Checklist for New Exporters

This checklist is intended to serve as a quick guide for new exporters. In it, we briefly discuss all the aspects of exporting you should consider before contracting with companies abroad to provide goods and services. These include decisions about your product or service, your company and your target markets. Although your company may be ready to expand, you will have to carefully consider whether selling your goods or services abroad is the right move for you.

What is exporting?

Generally, exporting refers to the act of shipping goods from one country to another or going to another country to sell your services.

Why should you consider exporting?

1. Higher profits. Taking advantage of demand in other countries is a very effective way of increasing your sales and, ultimately, profits.

2. Better use of resources. A larger market base means you can produce on a larger scale and often at a lower price per unit.

3. Added security. By diversifying into global markets you are no longer dependent on a single market. If one market is running cold, the others can make up for it.

4. A stronger company. When you export you are competing with some of the best companies in the world. The knowledge and experience you gain every time you enter a new market will only serve to strengthen your company’s domestic and global competitiveness.

Your product or service

This section is designed to help you analyse your product or service for a foreign market.

1. Why would someone buy your product or service? Is it a patented one-of-a-kind item or unique in some other way?

2. Who is currently buying your product or service? Will you be targeting the same consumer group in another country (i.e. teenagers, seniors, working mothers, etc.)? If so, does this group have the same buying power as they do domestically?

3. Would your product or service be unacceptable in certain countries? For example, all pork products are prohibited in Saudi Arabia. This includes non-food items containing pig skin.

4. How does your product or service differ from that of your domestic and foreign competitors? With global markets open for business, your domestic competition could be foreign companies and your foreign competition could in fact be domestic companies who have decided to enter the same markets that you have.

5. Do you have strong domestic sales? If not, why do you believe there will be a market for your product or service somewhere else?

6. If you have to translate the name of your product or service, will it translate the way you intend it to? For example, one company used the word "ball" in their publicity materials but discovered that in Latin America, the equivalent word "bola" had four distinct meanings depending upon the country: in one country it meant "ball", in another it meant "revolution", in one it meant a lie, and in yet another it was an obscenity.

7. How difficult will it be to package and transport your product? How you ship and pack your product so it arrives safely at its destination is going to be based on the type of product (i.e. Is it perishable? Will temperatures that are too hot or too cold affect it in some way? Will moisture damage it?), it's size, shape, weight and fragility. You will also have to consider the method of shipment and how the package will be handled. It can be dragged, dropped, thrown down a chute, pushed, rolled, or stacked on top or below other items, or left outdoors in all types of weather.

Foreign markets

The two key areas when researching foreign business opportunities are market intelligence and regulations.

Market intelligence refers to the internal workings of the foreign country and includes topics such as demographics, economic conditions, logistics, transportation, infrastructure, laws, communications and cultural differences.

The regulatory aspect is distinct from the business intelligence in that it focuses solely on what is required to allow your product to leave Canada and enter the foreign country. Exporting is one of the most controlled activities in the world. Canada imposes export controls for a number of reasons. For example, we regulate military goods destined to countries that pose a security threat; we regulate in accordance with United Nations trade sanctions or other agreements we are a signatory to; and we regulate to protect vulnerable Canadian industries. Other countries regulate for similar and different reasons.

The following list outlines key areas to research prior to beginning any export venture. 

1. Decide which goods and services you want to export. Certain goods are controlled, prohibited, or regulated and you may require a permit, license or certificate to export them from Canada to your destination. There are a number of federal government departments that impose restrictions on the export of certain goods. These include (but are not limited to) Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Canadian Wheat Board, Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, Canadian Heritage, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Environment Canada, and Health Canada.

2. Find a country or region where there is a demand for your product or service.   When asked, many new exporters tell us they want to export “all over the world”. This is an unrealistic goal for a small company given that there are 193 countries in the world and exporting to all these countries would be an impossible task given the language and cultural barriers, transportation costs, documentation, logistics, packing, insurance and financing, just to name a few. Do your homework...find a specific country or region where there is a market for your product or service and focus on it.

