Not every business owner is satisfied with the success they have now. If that was the case, Apple may have never evolved beyond a business ran out of a garage. Most ambitious entrepreneurs wish to expand their companies exponentially. Eventually, this means moving beyond your own country and exporting your products to the rest of the world. Doing so requires a lot of research and strategy. It’s not something you should take on haphazardly.
Labeling Approval
One thing that you may not give the most thought to is the labels you use for your products. However, the labels you choose to use for products exported internationally can be a big deal. In certain cases, if your label does not include the right kind of information and warnings, your product can be blocked for sale. This is the case, for example, for movies sold in the United Kingdom as well many different countries.
Local Laws
There may also be other local laws that you need to be aware of. Some of them are kind of ridiculous. Also in the United Kingdom, you can’t sell kitchen knives to anyone under the age of 18. Make sure to research local laws thoroughly. Make sure that you follow through with all of your marketing channels accordingly. You don’t want to set up distribution and have your product not being able to be sold through certain channels.
Testing
You also need to be aware of the fact that citizens in other counties can react differently to your products in ways you may not even realize. For example, they may have different allergies. To be safe, you may have to perform allergen testing on your products for allergens according to each country’s testing and labeling standards as they may be different than the ones you would test for in your home country. This will save you a lot of problems before you label and try to export and have issues with customs not approving the labels and permits.
Customs
Customs can also be wildly different based on the country in question. For one, people in different places have different dietary restrictions. Middle easterners, for the most part, can’t consume pork. In India, the cow is sacred. Beef can’t be consumed there. Be aware of these differences in customs when preparing your products for export.
Translations
Lastly, there is the language barrier. Certain people in certain countries and regions only speak certain languages. Try to put a lot of effort into creating correct translations. You need to avoid making errors or suggesting things you did not intend due to incorrect word choice. Have your translations reviewed by a native speaker to avoid such problems.
Overall, exporting products is not easy. It takes a lot of work, research, money and manpower. However, if you do so successfully, you can greatly increase your profit margins by leaps and bounds.
Kara Masterson is a freelance writer from West Jordan, Utah. She graduated from the University of Utah and enjoys writing and spending time with her dog, Max.