Sabtu, 19 Januari 2013

Selecting An Import Export Consulting Firm

By Shanna McNeil


Without hiring import export consulting firm professionals, you can put your business at risk. The amount of regulations, fees, taxes, and laws can be overwhelming. This does not include the relationships that have to be established in order to have a smooth and fast to market experience. The right professionals can easily navigate all of these issues and provide a network of experience marketing and distribution professionals in each country you consider sending your products into.

Imports are heavily regulated. Not only are there a number of forms to complete in order to have your shipment processed through a port, there are also security regulations that must be followed. There are restrictions and taxes on the various types of products and countries of origin. Inspections must be performed and if anything is not listed correctly, it can be seized or delayed entry.

The export procedures are just as intimidating. The products must be secured in a certain fashion, shipping container leased, and trade treaties considered. You will also have a number of forms and fees to complete for sending products overseas. If you do not already have a receiving agent, you will have to find one before considering shipping.

Most companies do not have established global market research. In order to gather this data, you need to hire someone that has the contacts to bring all the information together. Numbers are not enough, you also need to consider traditions and brand loyalty in each country. The stumbling blocks can be overcome with the right knowledge of the local market.

Traditions and language differences need to be navigated to reach the consumers. History has many examples of companies that did not understand translations of product names or local traditions when pushing a product to a new country. In the end, the products failed miserably and in a very public fashion. Knowledge of these issues can only come from someone already working in or with those markets.

Relationships with distributors and retailers can help bring items to market faster. Professional agents already have these contacts from years of relationship building. Using their contacts will quickly build the trust factor and reduce the time it takes to push products to the end consumer.

Legal issues go beyond shipping regulations. Product liability, returns, health, and even original manufacturing requirements need to be learned to ensure a smooth entry. Since each country has its own laws regarding retail sales, your requirements may be different in each market. Professional help with understanding these local laws will prevent future problems as the products are sold.

Hiring an import export consulting firm eliminates significant worry. The professionals are familiar with shipping regulations between various countries, laws regarding product make up, and have a better understanding of the market and retail environments in the countries they serve. They will be able to navigate the process and use their established relationships to smooth the way when entering a new consumer market.




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