What is the purpose of this section?
The Product section of your export plan should include subsections addressing the following topics:
Start working on the Product section of your export plan
Why is this important?
- Does your company currently have a product it wants to export, or do you intend to develop a new product for export?
- What needs or wants can this product satisfy in a foreign market?
- Describe unique qualities or characteristics of the product that you plan to export. How do these characteristics give you an edge over competing products in the target market? How do these characteristics make marketing the product in your target market easier or more difficult?
- What U.S. export regulations affect the product you plan to export?
- What import regulations in your target market affect the product you plan to export? For example, does the government regulate artificial colors, additives, or preservatives?
- How would your product need to be modified to comply with these regulations and preferences? If you find at this stage that modifying your product for a particular country is not feasible, you may have to backtrack and select a new target market.
- What do the regulations in your target market require on the labeling of your product? For example, do regulations require listing the percentage of each ingredient in the product, or must the labeling be in a specific language?
- Does the product require instructions for use? Will the instructions need to be translated into a foreign language for your target market?
- Does your target market require products to be packaged in metric volumes or weights? If so, will you need to change the size or volume of your current packaging?
- Based on the answers to the above questions, what modifications will you need to make to your product packaging to sell the product in your target market?
- How will you make these required modifications? For example, will you apply stickers over your product's domestic label? Will you modify your production line to package metric-size packages? Will you send your export products to a vendor for packaging?
- What special handling does your product require during shipping? For example, do temperature requirements or ethylene sensitivity need to be considered when you ship your product?
- What special requirements are there for preparing your product for shipping?
- How must your product be packed for shipment to a foreign market?
- Does your target market have the appropriate in-country infrastructure to continue special handling to the final consumer? (for example, frozen or highly perishable products)
- What is the shelf life of your product? How might shelf life affect distribution requirements for your product in your target market?
Continue on to the Pricing section of your export plan