Ask a Chinese supplier for payment after delivery
Ask your established supplier for a limited credit trial backed by your payment history and financial evidence. Define delivery, the payment deadline and the total unpaid balance before shipment. If credit is declined, propose a smaller deferred balance or retain staged payment. Cambridge China Bridge can help frame the supplier discussion.
Build the request around your trading history
Ask before agreeing the next order, while existing invoices are paid and unresolved claims have been addressed. Summarise completed orders, payments made when promised, repeat products and realistic future demand. Explain how payment after delivery would support repeat purchasing without making the supplier wait for your customers to pay.
Ask who approves credit and what evidence they need. A sales contact's encouragement may still need finance approval. The existing guide to negotiating with factories covers broader bargaining; this request should focus on the supplier's exposure and your ability to pay.
Propose a limited credit trial
Choose a familiar repeat product and a manageable trial shipment. Propose a ceiling on the total unpaid balance across orders, a defined payment period after delivery and a review after the trial is paid. Agree what happens when the ceiling is reached, such as pausing further credit shipments until payment clears.
Define delivery precisely: receipt at the named warehouse, supported by an agreed delivery record, rather than vessel arrival or dispatch from China. State how the due date is calculated and how delayed receipt is handled. Keep inspection and defect reporting separate, with an agreed process for disputed amounts and payment of the undisputed balance.
Prepare evidence the supplier can assess
The supplier may ask for your company details, recent accounts, current management accounts, a cash-flow forecast, trade references or permission for a credit check. Ask which documents are needed and who will review them. Offer evidence showing how the invoice will be paid even if sales are slower than expected.
A UK company's details can be checked through Companies House. Share sensitive financial documents through an agreed secure channel and remove unrelated transactions where appropriate. If the request is vaguely for a tax number, use which UK number a supplier wants to clarify the identifier before sending it.
Send a proposal that can be approved
Suggested wording: “Our completed orders and payment records are attached. Could we trial payment after receipt at our named warehouse for the next repeat order? We propose an agreed unpaid-balance ceiling and a fixed payment period from the delivery record. Please tell us what financial evidence your finance team needs and whether a smaller deferred balance would help.”
Replace the general terms with the actual ceiling, payment period, warehouse and evidence before seeking approval. Record the agreed terms in the order and invoice, including currency, delivery evidence, payment contact and review trigger. Obtain written confirmation from the supplier's credit approver before treating the arrangement as agreed.
Offer a fallback if credit is declined
Ask whether the obstacle is insufficient trading history, limited financial evidence or the supplier's own cash needs. Offer a deposit with only part of the balance deferred until delivery, a shorter payment period or a smaller credit exposure. Compare any revised price and charges before accepting; do not assume deferred payment leaves the quotation unchanged.
If no credit is available, retain staged payment and agree what evidence would support a later review. The supplier payment guide covers that structure and payment checks. If considering bank-backed payment instead, discuss the proposed trigger, documents and costs with your bank before offering it to the supplier.
Frequently asked questions
Can I pay my Chinese supplier after delivery?
You can ask an established supplier to agree it. Support the request with payment history, financial evidence and a limited trial. Continue using the existing terms until the change is confirmed in writing.
How much trading history do I need for credit?
Ask the supplier what record its finance team needs. Show completed orders and payments made when promised. Trading history supports the request, but does not guarantee approval.
What documents might a supplier ask for?
Company details, recent accounts, management accounts, a cash-flow forecast and trade references may help. Ask which evidence is needed and arrange a secure way to share sensitive documents.
What if my supplier refuses payment after delivery?
Offer a smaller deferred balance, a shorter payment period or a lower unpaid-balance ceiling. Otherwise keep staged payment and agree what would justify reviewing credit later.