first quotation?

Accepted Answer

Most often because the quotation could not be compared. If the unit, the Incoterm or the validity is missing, the buyer cannot line you up against the others and moves on. The next most common reasons are a lead time that misses their season, a minimum order quantity above what they asked for that was not explained, and a missing certification their market requires. A short follow-up that asks which of those it was, rather than repeating the offer, gets an answer often enough to be worth sending once.

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