3. Research all aspects of doing business in this country.  Here are some examples:

   • How easy or difficult will it be to ship your product? For example, will you send it by air directly to your destination, or will you need to ship it by train to a Canadian port, have it put on a ship and then unloaded at a foreign port and placed on a truck to get it to the destination?
   • What is the quality of service available in the target country? For example, are there reputable banks, dependable phone systems and an accessible legal system?
   • How easy will it be for you to adapt to the business culture? For example, are you familiar with business customs in this country? Do you understand the language or are you willing to hire someone to translate for you? Are there requirements to trade through local representatives or government bodies?
   • Are there any standards (i.e. consumer, health and safety) that your product will have to meet?
   • How are Canadian goods and services regarded in this country?
   • How stable is the country? For example, does the government change regularly? How often does the currency fluctuate? Is there turmoil within your target market or in neighboring countries? Is the country subject to extreme weather conditions?
   
   

4. Determine the country of origin of your product.   The origin of the goods - or, where they were made – will determine whether an export permit is required. Goods in certain categories, or of certain origin, and destined to select countries require that an exporter first obtain an export permit from the Export Controls Division of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada before they can be exported.

   For example, if you are planning to export goods that are made in the U.S., you should be aware that the following items will require a permit:

   • an Individual Export Permit (IEP) is required for goods of U.S. origin that are exported to Iran, North Korea, Libya and Cuba
   • a General Export Permit (GEP) is required to export goods of U.S. origin with a value of $2,000 (CDN) or more to all other destinations.

   To learn more about how to obtain an export permit, fees and other export controls, visit the Export and Import Controls Bureau website at www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/trade/eicb/eicbintro-en.asp.

5. Are your products on the Export Control List or the Area Control List? Canada’s Export Control List sets out the goods that require an export permit regardless of their destination. Our Area Control List specifies countries that you cannot export to without a permit, regardless of the type of product you are exporting. At this time, the only countries on the Area Control List are Myanmar and Belarus. To learn more about how to obtain an export permit, fees and other export controls, visit the Export and Import Controls Bureau website at www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/trade/eicb/eicbintro-en.asp.

6. Find out if the goods you want to export are restricted or subject to other requirements. Here are some examples.

   • Automobiles - If you want to export a motor vehicle into the United States, the vehicle must meet safety, bumper and emission standards.  For more information on importing vehicles into the U.S., visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website at http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/import/

   • Cultural Property - Cultural property is any item, regardless of its place of origin, that has archaeological, prehistoric, historic, artistic or scientific value.  In general, all cultural property is subject to export controls unless it is less than 50 years old or made by a person who is still living. To learn more about the eight groups of cultural property contained in the Export Control List and the type of permits required, visit the Canadian Heritage website to access the publication “A Guide to Exporting Cultural Property from Canada” at www.pch.gc.ca/progs/mcp-bcm/guide_e.cfm#group5.

   • Endangered animal and plant species - There are more than 30,000 species of plants and animals currently listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The Convention places controls on the international trade and movement of animal and plant species that have been, or may be, threatened due to excessive commercial exploitation. Some examples include the brown grizzly bear, Northern grey wolf, prairie falcon, American ginseng, small white lady’s slipper and tall northern green orchid. To learn more about which animals and plants are controlled under the endangered species list, visit the CITIES website at http://www.cites.ec.gc.ca/eng/sct1/index_e.cfm. Exporting wild animals and plants may also be subject to provincial or territorial controls.  For more information, contact Manitoba Conservation, Wildlife Conservation, Wildlife Enforcement at 204-945-7462.

   • Food, agricultural products, live animals and animal products - If you are planning to export livestock, poultry, hides and skins, fruits and vegetables(fresh, frozen or processed), alfalfa seed, grains and field crops, greenhouse grown plants, firewood, lumber, trees, etc. you will need to contact the Canadian Food Inspection Agency for phytosanitary certificates and other documentation. For more information, visit their website at www.inspection.gc.ca

   • Hazardous waste and hazardous recyclable materials - Hazardous waste or hazardous recyclable material can only be exported to countries that are party to the Basel Convention.  No exports may be shipped south of 60 degrees latitude or to Antarctica.  To find out what can be exported, who can export and what permits are required, visit the Environment Canada website at www.ec.gc.ca or call 1-819-997-3377.

