The B2B Football Buyer's Playbook

1. Send tech pack: construction, size, weight, colourway, artwork, packaging.
2. Quote arrives with EXW / FOB Karachi / CIF port — align on Incoterms first.
3. Pre-production sample: 2–3 weeks, courier DDP.
4. Golden sample sign-off in writing (photo + notes, signed by both parties).
5. 30% T/T deposit → bulk starts → mid-line inspection at 40% built.
6. Pre-shipment AQL inspection → 70% balance against copy B/L → sail.

• T/T 30/70 — industry default; deposit against pro-forma, balance vs copy B/L.
• LC at sight — used above USD 30k or where currency controls apply.
• Escrow via Alibaba / trade platforms — acceptable but 3–5% fee reduces margin.
• Open account Net 30 — only after 3+ repeat orders and credit review.
• Never wire 100% up front. Never wire to a personal account.

• Registered company, verifiable address, matching bank details.
• Sample pack showing the exact construction you plan to order.
• Written MOQ, lead time and packaging tier per SKU.
• Compliance references appropriate to your market (buyer-nominated audits per PO).
• Named QC contact — not a general sales inbox.
• Escalation path in writing before you send deposit.

Standard OEM warranty covers manufacturing defects (seam failure, bladder leak, delamination) for 12 months from shipment date, replacement-on-inspection. Fair wear, cuts, and heat-damage from over-inflation are out of scope. Publish this on your retail hangtag verbatim so the end customer's expectation matches the term.

Before your 3rd order, audit: colour drift across batches (Delta-E on stored samples), warranty return rate per SKU (<1.5% is healthy), lead-time slippage vs promise, and packaging damage rate at receipt. If any of those move the wrong way, fix them before you launch the next range extension.

Can you match a competitor's ball? Yes for construction; for registered artwork, no — send your own design.

Do you drop-ship to end customers? Not for B2B partners — orders palletise to your 3PL.

Can I inspect the factory? Yes; give 5 working days notice, or use an SGS / Intertek third-party audit.