Exporting to the United States – A Team Canada Inc Publication

3.7 Finding and checking out an intermediary

Contacts at U.S.-oriented trade fairs, on either side of the border, can often introduce you to potential intermediaries. The Canadian Trade Commissioner Service, trade associations and local chambers of commerce (both American and Canadian) can be very helpful, and you can ask other companies in your sector about their experiences with intermediaries.

There are also online sources of information about U.S. intermediaries. For manufacturer's representatives, a good place to begin is with the Directory of Manufacturer's Sales Agents (MANA); it's a subscription-based service that allows you to search its listings by state, territory or sector. For information about Canadian-based trading houses, you can go to the Canadian Federation of Trading House Associations. Unfortunately, there is no central database of U.S. distributors, but an online search combining "distributors" and some keywords describing your sector will usually give you a list of possibilities.

No matter how you find potential intermediaries, though, it's essential to check them out before choosing one. Also, don't sign up with the first candidate who looks suitable, even if her or she has a good track record and reputation. You'll make better choices if you know what the competition has to offer.

To evaluate a prospective intermediary in detail, you can use the checklist in the "Choosing an Intermediary" section in Chapter 5 of the Step-by-Step Guide to Exporting.