   • Drugs and Controlled Substances - Health Canada’s Office of Controlled Substances licences manufacturers and distributors of drugs and controlled substances and issues import/export permits when necessary to manage and track the movement of these products across the Canadian borders.  A “controlled substance” is any type of drug that the federal government has categorized as having a higher-than-average potential for abuse or addiction. Controlled substances range from illegal street drugs to prescription medication. For more information, visit Health Canada’s website at www.hc-sc.gc.ca.

   
   

7. Make sure the goods you are preparing to export from Canada are allowed into the country you are shipping them to. It is up to you to ensure that your products will be permitted into the country of import and that they meet the customs requirements of that country. For example, Saudi Arabia prohibits the import of pork or alcohol products. Any product that is related to pork, even if it is considered a non-food product such as pig skin, will be prohibited in Saudi Arabia. Breaking these laws may result in imprisonment. You can get information about the requirements of other countries on the website of the World Customs Organization at www.wcoomd.org.

Your company

1. If you plan to export, your business should already be established in Manitoba.   Before considering foreign markets, your product or service should have experienced some success domestically. At the very least, you need to have a business name or be incorporated as well as registered for provincial and federal taxes. If you are just in the process of starting a business, visit the Canada/Manitoba Business Service Centre website at www.cbsc.org/manitoba and click on “Business”.

2. Obtain a Business Number (BN) from Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) for your import/export account.  All goods leaving Canada to destinations other than the United States, Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands have to register with CRA for a BN. The CRA then assigns RM account identifiers to streamline the processing of customs documents through the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).  When completing customs documents such as an export declaration, exporters have to give the correct BN and RM account identifier.  If a BN is not given or is not correct on an export declaration, the exporter may be subject to a penalty. For more information, visit the CRA website at www.cra.gc.ca/tax/business/topics/bn/menu-e.html or contact CRA at 1-800-959-5525.

3. Assess your company’s readiness. The following questions should be answered before you begin exporting.

   • Will you sell your product directly into the target market or are you willing to license others to sell it on your behalf?

   • Do you currently have or can you get the financial resources necessary to cover the additional costs association with exporting (i.e. freight, insurance, packaging, permits, etc.)?

   • Do you have enough staff with the time to devote to the export venture or will you have to hire more people?

   • If there is a significant demand for your product or service, will you be able to fulfill your obligations in foreign markets without neglecting your domestic market?

   • Are any members of your staff knowledgeable about exporting? Do any of them have overseas experience or contacts, or knowledge of the culture or language of the country you plan to export to?

   • Do you expect your existing staff to shoulder the responsibility of export logistics and documentation or are you prepared to hire specialists such as customs brokers or freight forwarders to handle this for you?

Putting it all together

Once you have researched and considered all the points discussed in this document, you are now ready to develop an export plan. An export plan is similar to your business plan but it focuses on the international market. Your export plan should clearly identify items such as your target market(s), anticipated demand, competition, logistics, risks and anticipated costs – all the topics we have mentioned above. This valuable road-map can help you decide where you want to go, how to get there and any barriers you may need to overcome.

For more information on developing an export plan, visit the exportsource website at www.exportsource.ca. This site also offers other resources such as the interactive Export Diagnostic to help you evaluate your export readiness as well as various publications such as “A Step-by-Step Guide to Exporting”.

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Click, Call or Visit the Canada/Manitoba Business Service Centre for all your export inquiries or visit our extensive business and trade reference library.

Click: www.cbsc.org/manitoba

Call: 984-2272 or 1-800-665-2019

Visit: 250 - 240 Graham Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba

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Information contained in this document is of a general nature only and is not intended to constitute advice for any specific fact situation. Users concerned about the reliability of the information should consult directly with the source, or seek legal counsel.

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