Trade Finance for Imports
Cargo ships carrying shipping containers at an ocean port

Trade Finance for Imports.

Pay overseas suppliers without tying up all the cash you need to run your business. Premier Finance connects established importers with a specialist trade finance partner to assess supplier funding and coordinate shipping while you wait for your customers to pay.

Discuss your import funding → Chat on WhatsApp
◆ Funding is offered through one funder. To proceed, you must accept the funder’s terms and conditions.
Revolving facility Support for approved supplier payments
Currency exposure Support with overseas payment planning
Import costs Understand the full cost of your order
Stock visibility Warehouse inventory in real time

Tell us about your next import

Start with your order and supplier payment terms.

Continue your enquiry →
Built for importers

Import with confidence.
Keep cash flowing.

Secure the stock your business needs without tying up all your working capital. Connect overseas supplier payments, shipping and delivery through our specialist trade finance partner.

Order funded, goods shipped, customer supplied
Trade finance for importers

From overseas supplier to your customer.

Supplier funding. Import logistics. Stock visibility.

Your overseas supplier may need payment long before your goods arrive or your customers pay you. Our partner assesses your business and import order to determine the funding available and coordinate the services needed to get your goods delivered.

01

Pay suppliers without draining your working capital

Trade finance can help cover approved payments to overseas suppliers, so you can place import orders while keeping cash available for the day-to-day costs of running your business.

02

Get your goods collected, shipped and cleared

Our partner coordinates the agreed collection, shipping, insurance and customs services for your import order. The delivery arrangements and costs are confirmed for your shipment and destination.

03

Know your import costs and track your stock

Understand the full cost of bringing in your goods before setting your selling price. Where storage is included, real-time stock visibility helps you plan customer orders and deliveries. Branded delivery documents can be arranged where agreed.

Support for your next import

Funding and Logistics for Your Imports

Pay your supplier. Bring in your goods. Keep trading.

Connect supplier funding with the shipping, customs clearance, storage and delivery services needed to get your imported goods to their destination.

01 / Supplier payments

Pay overseas suppliers without draining your cash

An approved facility can help fund payments to overseas suppliers, leaving more working capital available to run your business. Our funding partner confirms the amount available, costs and repayment terms.

02 / Currency exposure

Plan what your order will cost in rand

If your supplier charges in a foreign currency, exchange-rate changes can increase what you pay in rand. Our partner helps you review payment timing and the currency arrangements available for your import order.

03 / Freight & insurance

Get your goods collected and shipped

Our partner coordinates the agreed collection and freight services from your overseas supplier and assists with shipment insurance. Your route, delivery destination and shipping requirements are confirmed before proceeding.

04 / Customs & landed costs

Know the full cost before you commit

Look beyond the supplier’s price. Understand the applicable shipping, insurance, customs duties, taxes, clearance, delivery and finance costs so you can calculate your cost per item and assess your profit margin.

05 / Warehouse visibility

Keep track of your imported stock

Where your goods are stored in our partner’s warehouse, real-time inventory visibility helps you see what stock is available and plan customer orders. Storage and stock-release arrangements are agreed for your shipment.

06 / Customer delivery

Deliver to customers under your business name

Our partner can arrange delivery of your imported goods to customers using your business’s branded delivery documents, where agreed. You keep the customer relationship while our partner handles the delivery arrangements.

Turn cross-border opportunities into orders

How Import and Export Trade Finance Works

Three stages. From order to repayment.

Tell us about your order, let us guide you through the application, and review the funding offer. Once approved and accepted, our partner helps arrange supplier payment and shipping. You repay the funding on the agreed dates.
1

Discuss your order and apply

Complete our enquiry form and we’ll contact you to explain how the funding works. Tell us what you are buying or selling and when payment is needed. We’ll help you prepare and submit your application to our funding partner for assessment.
2

Accept the offer and arrange shipping

If approved, review the funding amount, costs and repayment dates. Once you accept our funding partner’s terms, supplier payment and the agreed shipping services are arranged to get your order moving.
3

Receive or deliver goods and repay

Your imported goods are delivered to the agreed destination, or your export order is delivered to your customer. Collect payment from your customers and repay the funding on the dates set out in your agreement.
Your facility terms: One specialist funder determines approval, costs and payment dates. You must accept its terms and conditions to proceed. Discuss your trade cycle →
Know what you need to qualify

Minimum Requirements for Trade Finance

An established business. Clear financial information.

