# General Business Category > Business Finance Forum > [Question] Foreign Payment

## IanF

Hi gang,
I have just been through my first attempt at importing.
Background:
My laser tube died and the local agent did not have stock despite saying that he will stock spares. So I got hold of the Chinese manufacturer and ordered the tube plus a few other spares. Now they will only ship when they get the money in their account.

FNB process:
Since FNB is my bank and they advertise how good they are I mistakenly think great. I submitted my documents online after numerous phone calls on what info is needed on the 8th August. They then finally agree on the 13th to pay and charge me then. Next day the 14th I send the payment documentation to the supplier who says fine as soon as he gets the payment is his account they will ship. Today the 16th I email him and ask about the shipment and he replies they haven't received the money yet. So onto the blower to FNB and they tell me the funds where transferred yesterday and it takes 2 days for payment. So now we wait with  customers getting despondent with us.

Advice sought 
What banks do you recommend to pay a supplier in China efficiently so there is not a week wasted with the FNB red tape. I am not to concerned about the interest lost as I have kept out of overdraft for over a year now and FNB don't give me interest on the positive balance. Also any tips on how to get payment there quickly, the supplier doesn't accept credit cards.

 :Banghead:

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## AndyD

Sorry to hear about your supplier and bank problems Ian, if I need small quantities of items I've always brought them in from the UK or Eu where I've got lots of contacts at the other end to help facilitate.

I've been tempted to do what you're doing on several occasions so I'll follow this thread with great interest and maybe shamelessly bump it from time to time.

Good luck.

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## Justloadit

Any forex payment to or from RSA can take up to a week, irrespective of what bank you with.

The fastest payment method, is usually a credit card or paypal.

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## BusFact

We do TTs (EFT) on a fairly regular basis using both Standard Bank and Bidvest Bank. Its actually quite straight forward, but the transaction does take about 3 working days to appear on the other side once you have submitted the docs, which include an invoice and the EFT form.

Your delay seems to have largely been caused by the public holiday. I even had some local EFTs delayed because of this.

I'm not aware of a quicker method other than perhaps the likes of credit cards and paypal.

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## adrianh

Ian, how long did your tube last, couldn't have been a year?

My 70W is still going strong after 18 months...

You should consider buying a more powerful Reci tube while you have the oppertunity to do so, I have my heart set on a 150W.

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## IanF

Adrian the tube lasted about 14 months and the software panel said 600 hours so very disappointing. I have ordered 1 tube plus belts and motors. Wouldn't you need a new power supply and control panel for a reci tube? Also the tube length is 800mm and not much room to fit a longer tube. 
So lesson learnt about keeping adequate spares, if the tube works I will definitely get a spare or 2.

Now I have learnt about SA red tape and must plan for that.

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## adrianh

To upgrade from 70W to 150W will require the following:
New tube (the tube is about 1200mm - my machine is long enough)
New power supply,
New Chiller
...and even new lenses and mirrors.

I would really lik o have 2 lasers, a 70W 600x400mm for the light cardboard and paper work and a 150W 2450x1400mm for MDF. My current machine feels too big for the light work and not powerfull enough for the heavy work.

I must admit that I still have a nasty problem to contend with. My bed is slightly skew. The left front corner is lower than the right rear corner. If the table was fixed it would simply have been a matter of shimming the corner. I have a moveable table and the entire thing hangs from two barrels that are run up and down by two leadscrews. The entire contraption is wonky and looks like a tray balanced on two pins. Its one of those things that will have to get ripped out and completely reworked. It is quite clear that the table movement mechanism was added as an afterthought. Another thing that gets on my nerves is that the x0, y0 coordinates are at the right rear corner of the machine. All my other machines are set at the left bottom. There doesn't seem to be a way to change this setting because the setting screen is password locked. One day is one day and I'm going to toss the Chinese controller and replace it with a Mach 3 CNC controller...

The biggest problem I find with the 70W tube is that the machine gets Flu...Sounds odd but this is what happens. The machine is normally able to cut 3mm MDF at about 5mm/sec. When it rains or when the wood is slightly moist then the machine wants to know nothing about cutting MDF. We sometimes recut the same line three times to get through. Then the next morning when the sun is high and its nice and warm then the machine is ok again.....

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## IanF

Adrian, I only have room for 1 laser in my shop. For MDF we use novalite 3 mm and it cuts well but we do a less humid climate on the highveld. Our table is fixed but is also slightly lower in some places. There is a setting for the origin point and we have it set left top as we look at the table we cut from coreldraw through the addon. We have not been able to cut the local MDF or plywood so don't offer that. One trick we learnt with paper is don't store it on the floor so we use pallets and that does help with moisture problems. 
For the password try rd8888 it works for us.
Using a laser is rewarding but frustrating, we have learnt not to cut architect students models as the air assist blows all the small pieces inot a black hole.

