Which Payment Terms Should You Accept When Buying Wholesale Watches and Jewelry? A B2B Buyer's Guide to T/T, L/C and Milestone Payments

A first-time buyer can compare watch cases, check plating quality and read a certificate without help. Payment terms are different. They arrive as a short line in a quotation — "T/T, 30% deposit, 70% balance before shipment" — and many buyers sign without fully understanding what they are agreeing to, when their money leaves their account, or what protection they actually have at each stage. In a trade where a single order of watches or jewelry can represent tens of thousands of dollars, that short line is one of the most consequential clauses in the whole transaction.

This guide explains how payment terms work in the wholesale watch and jewelry business, from the perspective of an established Shenzhen-based manufacturer that has been exporting to retailers, distributors, importers and private label brands since 2012. We will walk through the terms you will actually encounter — telegraphic transfer (T/T) deposits, letters of credit (L/C), advance payments for samples and tooling — and connect each one to the moment in the order flow where your money is at risk, and to the protections that should sit alongside it: pre-shipment inspections, shipping documents, defined claims windows and a written warranty.

By the end, you should be able to read any supplier's payment clause and answer three questions confidently: when does my money leave my account, what do I receive in exchange at that moment, and what happens if something goes wrong after it does.

Why Do Payment Terms Matter More in Watch and Jewelry Wholesale Than in Most Trades?

Watch and jewelry wholesale sits in an awkward middle ground between consumer e-commerce and heavy industrial trade. On one side, the products are compact, high-value-per-kilogram consumer goods — a carton of a few hundred watches can easily be worth more than a pallet of most other merchandise. On the other side, production is made-to-order: cases are polished, movements are fitted, stones are set and dials are printed for your specific order, not pulled from a shelf. That combination shapes why payment terms in this trade look the way they do.

The core tension is simple. A manufacturer that starts producing before receiving any payment is funding raw materials, component sourcing, assembly labor and quality control out of its own working capital, with no guarantee the buyer will complete the purchase. A buyer that pays 100% before production has transferred all the risk to the other side of the table with nothing but a promise in return. Standard payment terms are the compromise both industries converged on: the buyer funds the production cycle partially and in stages, and the supplier carries the remaining exposure on the strength of an established process.

There is a second reason payment terms carry unusual weight in this category: the goods are easy to ship and hard to reclaim. Unlike bulk commodities that stay in warehouses and can be resold against warehouse receipts, a run of watches made with your logo on the dial, or jewelry made to your size curve, has little resale value to anyone else. If a buyer walks away after production, the factory is left with inventory it may never sell at full value. This is exactly why deposits exist before production begins, and why the balance is settled before the goods leave the factory — the payment schedule mirrors the moment the goods become custom, unrecoverable inventory.

Understanding this logic changes how you negotiate. A supplier's payment terms are not an arbitrary position to be argued down; they map to real production economics. The productive conversation is not "can I pay less upfront" but "what protections come with each payment stage" — and that is a conversation a disciplined manufacturer can answer with specifics.

What Are the Standard Payment Terms for Wholesale Watches and Jewelry?

Across the B2B watch and jewelry trade, one structure dominates: telegraphic transfer — usually written as T/T — split into a deposit before production and a balance before shipment. At Aurevo, for example, the standard structure is a 30% deposit paid before production starts and the 70% balance settled before the goods ship. This is not a house quirk; it is one of the most common arrangements in Chinese export manufacturing for made-to-order consumer goods, and you will meet versions of it with most established factories.

Alongside T/T, two other payment situations appear regularly, and it is worth distinguishing them from the main order terms:

• Sample and tooling fees, payable in advance. Sample orders and tooling for customized programs are paid upfront, before the work begins. These are small relative to a bulk order, but they are the first real payments you will make, and how a supplier handles them tells you a lot about how they handle the larger ones. At some manufacturers — Aurevo included — tooling fees are refundable for qualifying volume orders, which converts a fixed cost into a staged investment in a program you intend to grow.
• Letters of credit for large orders. For orders above roughly USD 50,000, Aurevo accepts L/C at sight, and many mid-sized exporters adopt a similar threshold. A letter of credit substitutes a bank's payment undertaking for the buyer's direct transfer, which changes the risk structure of the transaction significantly — in both directions.

