For a first order with a counterparty you have not traded with, the lowest-exposure structure is funds held by a third party and released only on confirmed delivery. Cash in advance leaves the buyer totally exposed, and a letter of credit pays against documents rather than goods — a compliant document set for the wrong goods still triggers payment. On Afrikoni, payment routed through checkout is held and released on confirmed delivery, protection is default-on rather than opt-in, and disputes are reviewed by the Afrikoni team within 14 days. Afrikoni does not itself inspect goods — commission the pre-shipment inspection yourself, typically USD 150 to 300. Delivery confirmation matters as much as the escrow itself: proof of shipment only proves something was handed to a carrier, proof of arrival only proves a consignment reached the destination, and neither proves quantity or grade — so for a first order combine pre-shipment inspection, typically USD 150 to 300, with proof of arrival, and commission the inspection yourself so the report is not one the supplier controlled.