| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Currency | US dollars, unless another currency is agreed in the quotation |
| Payment method | Bank transfer (T/T) is the normal instrument for a production order, with the split agreed in writing before production |
| Letters of credit | Considered for larger orders and for buyers whose banks require them, subject to terms agreed in advance |
| Sample payments | Small sample and courier charges are handled separately from the production order |
| Incoterms | FOB Ningbo-Zhoushan is the common basis; EXW and CIF are available on request |
| Port of loading | Ningbo-Zhoushan normally serves shipments from Cixi. Confirm the port and the Incoterm in writing on the quotation |
| Documents | Commercial invoice, packing list and bill of lading as standard, with a certificate of origin and preference forms on request |
| Bank details | Paid only to the account shown on ZHONGHE's own proforma invoice, in the factory's legal name. Verify any change of bank details by phone before paying |
How a first order is normally structured
Across this industry a production order is usually paid by bank transfer in two parts: a deposit that releases materials and books the production slot, and a balance tied to a defined event before or at shipment. That structure exists because both sides carry risk. The factory buys resin, components and packaging before it has been paid in full, and the buyer wants leverage until the goods exist and have been inspected.
The exact split, the trigger for the balance and the instrument used are agreed in writing on the proforma invoice for your order before production starts. What matters more than the percentages is that the trigger is unambiguous: name the event, such as a passed pre-shipment inspection or the presentation of a specific document, rather than a vague phrase like before shipment.
Letters of credit, samples and small payments
A letter of credit shifts the risk onto two banks and suits larger orders, buyers under exchange control, and public sector purchasers whose rules require one. It also costs money and is unforgiving about document errors, so it is rarely worth it for a first small order. Where an L/C is used, agree the required documents and the presentation period before the credit is opened, because an L/C that asks for a document a factory cannot produce is worse than no L/C at all.
Samples and courier charges are handled separately from the production order and are usually small enough that the bank charges matter. Whatever the instrument, pay only into the account printed on ZHONGHE's own proforma invoice, in the factory's legal name, Cixi Zhonghe Sanitary Appliance Factory. If bank details appear to change, stop and confirm by phone with your contact before sending anything, because supplier payment fraud works by email.
Choosing the Incoterm
The Incoterm decides who books the freight, who pays for what, and where the risk passes. It is also the only way to compare two quotations honestly: an EXW price and a CIF price for the same goods differ by the entire cost of inland transport, export handling and sea freight. Ask every supplier for the same term.
The table below covers the three terms most commonly used on shipments from the Ningbo area. FOB Ningbo-Zhoushan is the usual basis; EXW and CIF are available on request. Whichever you choose, get the port of loading and the term written on the quotation, and ask for carton dimensions and weights so you can cost the freight yourself.
| Term | Who books the sea freight | Where the seller's job ends | When it suits a buyer |
|---|---|---|---|
| EXW | The buyer | At the factory door in Cixi | A buyer with a strong local forwarder who wants full control and full visibility of cost |
| FOB Ningbo-Zhoushan | The buyer | When the goods are loaded on board at the port | The common default: the factory handles export clearance and inland haulage, the buyer picks the carrier |
| CIF destination port | The seller | On delivery to the carrier, with freight and insurance paid to the named port | A buyer who wants one number to the port and does not want to arrange sea freight |
Documents that travel with the goods
A standard shipment carries a commercial invoice, a packing list and a bill of lading. Beyond that, what your customs broker needs depends on the destination and on whether you are claiming a preferential duty rate. Certificates of origin and preference forms are issued on request; ask for exactly the ones your broker names, and ask early, because some of them cannot be issued after the goods have sailed.
Product paperwork is a separate question from shipping paperwork. Test reports, flow data at a stated pressure and declarations for the destination market are supplied to support an importer's file. Certified options are available on request, and ZHONGHE publishes no certificate it cannot show. The HS code and import documentation guide on this site lists what a broker normally asks for.
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