Everything else you may encounter — escrow-style platform payments, credit card processing, open account terms extended to long-standing customers — are variations or extensions of these three basic positions. If you understand the T/T deposit logic and the L/C document logic, you can evaluate any variation you are offered.

How Does a T/T Deposit Arrangement Actually Work, Step by Step?

Because T/T is the default in this trade, it deserves a precise walkthrough. The mechanics are simple; the discipline around them is what separates a smooth first order from a painful one.

Stage 1: Inquiry and quotation

You send an inquiry describing the models, quantities and customization level you want. The supplier responds with a quotation. Pay attention to the quotation's validity window — at Aurevo, quotations are valid for 30 days, and that is a common norm in the trade. The validity window exists because the inputs behind the price — material costs, movement availability, plating chemistry, freight rates — move. A quotation that never expires is either hedged with margin or not being updated; either way, you are paying for it somewhere. Confirm the unit prices, MOQs, lead times and payment terms on the quotation before anything else happens.

Stage 2: Sample confirmation

Before any bulk commitment, you order samples of the exact models at the exact specifications. Samples are paid in advance and typically ship within 7 to 15 working days from an experienced supplier. This stage is where you build your quality baseline: photograph and weigh the samples on arrival, check plating tone, stone setting, clasp action and, for watches, timekeeping and strap finishing. The sample you approve becomes the reference standard for the bulk run, and later, the reference standard for any claim.

Stage 3: PI and deposit

Once samples are approved, the supplier issues a proforma invoice — the PI. This document is far more than a payment request. It should restate everything the order depends on: product specifications, quantities, unit prices, payment terms, lead time, packaging, shipping marks and the warranty terms. When you pay the 30% deposit against the PI, you are executing a contract, so read it as one. A useful habit: before transferring the deposit, check that the PI's specification lines match your approved sample exactly — model, materials, sizes, colors, logo placement. Discrepancies caught at this stage cost nothing; discrepancies discovered after production are expensive.

Stage 4: Production against the deposit

With the deposit received, production begins. Materials are sourced, components prepared, and assembly runs across the factory's stations. This is the period when your deposit is fully deployed — it has paid for raw materials and work in progress that now exist specifically for your order. During production, quality control runs at multiple stages: incoming material inspection before assembly, in-process checks during production, and final inspection before packing. An established manufacturer will also provide production status updates at milestones — at Aurevo, a dedicated sales engineer keeps each account informed through the run rather than going quiet between deposit and delivery.

Stage 5: Final inspection and balance payment

When production completes, the goods are inspected — every piece, in the case of watch and jewelry manufacturing of this standard — and you receive pre-shipment photos and videos for confirmation before dispatch. This is the moment the 70% balance becomes due, before shipment. The sequence matters: inspection results and pre-shipment evidence should be in your hands before you release the balance, because once the goods ship, your leverage shifts from "confirm before I pay" to "claim after I receive." Serious buyers time the balance payment against the inspection confirmation, not the calendar.

Stage 6: Shipment and documents

After the balance clears, the goods are packed into export packaging and shipped under the agreed incoterm, and you receive the shipping document set: commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading or airway bill, and certificate of origin. Additional documents such as material test reports can be arranged on request where applicable. The document set is not bureaucracy — for T/T buyers it is the paper trail that connects your payments to the goods, and for customs clearance it is mandatory.

What Is a Letter of Credit, and When Does It Make Sense for a Watch or Jewelry Order?

A letter of credit — L/C — is a payment instrument in which the buyer's bank promises to pay the seller a specified amount, provided the seller presents documents that comply exactly with the terms written into the credit. The buyer's cash is not released until the documents are in order, and the supplier's payment is not dependent on the buyer's willingness to transfer at the end. The bank's undertaking replaces both parties' trust in each other with trust in documented facts. Letters of credit are governed internationally by a set of banking rules known as UCP 600, which every bank handling trade finance will apply.

