Course nr 5 Export marketing research

Contacting a consulate or embassy is an early step in conducting foreign market analysis. Nongovernment agencies also may be useful sources of information for the exporter. Large commercial banks and investment houses often have an international department that regularly collects and disseminates useful statistics. The most important sources of information are: 1. personal ( including personal visits to foreign markets) 2. professional ( such as chamber of commerce, consulates and so forth) 3. documented ( published material) When information is needed to estimate the nature of competitors activities some typical sources are the following: trade publications, overseas based agents and distributors, trade fairs and exhibitions.

Course nr.5 Export market research

Using the Internet for online research is becoming an increasingly attractive alternative for international marketers. Data can be obtained quicker and at a lower cost. Some nonsampling errors from data collection can be minimized, at least as compared to person-toperson and telephone surveys. Other characteristics of the Internet as a research tool are: extremely flexible questioning and no direct influence of an interviewer on answers. Disadvantages for using the Internet: users do not represent a research population or sample frame that is representative of the general population and another problem is language.