Payment Steps

Order payment steps (Payment Steps) refer to the specific process and stages by which the buyer pays for goods as stipulated in a foreign trade contract, usually linked to trade terms, payment methods (such as T/T, L/C, D/P, etc.), and delivery progress. Common steps include: paying a deposit after contract signing (e.g., 30% advance payment), paying the balance before production completion or shipment (e.g., 70% against a copy of the bill of lading), or making payment in stages through a letter of credit (e.g., advance payment, payment against documents, payment after acceptance). Use cases are mostly seen in large orders, customized products, long-term cooperative customers, or high-risk transactions, in order to balance the funds and goods risks of both parties. Notes: the contract must clearly specify the trigger conditions for each step (such as time, documents, inspection reports), payment proportions, currency, bearing of bank charges, and default clauses; avoid vague expressions such as 'payment after shipment' and instead specify 'within 5 working days after receiving a copy of the bill of lading'. Difference from 'payment method': payment method refers to instruments such as T/T and L/C, while payment steps emphasize time nodes and proportion allocation, and are the specific execution framework of the payment method.