In the watch and jewelry trade, L/C payment typically appears on larger orders. Aurevo, for instance, accepts L/C at sight for orders above USD 50,000 — a threshold that reflects a practical trade-off: the fixed costs of operating an L/C (bank charges on both sides, document preparation, potential discrepancy fees) are proportionally heavy on a small order but reasonable insurance on a large one.

The most common type you will be asked for is an L/C at sight, which means the supplier is paid as soon as it presents complying documents — usually the commercial invoice, packing list, transport document such as a bill of lading, and certificate of origin — with no additional credit period. From the buyer's side, this is the key protection: your bank pays only when the shipping documents prove the goods are on the vessel, not before production and not on trust.

What an L/C changes for the buyer

• Payment is conditioned on documents, not goodwill. The balance is no longer "pay before shipment" on trust; it is paid by your bank against proof of shipment. For a first transaction with a new supplier at high value, this is meaningful protection.
• The goods specification moves into the credit terms. Product description, quantities, incoterm, latest shipment date and the exact document list must all be written into the credit. Sloppy drafting produces discrepancies, and discrepancies give the supplier grounds to demand payment or amendments, so the credit must mirror the agreed order precisely.
• Timing shifts from production to shipment. Unlike the T/T structure where the balance is released before the goods leave the factory in exchange for inspection evidence, an L/C at sight pays out when the documents — including the on-board transport document — are presented. Your pre-shipment verification therefore needs to happen through agreed inspection arrangements rather than payment leverage.

What an L/C costs, realistically

Letters of credit are not free. Expect issuance charges from your bank, advising and handling charges from the supplier's bank, and possible amendment or discrepancy fees if documents do not comply on first presentation. On a USD 50,000 order, total banking costs are typically a small percentage of the order value — real money, but modest against the order size, which is precisely why the L/C option is attached to larger transactions. There is also a time cost: applying for the credit and aligning its terms with the PI takes coordination. Buyers new to L/Cs should ask their bank for a checklist early, and ask the supplier for the exact document list they will present, before the credit is issued.

T/T or L/C: How Should You Choose Between Them?

For most wholesale watch and jewelry orders, the choice is made for you by order size and by what each side is comfortable with. But buyers who understand both structures negotiate and plan better. Here is how the two compare on the dimensions that actually matter:

Notice the pattern: T/T puts the emphasis on process evidence — you pay in stages against things you verify. L/C puts the emphasis on bank discipline — your bank pays against documents. Neither replaces the other's strength. Experienced buyers often end up using T/T for routine orders and requesting L/C terms for their largest or first transactions, which is exactly the kind of arrangement suppliers with mature export operations can accommodate.

How Do Incoterms Change What You Are Paying For?

Payment terms answer "when do I pay"; incoterms answer "what does my payment cover and where does my responsibility begin." The two appear together on every quotation and are frequently confused, so it is worth pinning them down. In watch and jewelry export from China, four incoterms cover the overwhelming majority of transactions, and at Aurevo they are confirmed per order: EXW, FOB Shenzhen, CIF and DAP.

EXW — Ex Works

You pay for the goods at the factory gate and take responsibility for everything from there: export clearance, freight, insurance and import clearance. EXW quotations look cheapest because they include the least, but the total landed cost depends entirely on your freight arrangements. EXW makes sense when you have a trusted freight forwarder in China who consolidates shipments from several suppliers.

FOB — Free On Board (Shenzhen)

The supplier delivers the goods cleared for export onto the vessel at the port of Shenzhen; from that point, freight, insurance and import costs are yours. FOB is the workhorse incoterm of this trade: the supplier handles export formalities where it has the advantage — local clearance, documentation — while you control the international leg and can nominate your own freight forwarder, which most experienced suppliers support.

CIF — Cost, Insurance and Freight

The supplier arranges and pays for ocean freight and minimum insurance coverage to your named destination port; import clearance and duties remain yours. CIF appeals to buyers who do not want to manage international freight directly, accepting that they pay for that convenience in the quoted price.

