It has occurred to me that even if we compete on design, and we must design products for the USA market in USA, that we might test our new ideas by selling them into export markets first. This may seem contradictory, but designing a product for the German market on the behalf of Germans may get a company 80% or more the way to a USA product.
If an when the product is German-approved and selling, then work on a USA version, shortening the time and lessening the cost of the USA-centric new product. I've been thinking of this for a while, something made me think of it, and now I am looking for examples.
Now, one thing I am not suggesting is using foreign markets as guinea pigs. Not to put too fine a point on it, but BigDrug has been doing this for years.
Feel free to forward this by email to three of your friends.
If an when the product is German-approved and selling, then work on a USA version, shortening the time and lessening the cost of the USA-centric new product. I've been thinking of this for a while, something made me think of it, and now I am looking for examples.
Now, one thing I am not suggesting is using foreign markets as guinea pigs. Not to put too fine a point on it, but BigDrug has been doing this for years.
Feel free to forward this by email to three of your friends.
5 comments:
While reading your book and tried to relate that knowledge to understand how my role and value as a Swedish importer differs from a US importer.
You have a big advantage in the US in that you can test your product easily with the help of your competitors. With the feed-back you gain you can design and redesign your product until your customers seem to approve with orders, in which case its easy for you to fill your suppliers minimum.
While there might be dozens or more competitors selling a similar product in the US, there might be none in Sweden. The same thing goes for patent rights since small markets are often neglected.
The problem I have as a Swedish importer seem to me that I have no competition to thrive with and it can be difficult to meet supplier minimum orders. On the other hand, there are a lot of ripe opportunities, albeit small.
I don't see why you would want to export first if your a US company. Why not test your product in one US state instead of going across the Atlantic to get it approved?
the idea of test marketing a product I should have explained would be an "also", not a primary means. Of course, develop your products locally.
If Sweden is disadvantaged as a place to start up importing,then why have so many people been able to do so?
Yes, the USA market is huge, but any given small businesses market is tiny. Norway and Washington State both have about four million people. Both have importers who work only within their borders. In both countries, the vast majority of importers are small businesses.
Finally, importing is not a business. Selling goods or services is a business. If we import, it is only because the best source for what you are selling in your country.
Forget about where you are and start talking to your customers about whether they need your solution.
Exporting really is a product development strategy even though it may take a long time before a result may take place. Exporting is like dealing with other culture and to base it with your product, example of which is their evaluation of the products you are producing.
Good points that I cannot argue with, especially your last point about forgetting where I am and instead focus on where I'll be.
I have lots of ideas which I have written down during the years. Since a lot of them were too (certifiably) crazy, I felt the need to order them according to my subjective view of how feasible they were. Most of them got thrown away.The idea I'm working on is certainly feasible but was perhaps not my passion in the first place. Its probably 50% of my passion so I probably should give it up but I have already invested quite some time into it so I'm reluctant to give it up just yet. I'm a bit uncertain at what to do at this point since I'm not receiving a 100% conclusive answers from the retailers, even though I have been to many of them several times. Whatever I decide to do it will certainly be a lesson when I choose on what project to work with next time.
/Jacob
We should stay in Afghanistan and die because so many people died since we stayed in Afghanistan? How about we cut losses right now and get to what we should be doing.
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