Quick answer: Deposit and balance payments should follow the written milestones for the exact custom toy order. Before sending funds, verify the latest PI/quotation, exact order scope, payment beneficiary and the evidence required for the next milestone. An unexpected bank-account or beneficiary change should be independently verified through a previously known or published contact channel before payment.
Is 30% deposit and 70% balance a standard China supplier payment term?
It is a common commercial pattern, but it is not a universal rule. The workable split depends on the product, customization level, tooling/material commitment, supplier relationship, order value, platform/payment route and the buyer’s negotiated release conditions. A custom project may require a different deposit because the supplier must commit non-recoverable materials, tooling or setup earlier. Buyers should focus on what each payment milestone authorizes and what evidence is due before the next payment rather than treating “30/70” as a legal or Incoterms requirement.
The International Chamber of Commerce expressly states that Incoterms® rules do not determine the time, place, method or currency of payment; those terms belong in the sales contract. ICC Incoterms® and Commercial Contracts →
What if a China supplier suddenly changes the bank account or payment beneficiary?
Pause the payment and verify the change independently. Do not confirm a new account only by replying to the same email, WhatsApp message or invoice that introduced the change. Contact the supplier through a previously verified phone number, published website contact or another established channel, confirm the legal beneficiary and updated payment instructions, then make sure the current PI/order record reflects the verified details before funds are sent.
This control is consistent with FBI business-email-compromise guidance, which recommends independently verifying changes in account numbers or payment procedures rather than relying on the incoming request alone.
Payment Milestone Checklist
| Stage | Buyer should verify | Evidence to keep |
|---|---|---|
| Before first payment | Exact product, quantity, current PI/quote, artwork status, packaging, payment terms and verified beneficiary. | Current quotation/PI and order/PO reference. |
| After payment | Which approval or production milestone starts next and which items are still pending. | Payment receipt and supplier acknowledgement. |
| Before production release | Required artwork/sample/proof approvals are complete for the agreed route. | Approved proof/sample and production release message. |
| During production | Any agreed progress/QC evidence and approved changes. | Status records, change log and relevant photos/reports. |
| Before final/balance payment where applicable | Order status, quantity/packing evidence, QC requirement, carton data and shipment plan match the agreed milestone. | Applicable production/QC/packing evidence and final commercial documents. |
Should a buyer pay the balance just because the supplier says production is finished?
No automatic rule applies. The balance-payment milestone should follow the commercial terms agreed before production. If the accepted quotation, PI or PO says that balance payment depends on finished-goods evidence, packaging/carton data, a passing inspection or another release condition, verify that evidence first. If no inspection condition was agreed, the buyer should not invent one after the goods are complete.
Before Sending Any Payment
- Verify the PI/quotation is the latest revision.
- Confirm the legal/supplier identity and payment beneficiary through a trusted published or previously established contact channel.
- Do not rely on an unexpected email, chat message or revised invoice alone for changed bank or beneficiary details.
- Confirm currency, amount, fees and payment reference.
- Record which order milestone the payment authorizes.
- Keep payment records together with the PO, PI, artwork and approval evidence.
What if the beneficiary name is different from the supplier or factory name?
A different beneficiary is not automatically fraudulent, but the relationship should be explained and verified before payment. Confirm which legal entity is selling the goods, which entity is receiving the funds, why they differ, and whether the verified quotation/PI reflects that arrangement. The buyer should not infer the relationship from a sales message alone.
Before a Final or Balance Payment
The required evidence depends on the agreed commercial terms and project risk. The buyer may need production/QC evidence, packaging/carton data, shipment documents or another agreed milestone before releasing the remaining amount. These conditions should be agreed in writing rather than invented at the end of production.
Payment Fraud & Change Control
If beneficiary or payment instructions change, verify the change using Jinyu’s published contact channels before payment. A payment-message change should not silently change the product, quantity, shipping term or other commercial scope; those changes belong in the quotation/PI/order revision record.
What should a buyer keep after making a supplier payment?
Keep the verified PI or invoice revision, payment receipt, beneficiary/account reference, supplier acknowledgement and the order/PO reference that explains what the payment authorizes. For a custom order, preserve these with the current artwork, sample/proof and change record so finance and production are tied to the same order version.
FAQ
Does every Jinyu order use the same deposit percentage?
No. Payment terms are stated in the accepted quotation or proforma invoice for the specific order.
When does production start?
The applicable starting milestone is confirmed in the order documents. Depending on the project it may require payment plus artwork, sample or other approval before production is released.
What should a buyer verify before final payment?
Verify the milestone and evidence agreed for that order, together with the current product, quantity, packing, QC and shipment scope where applicable.
Related Buyer Resources
- Proforma Invoice & Specification Checklist
- China Supplier Verification Checklist
- Purchase Order Checklist
- Pre-Shipment Inspection Checklist
- Production QC Checklist
- Shipping Document Checklist
Use Jinyu’s published contact details to verify any payment-instruction change before sending funds.