Getting paid

Get paid before the container sails

How letters of credit, documentary collections and credit risk fit together, and which one protects an exporter who cannot afford to wait for a buyer's promise.

Read the getting-paid articles How the handbook is organized

A shipping document set on a desk beside a magnifier and a bank correspondence folder, with a container vessel visible through the window behind

Getting Paid on Export Orders

Three parts of the payment chain that decide whether an export invoice actually turns into cash.

Close-up of a commercial invoice and bill of lading spread on a desk beside a folder of export papers, morning light across the page edges

Documents a Letter of Credit Demands

Banks pay against paper, not against goods. A commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading and certificate of origin each have to match the credit's wording — shipper name, port names, description of goods, latest shipment date. One mismatched spelling can turn a clean presentation into a discrepancy and delay payment until the buyer waives it.

Letters of credit and collections

Exporter at a workbench comparing a printed payment schedule with shipping dates circled in pencil

Payment Terms That Match Your Cash Cycle

Open account gives the buyer time and leaves you carrying the gap between shipping and settlement. Cash in advance removes that gap but few buyers accept it. Between them sit documentary collections and confirmed credits, and the right choice depends on how long you can fund materials and freight before the money arrives.

Export finance and working capital

Compliance reviewer at a desk with a laptop and a printed checklist, cartons visible through a warehouse door behind

Where Compliance Checks Land on the Timeline

Export controls and sanctions screening sit before the goods move, not after. A license requirement, a restricted party match or a dual-use classification question can stop a shipment that is already booked. Building the check into order acceptance rather than into the shipping week keeps the payment timeline intact.

Trade compliance and export controls

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Getting Paid: Letters of Credit, Collections and Credit Risk

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Getting Paid: Letters of Credit, Collections and Credit Risk

Letter of Credit: How It Works for Exporters and Importers

A letter of credit pays sellers on documents, not trust. See how exporters and importers use documentary credits, who takes which risk, and the costs.

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Getting Paid: Letters of Credit, Collections and Credit Risk

Getting Paid on Export Orders: Letters of Credit, Collections and Credit Risk

You've shipped the goods. The container is on the water. Somewhere between that moment and the money landing in your account sits the real question of export...

Daniel R. Whitaker

10/29/2026