1. Write a specification, not a wish
A firm FOB price needs four things: size, finish, quantity and destination port. Add a reference — a photo, a competitor sample or a print file — and whether you want a neutral carton or your own brand. If something is still open, send what you have; a good mill lists the gaps instead of guessing.
2. Approve A4 chips, then lock the shade
Glazed porcelain is produced in lots, and every lot has its own shade. Approve A4 chips from the mill before production and make sure the shade is written on the PI. A JPEG is not a vein-for-vein match. At our mill, chips for a first container are cut from that firing — see lot shade.
3. Read the PI line by line
The proforma invoice is the contract that matters. Check the seller’s Chinese legal name, size, finish, shade/lot, pieces and m² per carton, the FOB port, the loading week, who nominates the forwarder and who pays THC. Bank details should appear on the PI only, in the company’s name.
4. Pay the deposit, keep the balance for the B/L
A common structure — and ours — is 30% T/T deposit to start production and 70% against the B/L copy, so the balance is paid after the goods are loaded and shipped.
5. Inspect before loading
Send SGS, Intertek or your own agent before the first container is loaded; who pays is agreed on the PI. A simple QC sheet covers size, thickness, shade against the A4 chip, edges, surface, carton count and broken corners — see first-container QC.
6. Get the loading photos
Ask for five photos: empty container, first row, full load, doors closed and a readable seal number that matches the packing list. For Australia and the UK, pallets must be heat-treated with an ISPM-15 stamp — see ISPM-15 and loading-day photos.
7. Plan the container around weight
A 20GP of porcelain is usually weight-limited, not volume-limited, so the actual payload is confirmed on the PI. Two sizes can share one container when their thickness matches — at our mill 400×800 is 7.4 mm and the other three sizes are 10 mm. Count cartons with the packing calculator.
8. Agree the claims window in advance
Breakage claims need photos: damaged carton, damaged piece, and container or seal where relevant. The claim window should be written on the PI before you ship — see claims.