DAP — Delivered At Place

The supplier carries the goods to a named destination — typically your warehouse or a consolidation point — with the import clearance and duties still on your side. DAP minimizes your logistics involvement at the cost of the least visibility into the freight cost line.

Whichever term you choose, two connections to payment are worth stating explicitly. First, the incoterm determines which documents make sense in your payment arrangement: under an L/C, the transport document you require (bill of lading for sea freight, airway bill for air) must match the incoterm, or the credit will be impossible to comply with. Second, the incoterm determines when risk transfers, which shapes when your balance payment is due and what insurance you need in place at that moment. A 70% balance paid "before shipment" under FOB means you are paying for goods that are finished, inspected and evidenced — but not yet on the water.

How Do You Protect Your Deposit Between Production Start and Shipment?

Under a 30/70 structure, the period between your deposit and your balance payment is when your money is most exposed: it has been converted into materials and work in progress that exist only for you. The supplier's process should manage that risk, but professional buyers verify rather than assume. Here is what verification looks like in practice, at each layer.

Use the supplier's own quality system — and ask for its evidence

An established manufacturer runs inspection at multiple stations: incoming materials are checked before assembly, workmanship is checked during production, and finished pieces are inspected again before packing. For watches this includes movement function, timekeeping and water-resistance specification checks; for jewelry, plating quality, stone security and clasp function. At Aurevo, more than 40 quality-control stations operate across that process, and that is the level of infrastructure your deposit is funding. The buyer-side habit is simple: ask what the inspection plan for your order is, and ask for the results, not just the assurance. A supplier that records inspection at each stage can show you the record; one that cannot, cannot.

Agree the acceptance standard before you pay the deposit

Defect targets belong in the proforma invoice, not in a later argument. The professional instrument for this is the AQL standard — acceptable quality limit — which defines how many defects are tolerated in a random sample for the shipment to pass. AQL levels are confirmed per order, and defect rate targets are written into the PI. When the acceptance standard is agreed in writing before production, the final inspection becomes a measurement against a number both sides signed, rather than a negotiation after the fact.

Bring in a third party if the order size justifies it

For larger orders — or any first order with a new supplier — you can commission an independent inspection agency such as SGS, BV or TÜV to inspect the goods before shipment. Suppliers who are confident in their own quality control welcome third-party inspection; at Aurevo it is accepted at the buyer's cost. The inspection fee is small relative to a five-figure order, and an independent report issued before your balance payment gives you a verification layer that does not depend on the factory's own reporting.

Require pre-shipment evidence before releasing the balance

This is the single most effective protection available to a T/T buyer, and it should be standard practice: pre-shipment photos and videos of the finished goods, provided for your confirmation before dispatch. At Aurevo this evidence is part of the standard order flow — you confirm what you see, then the balance is settled and the goods ship. The sequence is the protection. If a supplier resists providing pre-shipment evidence, or wants the balance settled before you have seen anything, that resistance tells you more than any certificate on their website.

What About Sample Fees and Tooling Fees?

Before any bulk deposit, most buyers make two smaller advance payments, and both deserve the same clarity as the main order terms.

Sample fees are paid upfront and cover the production of a small number of units at your exact specifications, typically shipping within 7 to 15 working days. Treat the sample fee as the cheapest risk mitigation in the entire transaction: the bulk order you are protecting is worth hundreds of times more. Evaluate samples systematically — a structured approach to sample evaluation before a bulk order is covered in detail in our guide to evaluating a watch or jewelry sample before placing a bulk order. One question worth asking your supplier directly: can sample costs be credited against the bulk order? Practices vary, and the answer shapes your real cost of the verification stage.

Tooling fees apply to customized programs — private label watches with your logo, custom molds, branded packaging plates. They are payable in advance because they fund fixed preparation work: cutting dial printing plates, preparing molds, setting up logo application. At Aurevo, tooling fees are refundable for qualifying volume orders, which is a structure worth requesting wherever you source: it converts tooling from a sunk cost into a deposit against the volume you actually commit. The pattern is simple economics — a mold or printing plate amortizes across the units produced, so the more you produce, the less tooling each unit carries, and at sufficient volume the tooling cost can be returned.

