BASIC GUIDE TO EXPORTING, DEEPAK JOSHI [i can read with my eyes shut TXT] 📗

market. On the other hand, using a foreign distributor may reduce your profit margins and result in a loss of control over your product and/or price.

Selecting the right intermediary…

You can obtain information about potential intermediaries from the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service in Canada and abroad, as well as from Canadian and foreign trade associations, business councils and banks.

Before you meet in person, talk to several firms and then carry out your due diligence to make certain they're reputable. You can also protect yourself by entering into a limited term trial agreement.

To evaluate a prospective intermediary in detail, use the questionnaire below.

Size of sales force How many field sales personnel does the agent or distributor have? What are its short- and long-range expansion plans, if any? Will it have to expand to accommodate your needs properly? If yes, would it do so? Sales record Has its sales growth been consistent over the past five years? If not, why not? What are its sales objectives for the next year? How were they determined? Territorial analysis What territory does it now cover? Is it consistent with the coverage you're looking for? Is it willing and able to expand? Does it have any branch offices in the territory you wish to cover? Are its branch offices located where your sales prospects are greatest? Are there plans to open additional offices? Product or service mix How many product or service lines does it represent? Are they compatible with yours? Does it represent any other Canadian firms? Would there be any conflict of interest? Would it be willing to alter its present product or service mix to accommodate yours, if necessary? What would be the minimum sales volume needed to justify handling your lines? Do its sales projections reflect this minimum figure? From what you know of the territory and the prospective agent or distributor, is its projection realistic? Facilities and equipment Does it have adequate warehouse facilities? What is its method of stock control? Are their computers compatible with yours? What communications facilities does it have? If servicing is required, is it equipped and qualified to do so? If new equipment and/or training are required, to what extent will you have to share these additional costs? If necessary, would it be willing to inventory repair parts and replacement items? Marketing policies How is its sales staff compensated? Does it have special incentive or motivation programs? Does it use product managers to coordinate sales efforts for specific lines? How does it monitor sales performance? How does it train its sales staff? Would it be willing to share expenses for sales personnel to attend seminars? Customer profile What types of customers is it currently in contact with? Are its interests compatible with your lines? Who are its key accounts? What percentage of total gross receipts do these accounts represent? Principals represented How many principals does it currently represent? Would you be its primary supplier? If not, what percentage of its total business would you represent? How does this percentage compare with other suppliers? Promotional thrust Can it help you research market information? What types of media does it use, if any, to promote sales? How much of its budget is allocated to advertising? How is it distributed? Would you be expected to share promotional costs? If so, how will this amount be determined? If it uses direct mail, how many prospects are on its mailing list? What printed materials are used to describe its company and the lines it represents? If necessary, can it translate your advertising copy? Does it have its own website?

 

STEP 7: DELIVER THE GOODS

 

 

 Step 7:  Deliver the goods

 

v International trade regulations

You'll have to familiarize yourself with your target market's import regulations, product standards and licensing requirements. If you're a service exporter, you may have to acquire professional or other accreditation from the country where you'll be operating.

v Trade and international security

The World Customs Organization (WCO) has developed an initiative to help protect the international supply chain against terrorist exploitation: the SAFE Framework. It aims to establish and integrate standards for supply chain security and management, strengthen cooperation among customs administrations and promote the seamless movement of goods through well-secured international supply chains.

v Export declarationsv Export permitsv Delivering products

There are four ways of getting your product to your customer's doorstep: by truck, rail, air or ocean. Choosing the right shipping method, or combination of methods, is vital to export success—you want the product to get there on time and at the lowest cost.

v Shipment methods

Truck

Trucking is popular for shipments within North America, but service declines once you go beyond the major industrialized countries.

 

Rail

Rail is widely used when shipping to the United States or to and from seaports.

Air

Air is more expensive than surface or sea transport, but the higher costs may be offset by faster delivery, lower insurance, cheaper warehousing, exotic markets and better inventory control.

Ocean

Shipping large items, bulk commodities and goods to offshore markets that do not require fast delivery is more economical by sea.

Using Incoterms

To provide a common terminology for international shipping and minimize misunderstandings, the International Chamber of Commerce has developed a set of international commerce terms known as Incoterms. Familiarize yourself with these terms so that you know you are speaking the same language as your buyer or intermediary.

Freight forwarders and brokers

You'll need to deal with a lot of documents when delivering products to foreign countries. You don't normally do it all yourself, however—use freight forwarders and customs brokers to help reduce the workload abroad.

Freight forwarders will help you improve your delivery times and customer service. These agencies will negotiate rates for you with shipping lines, airlines, trucking companies, customs brokers and insurance firms. They can handle all of your logistical requirements, or just negotiate your shipping rate; it's up to you.

