Creating export strategy - need advice

[Petar]

These days I am creating an export strategy. My goal is to sell (export) products from my country to abroad. I want to get into the wine business. I am planing to register my own import-export company, to buy wine from wineries from my country, and to sell it abroad. I have no previous experience in this business (wine business), but I have experience in international business. I know from where I can buy it, and I know how to find a market for this product.

My question is: what should I do in order to, the company that will import the wine to buy from me, not from the winery? Of course, the winery has ability to sell its product aboard. But in this case, I will find the market for this product, and because that, I want it to materialize that with the fact that the import company will buy this product from me. To the import company I have to present this product, to send a catalog, to tell them where and how this product is produced, to show the manufacturer's website, to send samples from this product to try ... In all these stages there is a possibility the import company to contact the winery, and it will fail all my labor which I have invested to acquire market for the product. All my time will be wasted. So, what can I do in this case?

Only to point out that the winery can`t give me right for a general exporter for a specific country to me.

Please tell me your opinion abound this. Sure, your experience may, but need not relate to the business of wine.

Thanks.

 

[365cloudit]

Hi,
we used to operate a uk business with 80% of the products being shipped abroad
The first key is to present the business on your own website in a manner that will present the option to purchase from you as:
the only source,
the best source,
the best value for money
most trusted service
create initiatives by saying you are looking for your own dealers/distrubutors in the country you are looking to sell in

The dealer angle is a great business winner as you can give them 'exclusive' territory for their business - simply word the dealer agreement well so it is exclusive from your company to sell that product and not exclusive for the product line in that country

So all in all your own website needs to be key to presenting your business as the right choice

hope that helps a bit

 

[Petar]

365cloudit, thank you for your opinion.

I had somewhat it in my plan. But is not that too naive? The import company of course that will have an interest to buy their products direct from the manufacturer because in that case, the products will be cheaper for the amount of my earnings.

So, let me know.

 

[365cloudit]

Some manufacturers like to set proper selling channels in place before supplying into a country (distributor who will agree to volume and has access to the local market to create a dealer network and represent their brand appropriately) and if they cannot fulfil these criteria then they will not sell into that country
In this case you could contact the winery and ask to be their agent in specific countries and get the rights to sell in that country but you may have to commit to a certain volume for it to work but this would mean the importer would have to buy through you even if they went to the winery

I would contact the winery and ask what their policy is with regards export, what countries do they supply? can you be a distributor or an agent for certain countries
They may have an afilliate scheme in place for commision on sales
or they may have Sales Agent schemes in place - this is where you represent the company and get paid a healthy commision
Basically talk to the winery first, test the water on how they do business, arrange a meeting, what value can you add for them, what securities will they guarantee that they will not deal direct