Both fee types should appear on the quotation or PI with their amount, what they fund, and — for tooling — the conditions under which they are refundable. A supplier who states these terms plainly is showing you how they will handle every other number in the transaction.

How Should You Plan Cash Flow Around a 30/70 Payment Schedule?

Payment terms are a cash flow schedule, and the buyers who model it before ordering negotiate from a stronger position. The arithmetic is straightforward, and doing it once will teach you more about your own buying capacity than any general advice.

Take the order you are considering: multiply each model's MOQ by its quoted unit price, add customization fees and tooling where applicable, add freight and duties under your chosen incoterm, and you have the total landed investment. Under a 30/70 schedule, 30% of the product cost leaves your account at the PI stage and the remaining 70% comes due roughly one production cycle later — typically 20 to 40 working days for mass production, depending on quantity and customization level, with sampling having taken 7 to 15 working days before that. Your capital is therefore staged: a third of the commitment is deployed at the start, and two-thirds is deployed at the end of the production window, immediately before the goods move.

Three planning habits follow from that schedule:

• Match the balance payment date to your cash cycle. The 70% falls due after production and inspection — budget for it as a fixed date, not as "whenever the goods are ready." Suppliers confirm production schedules at the PI stage; a buyer who knows the balance date can align it with their own receivables instead of scrambling.
• Keep the inspection window in the plan. Pre-shipment evidence review and any third-party inspection sit between production completion and balance payment. Building a few days into your plan for that review is free; compressing it into the same afternoon as the transfer deadline is how mistakes get paid for.
• Model the freight and duty lines separately. Under FOB, freight is arranged on your side and paid to the carrier, not the factory — a separate cash event from the balance payment. Under CIF or DAP, freight is inside the quoted price and therefore inside the payment schedule. Knowing which structure you are in prevents double-counting or missing a line entirely.

For context on how order size and customization drive the whole investment, our guide to custom logo watch pricing walks through the cost structure piece by piece, and the MOQ guide explains how minimum order quantities work and why they sit where they do.

Which Payment-Term Red Flags Should Make You Slow Down?

Most payment friction in this trade comes not from fraud but from mismatched expectations. Still, certain signals should always prompt questions before money moves.

• 100% payment before production on a first order. Standard made-to-order terms split the payment precisely because the goods become custom inventory. A supplier who demands full payment upfront from a first-time buyer is asking you to carry all the production risk for no reason the economics justify. Ask why the terms deviate from the trade norm — the answer is informative either way.
• Balance demanded before inspection evidence. The professional sequence is production, final inspection, pre-shipment photos and videos, then balance. If a supplier wants the 70% settled before you have seen anything, the process discipline you are buying with your deposit is missing at exactly the stage it matters most.
• Payment terms that exist only verbally. If the deposit percentage, balance timing, tooling refund conditions or quotation validity are not on the PI, they are not terms — they are memories. Every number in this article belongs on a document both sides have signed.
• A PI thinner than the conversation. When the quotation email promised detailed packaging, specific AQL levels and a warranty period, but the PI says only "watches, 500 pcs, 30/70," the gap is where disputes live. Ask for the PI to be restated in full before transferring anything.
• Pressure to move payment outside the invoiced structure. Transfers to personal accounts, "temporary" accounts in different company names, or requests to split payments in ways that do not match the PI are hard stops. Legitimate exporters invoice from the same entity that appears on the PI and the shipping documents — and on an L/C, the beneficiary must match exactly, which is one reason banks add a useful layer of identity verification.

None of these flags means a supplier is dishonest; each one means the transaction is not yet documented to the standard this trade supports. The fix is almost always the same: restate the terms on paper before the transfer.

How Does Trust Escalate Between First Orders and Reorders?

Payment terms are not fixed forever; they are the starting position of a relationship. Understanding how they evolve helps you plan a sourcing strategy rather than a single transaction.

First order: standard terms — 30% deposit, 70% before shipment, samples and tooling paid in advance. This is the structure that lets both sides transact at arm's length while the supplier's process proves itself. The buyer's verification effort is highest here: sample evaluation, an agreed AQL, pre-shipment evidence, and for larger first orders, third-party inspection or L/C terms.

