UK seller, China shipment: which commercial invoice?
Send your destination broker the UK seller's invoice as the starting document, with the transaction chain and shipment details. Ask it to confirm in writing which invoice and supporting records to use before export; do not substitute the factory invoice simply because goods leave China. Coordinate the China-side records with Cambridge China Bridge.
Start with the sale you agreed
If the UK company sells you the goods, begin the broker review with its invoice to you. Explain that the goods travel directly from China to your destination port. This gives the broker your purchase transaction to review; it does not decide which invoice your destination accepts.
If the UK company acts as your agent, identify the factory's sale to you and show the agent's service charge separately. Confirm the arrangement against your accepted quote and order. Our guide to sourcing agent or seller explains that distinction.
Map the parties and the physical shipment
Prepare a party map using full company names and addresses. Record who sells to whom, who invoices whom and who receives payment. Separately record where the goods are made, where they are loaded and their destination. Ask for a written explanation wherever these names differ. For payment checks, see matching invoices before payment.
Do not copy the contractual seller into every shipping field. Give the forwarder the party map and ask it to confirm the transport details. Our guide to consignor, consignee and notify party covers those fields.
| Role | Details to record |
|---|---|
| Buyer | Purchasing company, invoice recipient and proposed destination importer |
| Contractual seller | Company selling the goods to the buyer and issuing that sales invoice |
| Chinese exporter | Company identified for the China export arrangement and its relationship to the seller |
| Manufacturer | Factory making the goods, identified separately from the exporter |
| Physical shipment | Loading location, destination port, shipment reference and intended receiving party |
Give the broker the complete transaction chain
Send the accepted quote or order, draft sales invoice, packing list, payment breakdown, delivery term and named place, freight and insurance breakdown, and available transport draft. Describe any factory-to-UK-seller purchase and identify its supporting invoice. If that invoice is commercially confidential, agree how the broker can review it before committing to shipment.
Label each document by issuer, recipient and purpose. Explain differences in prices, currencies, quantities and included services rather than changing documents to make them match. For deposits and partial shipments, use purchase orders, proformas and commercial invoices to reconcile the full shipped goods value with payments.
Get written invoice instructions before export
Ask your own destination customs broker: “Given this sale and shipment chain, which invoice should support clearance? Do you also need the factory invoice, payment records or a seller's explanation? Please confirm the invoice issuer, recipient, goods description, currency, value breakdown and any further destination requirements in writing before export.”
Have the seller and China-side coordinator prepare documents against that reply, then return the final pack to the broker for confirmation. Do not select a lower invoice value to reduce charges or rename the seller as the exporter to remove a mismatch. If the chain or shipment changes, obtain revised instructions before dispatch.
Keep UK tax questions separate
A UK seller's address alone does not determine UK VAT treatment. HMRC says goods are normally treated as supplied where they are located at the time of supply, rather than where the supplier is located. Ask the seller to explain its invoice tax treatment separately; confirm destination rules, duty, taxes and document requirements with your own broker.
Keep the broker's instructions, approved invoices, role explanation and final shipment documents together. Cambridge China Bridge's own staff in China can coordinate factory and exporter records for the agreed arrangement. Our buy through a UK company service is the place to discuss the seller role and document handoff before ordering.
Frequently asked questions
Which invoice do I send if my seller is in the UK?
Start the broker review with the UK seller's invoice to you, plus the transaction chain and shipment details. Get written confirmation of which invoice and supporting records to use before export.
Can I use the factory invoice instead?
Show the broker where it sits in the chain. Do not substitute it simply because the goods ship from China or its price is lower. Ask the broker to confirm its use in writing.
Must the seller and Chinese exporter have the same name?
Do not assume they are the same company. Identify each role and explain the relationship. Ask the broker and forwarder to confirm the names needed for their respective documents.
What if the UK company is only my sourcing agent?
Identify the factory's sale to you and the agent's separate service charge. Send that arrangement and its supporting documents to your destination broker for written invoice instructions.