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How do I send a purchase order in USD to a factory in China?

Choose English as the document language and USD as the currency, enter the agreed unit prices, and put the freight the factory quoted in the shipping field. Leave tax empty if none applies to the order; the total is then items plus shipping. Write the delivery terms exactly as the factory's quote states them.

Published · 2 min read

Example: phone cases and stands

A small electronics shop in Dubai agrees with a factory in Shenzhen on 1,000 phone cases at 1.20 dollars and 500 desk stands at 0.85, and the factory quotes 320 dollars for sea freight to port. Here is what the Purchase-order generator works out:

  • Cases: 1,200.00. Stands: 425.00.
  • Subtotal 1,625.00, shipping 320.00.
  • No tax, so the total is 1,945.00 USD.

Filling it in

  1. Choose 'English' as the document language: the factory staff read English, and the labels are translated for you.
  2. Choose USD from the currency list.
  3. Under 'Supplier details', enter the factory name and address in English as on their quote, plus the sales contact's email.
  4. Describe each item in English with the factory's own code, such as 'Silicone case, model X12, black (SKU CS-X12-BK)'; the tool does not translate what you type.
  5. Enter quantities and prices, then 320 in 'Shipping cost', and leave 'Tax rate %' empty.
  6. In 'Delivery terms', copy what you agreed from the quote word for word, such as the Incoterm and the port name.

Delivery terms: copy, do not improvise

In international trade, delivery terms decide who pays freight and insurance and where responsibility for the goods passes to you. The tool knows nothing about these terms and checks nothing; it prints what you write. So copy the term from the factory's quote as written, and if you are not sure what it means, ask the factory or your freight forwarder before you send the order. If your wording differs from their quote, the factory will usually work from their own.

After the purchase order

  • Import duties and charges on arrival are not part of this document; they depend on the goods and the tool does not calculate them.
  • Before shipment, ask the factory for a packing list with carton counts and weights. If you later reship part of the goods, prepare your own with the Packing-list generator.
  • If the goods fly, volumetric weight can push the freight up, so check it with the carton dimensions in the Volumetric shipping-weight calculator before agreeing to the price.

Common questions

Can the purchase order be bilingual?

Yes, but a bilingual document is laid out right to left. For a factory that does not read Arabic, English alone is cleaner.

Does the tool convert dollars to dirhams or riyals?

No. The whole document is in the one currency you choose, and the tool has no exchange rates.