Importers and exporters must meet the following minimum requirements and provide the financial information needed for facility approval.
✓

At least 2 years trading

Your business must have been trading for a minimum of two years.
✓

R2 million+ annual turnover

Your business must generate annual turnover of at least R2 million.
✓

Financial statements

You must provide your business’s financial statements for assessment and approval of the facility.
✓

Latest management accounts

Your latest management accounts are required so our funding partner can assess your current business performance.
Meeting these minimum requirements does not guarantee approval. Our funding partner assesses your business and determines the facility amount, costs and terms. To proceed with an approved facility, you must accept its terms and conditions.
Bring goods in. Reach customers abroad.
An international order should be an opportunity to grow. Explore trade finance for importing stock or supplying overseas customers, with approved supplier funding and coordinated logistics to help bridge the gap before you get paid.

Fund your next trade order

Planning an import or export? Speak to Premier Finance about your goods, supplier costs and customer payment terms. We help you take the next step with our specialist funding partner.
Discuss my trade funding →
Questions importers and exporters ask

Import and Export Finance: Your Questions Answered

Understand funding, shipping costs and repayment before committing to your next international order.
Can trade finance help with both imports and exports?
Yes. You can enquire about funding for goods coming into South Africa or goods supplied to overseas customers. Our partner reviews your business and the specific order to confirm what it can fund. An approved facility can connect supplier payments with the agreed shipping and delivery services.
How does trade finance help my cash flow?
When importing, you may need to pay an overseas supplier before your stock arrives or sells. When exporting, you may need to pay for goods before your overseas customer pays you. Trade finance can help bridge these gaps through approved supplier funding, leaving more working capital available for running your business.
What are the minimum requirements for approval?
Your business must have been trading for at least two years and generate annual turnover of R2 million or more. You must provide your financial statements and latest management accounts for assessment and facility approval. Meeting these requirements does not guarantee approval; our funding partner makes the final decision.
Can our partner help with supplier payment terms?
Yes. Share your supplier’s quotation, payment deadlines and the customer order or expected sales. Our partner reviews these alongside your funding needs and can assist with supplier payment terms. The payment arrangements must be agreed before the transaction proceeds.
How can exchange rates affect my order?
For imports, a weaker rand can make an overseas supplier’s invoice more expensive. For exports, a stronger rand can reduce the rand value of a customer’s foreign-currency payment. Both can affect your margin. Our partner helps you review the currencies and payment timing, and confirms the available currency arrangements for your transaction.
How do I work out the full cost of an import or export?
Start with the cost of the goods, then add the shipping, insurance, clearance, applicable duties and taxes, delivery and agreed finance costs you are responsible for. For imports, this is often called the landed cost. For exports, the costs you carry depend on your delivery agreement with the buyer. A clear breakdown helps you price each item and assess the expected profit before accepting an order.
Who arranges shipping and customs for my order?
Our partner coordinates the agreed freight, insurance and customs services for goods moving into or out of South Africa. Your route and delivery agreement determine which services are needed and which costs you pay. These arrangements are confirmed for your shipment so you can plan delivery to your business or your customer.
How do I keep track of my stock in storage?
If your goods are held in our partner’s warehouse, its stock management system provides real-time inventory visibility. This helps you see what is available and plan dispatch or customer deliveries. Storage, access and stock-release arrangements are confirmed for your import or export transaction.
Can my customers receive deliveries under my business name?
Our partner can arrange customer deliveries using your business’s branded delivery documents, where agreed. For an export order, the required customs and shipping documents must also be in place. The documents and delivery responsibilities are confirmed for the destination, while you keep your customer relationship.
When must I repay the trade finance facility?
Your repayment dates and costs are set out in the facility agreement from our funding partner. It reviews the time between paying suppliers and receiving payment from your local or overseas customers when assessing the order. You must repay on the agreed dates even if a customer pays late. You must accept our funding partner’s terms and conditions before using an approved facility.
Make your next trade order count

Discuss Your Import or Export Funding

Tell Premier Finance what goods you are buying or selling, where they are moving and when suppliers and customers need to pay. We help you start the funding conversation with our specialist trade finance partner.
✓ Import and export enquiries ✓ Finance and logistics together ✓ One specialist funder