Repeat orders: the structure usually stays the same — the deposit logic is driven by production economics, which do not change with trust — but the friction around it drops sharply. The PI reuses established specifications, inspection standards carry over, pre-shipment evidence becomes a confirmation rather than a discovery, and reorders move faster because tooling, materials and QC standards are already in place. This is also the stage where tooling refund conditions on a customized program start to bite in your favor as volume accumulates.

Established relationships: some suppliers extend adjusted terms to long-standing accounts — a reduced deposit, periodic settlement, or open account terms for proven customers. These extensions are earned through purchase history, not requested through negotiation skill. If a long-term sourcing plan is part of your strategy, say so; suppliers plan capacity around predictable repeat business, and volume commitments are the strongest lever in this trade for better terms of any kind.

The direction of travel matters when you compare suppliers early on. A factory that explains this escalation honestly is showing you a process that survives contact with your second order; one that promises exceptional terms on day one is showing you a quote that will be repriced by reality later.

Which Documents Should Accompany Each Payment Stage?

Documents are the connective tissue between your payments and your goods. The standard export set for a watch or jewelry shipment is compact, and every piece of it has a job:

Additional documents — such as material test reports — can be arranged on request where applicable, and buyers sourcing regulated markets typically pair the document set with the compliance paperwork covered in our guide to certifications and compliance documents for wholesale watches and jewelry. Keep every document from every stage in one order file; when a claim or a customs query arises months later, that file is the difference between a one-email resolution and a reconstruction project.

What Do Payment Terms Have to Do With Warranty and After-Sales Protection?

Payment terms and warranty are usually discussed separately, but they are two halves of the same risk allocation: the payment schedule protects you while your money is in production, and the warranty protects you after the goods arrive. Evaluating them together tells you more about a supplier than either alone.

Aurevo applies a twelve-month warranty across its watch and jewelry products, covering manufacturing defects under normal use, with after-sales handled through the sales team — and that is the figure to hold every supplier to. The knowledge base behind this article also defines the claims mechanics that make a warranty real rather than rhetorical: quality claims raised within 30 days of receipt, with photos and batch numbers, and verified defects compensated through replacement in the next order, a discount, or a refund of the affected value. Spare parts — straps, buckles, batteries, clasps — are supplied with orders so that basic after-sales service does not require a new purchase. A full treatment of what to expect and what to confirm in writing is in our guide to wholesale watch and jewelry warranty terms.

Three practical connections between payment and after-sales deserve attention when you read any supplier's terms:

• The claims window is part of your payment protection. A 30-day claims window only helps if you inspect promptly. Build receiving inspection into your logistics plan — photograph cartons on arrival, check against the packing list, and record any issues with batch numbers while the claims window is open.
• Warranty terms belong on the PI, not in marketing copy. The warranty period, what it covers and how claims are handled should be stated in your order documents — for customized production especially, confirm the same twelve-month coverage applies and is written in.
• Compensation structure affects your cash exposure. Replacement-in-next-order, discount or refund of the affected value are three different cash outcomes for the same defect. Knowing which structure applies before you order tells you how a defect event would actually settle, which is part of your true cost of buying.

What Should You Ask a Supplier Before Accepting Any Payment Terms?

Before your next deposit, put these questions to the supplier in writing. The quality and speed of the answers is itself a payment-risk assessment — a manufacturer with mature export operations answers from process; one without, improvises.

• What are the exact payment terms for this order: deposit percentage, balance timing, and what triggers each payment?
• How long is the quotation valid, and what happens to pricing if I confirm after the validity window?
• What is the sample fee and sample lead time for each model, and can sample costs be credited against the bulk order?
• For customized programs: what does the tooling fee fund, and under what volume conditions is it refundable?
• What inspection does my order pass through, what AQL level and defect targets will be written into the PI, and can I commission third-party inspection before the balance payment?
• Will I receive pre-shipment photos and videos before the balance is due, and how many days do I have to review them?
• What document set ships with the order, and can material test reports be provided where applicable?
• What warranty period applies to this order, what does it cover, and how are claims handled internationally within the claims window?
• Which incoterm applies, and does the payment schedule align with when risk transfers under it?
• For orders above USD 50,000: do you accept L/C at sight, and what document list would you present under it?

