The first deal with a new US customer is always a question of trust. We describe the ladder of payment terms that experienced exporters use.
For the first deals, a reasonable norm is thirty to fifty percent prepayment with the order and the rest before loading or against copy documents. This is common in the USA and offends no one. The alternative is a letter of credit, which protects both parties, but whose bank costs and bureaucracy are often too heavy for a small deal.
Once cooperation has lasted a few deliveries, you usually move to open account at thirty to sixty days. This is the point where credit insurance becomes a smart cost.
The background of American companies is well verifiable: credit reports, court registers and, in the case of our data, actual import history too. A buyer who has imported regularly for five years running is essentially a different risk than an intermediary registered last month.
If the import history does not match the story, that is a red flag. We have checked this for clients several times and even prevented a few deals.
Do not let payment terms kill the deal, but do not finance someone else's business out of your own pocket either. The ladder works: protection at the start, flexibility as trust grows. If you need a second opinion on a specific buyer, ask, and we will review their history together.
The first consultation is free: together we'll see who in the US already buys your product and how to reach them.