Exporter Checklist
International market research will save money and time. Unfortunately,
too many newcomers plunge into import /export without determining
whether they can sell the product at a profit.
Following are checklists of research items for importers and exporters:
• Is there already a market for the product?
• What is the market price?
• What is the sales volume for that product?
• Who has market share, and what are the shares?
22 Import/Export
Table 2.1 Making Contact
Source Market
Import
Export
Consulate offices
International COC
Industrial organizations
Foreign governments
WTCA
The Web (Internet)
Thomas Register
Contacts Influential
Yellow Pages
U.S. Department of Commerce
Trade journals
Trade associations
WTCA
The Web (Internet)
Swap meets
Direct mailers
Mail orders
Home parties
Trade shows
Wholesalers
Associations
Representatives
Retailers
U.S. government
WTCA
The Web (Internet)
Distributors
Trade shows
Retailers
Foreign governments
U.S. Department of Commerce
Direct mailers
United Nations
USAID
Sell Overseas America
Business America
State trade promotion offices
Journal of Commerce
WTCA
The Web (Internet)
• What is the location of the market; what’s its size and population?
(Note that people in major urban areas generally have more money
than people do elsewhere.)
• What are the climate, geography, and terrain of the market
country?
• What are the economics of the country, its gross national
product (GNP), major industries, and sources of income?
• What is its currency? How stable is it? Is barter commonplace?
• Who are the employees of the country? How much do they earn?
Where do they live?
• Is the government stable? Is it friendly to Americans? Does the
country have a good credit record?
• What are the tariffs, restrictions, and quotas?
• What are the other barriers to market entry, such as taxation and
repatriation of income?
• What language is spoken there? Are there dialects? Does the
business community speak English?
• How modern is the country?
• Do people there use the Internet?
• Do they have electric power?
• How do they move their goods?
• How good is the hard infrastructure (roads, trains, etc.)?
• What about the soft infrastructure (schools, etc.)?
• Does the country manufacture your product? How much does it
produce? How much is sold there?
• What kind and how much advertising is generally used? Are there
local advertising firms? Are there trade fairs and exhibitions?
• What distribution channels are being used? What levels of
inventory are carried? Are adequate storage facilities available?
• Who are the customers? Where do they live? What influences
the customers’ buying decisions? Is it price, convenience, or
habit?
• What kinds of services are expected? Is the custom to throw away
or repair? Can repair services be set up?
• What about competition? Does the competition have sales
organizations? How does it price?
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