Letters of Credit
Letters of credit (LCs) are one of the most secure instruments available to international
traders. An LC is a commitment by a bank on behalf of the buyer that payment will be
made to the exporter, provided that the terms and conditions stated in the LC have been
met, as verified through the presentation of all required documents. The buyer pays his or
her bank to render this service. An LC is useful when reliable credit information about a
foreign buyer is difficult to obtain, but the exporter is satisfied with the creditworthiness
of the buyer’s foreign bank. An LC also protects the buyer because no payment obligation
arises until the goods have been shipped or delivered as promised.
Documentary Collections
A documentary collection (D/C) is a transaction whereby the exporter entrusts the collection
of a payment to the remitting bank (exporter’s bank), which sends documents to a
collecting bank (importer’s bank), along with instructions for payment. Funds are received
from the importer and remitted to the exporter through the banks involved in the collection
in exchange for those documents. D/Cs involve using a draft that requires the importer
to pay the face amount either at sight (document against payment) or on a specified date
(document against acceptance). The draft gives instructions that specify the documents
required for the transfer of title to the goods. Although banks do act as facilitators for their
clients, D/Cs offer no verification process and limited recourse in the event of non-payment.
Drafts are generally less expensive than LCs.