A supplier who answers these with specific numbers and document names — and who is willing to put all of them on the PI — is demonstrating the process discipline that payment terms exist to support. The conversation costs one email; it prices the entire relationship.

Frequently Asked Questions About Payment Terms for Wholesale Watches and Jewelry

What does "T/T 30/70" actually mean?

It means telegraphic transfer in two stages: 30% of the order value is paid as a deposit before production begins, and the remaining 70% is paid before the goods ship. At Aurevo this is the standard structure for bulk orders. The deposit funds materials and production; the balance is released after final inspection and pre-shipment confirmation.

Why is the deposit 30% rather than less?

The deposit covers the supplier's upfront exposure: materials sourcing, component preparation and the fixed setup work of starting a production run. Below that level, the factory would be financing your production cycle, which is only sustainable with pricing that quietly compensates for it elsewhere. A 30% deposit roughly matches the share of cost that is committed before production visibly progresses.

When exactly is the 70% balance due?

Before shipment, and after you have received final inspection results and pre-shipment photos and videos for confirmation. The sequence is deliberate: your last payment is triggered by evidence, not by the calendar. Confirm the expected balance date at the PI stage so you can align it with your own cash cycle.

Do you accept letters of credit?

Yes — L/C at sight is accepted for orders above USD 50,000. On an order of that size, the bank charges and document preparation are proportionate to the payment security a letter of credit provides. The credit must mirror the agreed order precisely: product description, quantities, incoterm, latest shipment date and the exact document list.

Are sample fees and tooling fees paid in advance?

Yes. Samples and tooling are payable upfront because they fund work performed before any bulk commitment. Tooling fees for qualifying volume orders are refundable at Aurevo — worth requesting from any supplier, because it converts a fixed cost into a staged investment tied to your actual volume.

Can I get better payment terms as a repeat customer?

The standard 30/70 structure usually stays, because it reflects production economics rather than trust. What changes with an established relationship is friction and speed — and some suppliers extend adjusted terms to proven accounts over time. Volume commitments and a stated reorder plan are the strongest levers for any improved terms.

What protections do I have if the goods are wrong when they arrive?

Quality claims are raised within 30 days of receipt, with photos and batch numbers. Verified defects are compensated through replacement in the next order, a discount, or a refund of the affected value. Combined with the twelve-month warranty on manufacturing defects under normal use, this defines the after-sales protection that should sit alongside your payment terms on every order.

Is it safe to pay a deposit to a factory I have never ordered from?

With standard verification, yes — this is how international wholesale works at scale. Verify the legal entity matches the PI and the bank account, order samples first, agree the AQL in the PI, use pre-shipment evidence before the balance, and consider L/C terms or third-party inspection for large first orders. Suppliers with established export processes accommodate all of these as a matter of routine.

Read the Terms, Then Read the Process Behind Them

Payment terms are often presented as a supplier's demand. Read the other way, they are the most information-dense line on the quotation: they tell you how the factory funds production, when its process produces evidence, and how much of the transaction it is willing to stand behind at each stage. A 30% deposit before production and a 70% balance after inspection, against a PI that spells out specifications, AQL targets, warranty coverage and document lists, is not a supplier asking for trust — it is a supplier showing you the machinery that earns it.

As a Shenzhen-based manufacturer of watches and jewelry working with retailers, distributors, importers and private label brands across more than 65 markets since 2012, Aurevo runs this structure as standard: quotations valid for 30 days, 30/70 T/T terms, L/C at sight above USD 50,000, pre-shipment photos and videos before the balance, third-party inspection welcomed at the buyer's cost, a document set with every shipment, and a twelve-month warranty across the product range. If you are planning an order and want the terms in writing, share the models and quantities you have in mind — the response will be a quotation with the payment schedule, lead times and warranty terms stated line by line, so you can compare it against any other quote on identical ground.