Why 90% of Commodity Buyers Are Rejected by Sellers
The real reasons your ICPO, bank & SWIFT fail — and the hidden question every buyer is afraid to ask.
Hidden buyer question:
“Why does nobody take me seriously?”
Introduction — The Brutal Truth Sellers Won’t Tell You
In EN590, Jet A1, LNG, and bulk commodity trading, rejection is the norm — not the exception. More than 90% of buyers are filtered out before a deal even reaches SPA or inspection.
Not because they lack money.
Not because supply doesn’t exist.
But because they fail the seller’s first three invisible tests.
Sellers don’t argue. They don’t negotiate. They simply stop responding.
1. Sellers Don’t Look for Buyers — They Filter Risk
Real sellers are not hunting for customers. They are defending themselves against:
- Fake ICPOs
- Unbankable buyers
- SWIFT misuse
- Time-wasters with no lifting capacity
Your first message is not “a deal proposal”. It is a risk signal.
And most buyers fail instantly.
2. The #1 Reason Buyers Are Rejected: The ICPO
Most ICPOs are dead on arrival.
Why?
- They are copied templates
- They contain impossible terms
- They are not aligned with banking reality
- They expose the buyer as inexperienced
To a seller, a bad ICPO says:
“This buyer has never closed a real transaction.”
Once that signal is sent, the door closes.
3. Banks Don’t Fail — Buyers Do
Buyers often say:
“My bank is slow”
“My bank doesn’t understand commodities”
The truth:
- The bank is protecting itself
- The buyer requested the wrong instrument
- The buyer cannot fund what they are proposing
When a seller asks for MT700, MT760, or MT799, they are not testing your bank.
They are testing you.
4. MT799 Is Not Proof of Funds (And Sellers Know It)
One of the fastest rejection triggers:
“We can issue MT799 as proof of funds.”
To a seller, this means:
- You don’t understand SWIFT hierarchy
- You are not transaction-ready
- You are repeating broker language
MT799 is a conversation opener, not a commitment.
Serious sellers move only when instruments align with SPA reality.
5. The Logistics Lie Buyers Don’t Know They’re Telling
Buyers say:
- “We want CIF”
- “We want FOB”
- “We want TTT”
But they cannot answer:
- Where is title transfer?
- Who controls inspection?
- Who pays demurrage?
- Who carries risk after SGS?
This tells sellers one thing:
“This buyer has never lifted real product.”
6. Why Sellers Reject Fast (And Silently)
Sellers don’t educate buyers.
They filter.
If you fail:
- ICPO structure
- Bank instrument logic
- Inspection & title clarity
- Operational realism
You are not “almost ready”.
You are high risk.
7. The Seller’s Internal Checklist (They Never Share This)
- Does the buyer understand payment instruments?
- Does the ICPO match how banks actually work?
- Is the buyer capable of issuing instruments on time?
- Does logistics align with product reality?
- Has this buyer done this before?
Fail any two — rejection.
Fail three — blacklisted.
8. The Hard Truth: Serious Buyers Are Boring
Real buyers:
- Use short, clean ICPOs
- Ask precise operational questions
- Know what instrument comes next
- Do not negotiate fantasy terms
They don’t sound excited.
They sound prepared.
FAQ — What Buyers Get Wrong
- Is supply the problem?
No. Buyer readiness is. - Is MT799 enough?
No. Never. - Do sellers negotiate structure?
No. They accept or reject. - Can brokers fix this?
No. Structure beats intermediation. - Why no feedback after rejection?
Because sellers don’t train buyers.
Conclusion — Why You’re Not Taken Seriously (Yet)
If sellers are ignoring you, it is not personal.
It is structural.
Your ICPO, bank logic, and SWIFT usage are speaking for you — and right now, they’re saying:
“High risk. Not ready. Next.”
Fix the structure, and everything changes.
In commodities, seriousness is not declared — it is demonstrated.
