Safety Tips for Buyers

Ask About The Product

Check seller's rating in his Exporters.SG profile page.
Avoid communicating outside Exporters.SG.
Do not rely solely on product pictures to gauge product quality. Ask questions on the product quality, grading, conditions, etc.
Check with other competing sellers to see if the price is way below the market rate. Be careful if the price is too good to be true. You can submit a buying lead to receive quotations from relevant sellers.
Confirm Product authenticity. Ask for certificate of origin/proof if available.
Ask about warranty, exchange and return policies.
Ask for customer reference.
Be careful when seller uses a different company to deal with you other than the one in Exporters.SG.

Shipping Arrangement

Find out who will be paying for shipping and insurance costs.
Get the seller to provides a copy of the shipping documents once order has been shipped.
Ask the seller to use a shipping firm that provides online tracking so that you can track the shipment too.
Arrange for an inspection service if required.

Payment Method

Cash/Telegraphic Transfer is the fastest way to send money to the seller, but it also has high risk when the seller defaults.
Credit Card provides a better level of protection. Check with your bank for more information.
Escrow services ensures buyer receives the products before payment is release to the seller. If the seller insist on a specific escrow service provider, ask why. But be sure to use trusted escrow services as they are fraudulent escrow providers too.
You can also apply for a Letter of Credit from your bank for your seller.
Be careful when seller asks you to use money transfer services that cannot trace the seller from the account such as Western Union.

Start sourcing for products now.

Article ID: 38, Created: May 25, 2014 at 8:41 AM, Modified: October 2, 2025 at 5:18 PM