How to safely pay for goods from abroad?
Contractor's details, currency, account and documents that are worth confirming before transferring a European batch of goods.
A foreign transfer is a regular B2B trade tool, but requires consistent data and a clear payment title. The most problems arise when the buyer pays before collecting the final specifications and confirming the recipient of the funds.
Confirm recipient and EU VAT
Compare the beneficiary's name, address, EU VAT number and the details on the sales document. VIES is used to check registration for intra-EU transactions, but does not assess a company's credibility or solvency.
If the bank's name is abbreviated or has a different legal form, clarify this before ordering the transfer.
- full name of the beneficiary
- IBAN and BIC/SWIFT code
- active EU VAT
- compliance with the pro forma invoice
Prepayment before loading is the industry standard
In the wholesale pallet trade and in LTL and FTL transport, full payment before loading is the normal procedure. The goods are released or loaded after the agreed amount is recorded. The prepayment itself is not a warning signal - the most important thing is to check the company, the specific batch, the sales document and the bank account in advance.
In domestic trade, pallet shipping on delivery is possible and may be used if the parties agree on such a method of payment and the selected transport service allows it. In international trade, cash on delivery is much more difficult to organize and is rarely practiced. Payment only after receiving the goods is also difficult to implement because the seller bears the risk of non-payment and high costs of detaining, unloading or returning the truck with the load.
- prepayment before loading as standard
- Cash on delivery possible in domestic trade after agreement
- international cash on delivery rarely used
- individual conditions with constant cooperation
Check the currency and full cost
Price in euro and payment in zloty require indication of the exchange rate. Also determine who covers bank fees, currency conversion and the costs of intermediary banks.
Don't compare offers only on unit price. Add transport, pallet replacement, loading, insurance and possible customs services.
- currency of the document and transfer
- exchange rate or conversion date
- bank fees
- delivery costs
Verify account change
Impersonating a contractor may involve sending a new invoice in the intercepted correspondence. Confirm any unexpected changes via a channel other than the message in which you received it.
Use a telephone number or contact known from previous cooperation or the company's official website.
- don't just respond to the email about the change
- call a known number
- ask for written confirmation
- check beneficiary compliance
Keep documentation
Store your offer, order, sales document, EU VAT confirmation, transport arrangements and transfer confirmation. Documentation helps with accounting, complaints and possible disputes.
In the case of an unusual transaction, do not rely solely on the guide - consult the payment model with a professional advisor.
- offer and specification
- invoice or pro forma
- registration confirmations
- correspondence and transfer
Sources used in this article
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