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## adrianh

I do a lot of work for those students. A trick that I use is to put tags on the parts. All you do is to break the lines here and there and remove a 0.5mm section. The little tag keep the parts tied to the main sheet of material. Better still - tell the students that they have to add the tags otherwise you won't cut the job.

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## adrianh

...

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## IanF

OK now 4 days since I was charged and the supplier still does not have the money in his account. I spoke to FNB and they sent me their proof of payment and asked me to check the details. They look correct so I have sent it to the supplier for him to check.
This is frustrating!
 :Banghead:

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## IanF

Wow what a learning experience, I filled in the wrong beneficiary. I filled in the company name and the beneficiary name was different. So now another R300 in bank charges and hopefully the supplier gets the money. But to get a reaction from FNB  :Banghead:  when I found out my mistake I was told to email another address to change this. I did this then get an automated reply that they will get to this in 1 working day. So I phone only to be told that the lady who deals with this is on lunch at 11:25am. So I insist on speaking to the manager of the department and was told to forward this to her, which I did. I also emailed RBJacobs the FNB social networking guy to put pressure from that side.
They tell that this has been sorted heres holding thumbs.

Now I am mad at myself for being stupid, but have learnt. Now I must make the effort to find out who my relationship manager is so they can help in future. 

Don't expect any help as obviously the 2 days to check the invoice is not there to help the customer.

From a wiser and dom FNB customer.
 :Rant1:

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## IanF

Want a lesson in frustration try deal with FNB Forex. I kept on asking FNB where the payment is and was told basically to hurry up and wait. So I did wait only for the supplier not to get the funds. I then wrote to FNB and asked if my money had been stolen then  was told that the money was not stolen so they will put a tracer on it. So now we must wait until tomorrow and just maybe FNB will escalate the matter.
So far it looks like paying a premium to use the credit card is worth it.

I would love FNB to comment on this thread. :Banghead:

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## Dave A

> So I phone only to be told that the lady who deals with this is on lunch at 11:25am.


Maybe the lady who deals with this is permanently out to lunch?

Sorry - couldn't resist.

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## IanF

> Maybe the lady who deals with this is permanently out to lunch?
> 
> Sorry - couldn't resist.


Dave you may be right and that is sad.
The next step in the saga, FNB could not change the beneficiary as they thought they could and had the money returned less $52. This took them about 2 weeks to pickup. So now I have to pay another $52 to get this paid and hold thumbs that it goes through. I did try and phone them and eventually got through to the Lady's voicemail so she is probably out lunch again.
My take is that FNB do not have problem solvers only fee generators.
Lets hope this works.

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## IanF

I got a reply from FNB and they have waived the fees.  :Thumbup: 

What I have learnt is you are on your own when filling out the forms and the checking is for the Reserve Bank 


> Please note that any supporting documents provided are checked and verified in order to ensure that the transaction is compliant in terms of South African Reserve Bank Rules and Regulations and not for the purpose of verifying banking details. The bank sale form submitted and released by yourself is accepted by the bank as the correct information and released by ourselves as such.


So I will be more careful in future and hope to get the parts soon.

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## IanF

This is like a diary now. 
But the supplier emailed and said he has got the money an hour for an international transfer! 
Wow that was quick so FNB are trying very hard to fix this. :Thumbup:

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## Dave A

Just shows how quickly it can be done when someone actually takes ownership and runs with it.

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## AndyD

I agree but it's unfortunate that the gap between what _can_ be done and what _is usually_ done is so wide. I have my fingers crossed for you Ian, if God loves a tryer he must be besotted with you by now  :Smile:

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## IanF

:Wink:  The parcel arrived yesterday afternoon and we checked it this morning every thing was there. 
Now I have spares parts and can hopefully keep this machine running.

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## Martinco

> Advice sought 
> What banks do you recommend to pay a supplier in China efficiently so there is not a week wasted with the FNB red tape. I am not to concerned about the interest lost as I have kept out of overdraft for over a year now and FNB don't give me interest on the positive balance. Also any tips on how to get payment there quickly, the supplier doesn't accept credit cards.


Hi Ian,

I have been using Bidvest now for the past 6 to 7 years and they have been on the ball so far.
Our local branch is really a pleasure to work with.
They even fetch the paperwork from our office and do what is required. :Smile:  and takes about 3 days to reach the supplier.

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## IanF

Martin 
I will try Bidvest if I import again. Did you get high tension insulation tape with your laser for the red wire connection to the tube?

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## Martinco

No Ian,  Cannot recall this but the HT side had a huge plastic cap that goes right over the connection.

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## dfsa

I have given up on our Banking forex Years ago. 

Most companies in China will accept PayPal. The payment is instant and the cost is low.

I received my last imported goods within 4 Days from time of order placement.

The advantage you have with PayPal is, if the goods do not arrive, then you can claim a refund. Your payment reflect instantly in your supplier account and order is processed.

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