Packing your goods

Proper packing can also reduce the risk of theft during transit.

Assume your products will have a bumpy ride, particularly if you're shipping overseas.

Pack them to survive rough-and-ready cargo handlers and poor roads.

During transit, handling and storage, your goods may be exposed to bad weather and extreme temperatures. If they need special temperature controls or other protective measures, be sure they get them.

The type of shipping may determine the kind of packing you should use. For example, if the goods are carried by ship, you need to know whether they will be placed above or below deck.

Labels and marks

Labeling regulations vary widely from nation to nation, so verify the required labels before you ship.

Your product may not clear customs if labels don't conform to local requirements such as product weight or electrical standards.

Marking distinguishes your goods from those of other shippers. Marks shown on the shipping container must agree with those on the bill of lading or other shipping documents; they may include some or all of the following:

buyer's name or some other form of agreed upon identification point/port of entry into the importing country gross and net weight of the product in kilograms and pounds identification of the country of origin, e.g. "made in Canada" number of packages appropriate warnings or cautionary markings

Provide a packing list that identifies and itemizes the contents of each container. Each container must also contain a packing list itemizing its contents.

Transportation insurance

International carriers assume only limited liability and make the seller responsible for the goods up to the point of delivery to the foreign buyer. For this reason, you must have international transportation insurance.

Marine transportation insurance protects both ocean- and air-bound cargo. It also covers connecting land transportation. There are three main types of marine transportation insurance:

Free of particular average(FPA) insurance is the narrowest type of coverage. Total losses are covered, as well as partial losses at sea if the vessel sinks, burns or is stranded. With average(WA) offers greater protection from partial losses at sea. All riskis the most comprehensive insurance, protecting against all physical loss or damage from external causes. Once the documents transferring title are delivered to the foreign buyer, you are no longer liable for the goods. Export documentation

Export documentation identifies the goods and the terms of sale. It also provides title to the goods, evidence of insurance coverage and certifies a certain quality or standard. Several documents are required for overseas shipping and fall into two categories:

Shipping documents

Goods shipped by sea are typically insured for 110% of their value, to compensate for the extra costs involved in replacing lost goods.

Shipping documents are prepared by you or your freight forwarder. They allow the shipment to pass through customs, be loaded onto a carrier and be transported to the destination. Key shipping documents include:

commercial invoice special packing or marking list certificate of origin certificate of insurance bill of lading/air waybill*

A bill of lading is used for land and ocean freight, while an air waybill is used for air freight. Note that the ocean bill of lading can be a negotiable instrument that passes title to the goods. Other types of bills pass title to the consignee as soon as the goods are delivered.

Collection documents

The most important collection document is probably the commercial invoice, which describes the goods in detail and lists the amount owing by the foreign buyer. This form is also used for customs records and must include:

the date of issue the names and addresses of the buyer and seller the contract or invoice number a description of the goods and the unit price including the total weight and number of packages shipping marks and numbers the terms of delivery and payment

Other collection documents include:

certificates of origin certificates of inspection, used to ensure that goods are free from defect import and export licenses, as required (e.g. a NAFTA certificate of origin) Duty deferral and duty relief

If you're importing goods in order to re-export them, you might be able to use the Duties Deferral Program, administered by the concerned government..

There are three components to the Duties Deferral Program:

The Duties Deferral Program enables eligible companies to import goods without having to pay customs duties, as long as they export the goods after importing them.. With the Drawback Program, duty is refunded on previously imported goods when these goods have been exported.. Customs Bonded Warehousesare regulated by the government  A bonded warehouse is a facility, operated by the private sector, in which you may store goods without having to pay duties and taxes. This could be beneficial if you're planning on importing goods for the purpose of exporting them.. Delivering services: how it's different

The challenges of delivering services to a foreign market are just as complex as those of delivering products. The challenges are different, however, and often depend on factors in your target market, such as:

extent and reliability of telecommunications/internet links existence of a reliable IT infrastructure frequency and convenience of air links between Canada and the market technological sophistication, receptivity and flexibility of customers potential support through official channels, government departments and international development agencies ability to satisfy legal regulations governing work permits or professional certification potential to enter into a local partnership

You'll most likely be delivering your services by one, or a combination of, the following methods:

Provider visits client. This is the most common export activity and involves meeting the client repeatedly, often at the site. Client visits provider. In industries such as tourism, thousands of Canadians earn income by meeting the needs of foreign visitors. Establishment in the market. Large legal and accounting firms, as well as major banks, are most likely to use this method to establish their presence abroad. Electronic delivery. E-business is increasingly more important for conducting global business.