Insights
Working notes for commodity buyers and suppliers: RFQs, documents, Incoterms, inspection and counterparty risk.
Trade terminology: How these terms work in a commodity file: what they cover, what they do not, and where they sit in RFQ, verification and documentation.
- RFQ preparation
- Inspection
- Incoterms
- Compliance
- Trade documentation
- Commodity trade
Commodity RFQ checklist: fields that make a quotation comparable
A commodity RFQ is quotable when it names the goods, quantity, packing, destination, Incoterm with a place, documents and payment. Generic procurement checklists omit mill identity and lot.
COA vs third-party inspection in commodity trade
A COA answers a laboratory question about a named lot. A third-party inspection answers a cargo question, and only for the activities in the agreed scope.
Incoterms in commodity RFQs: cost, risk and a named place
Incoterms allocate delivery cost and risk. They are not payment terms and not title. FOB, CFR and CIF only work with a named place.
Supplier verification for commodity trade: entity, mill and goods
Screening the trader is not the same as screening the producer of the cargo. KYC, UBO and sanctions checks are related steps, not a certificate that a counterparty is safe.
Common documentation problems in cross-border trade
Most delayed cargo is not a mystery. The documents do not match the goods, the names, or the destination's checklist.
How commodity buyers can reduce counterparty risk
Price is not the first filter. Identity, performance capacity and a contract that can be enforced from documents are.
LC discrepancies in commodity files: names, lots and wording
Under a letter of credit the bank examines documents, not the cargo story. Mismatched names, quantities and lots across the set are enough to block payment.
If you have a specification, send the RFQ.
A complete inquiry can be reviewed and quoted. There is no public price list and submitting an RFQ does not create an obligation.