Export Basics

Export Video Series | Exporting Food Products | Export Documentation | Export Readiness | Export Service Providers

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• Be Prepared for the Buyer Meeting (pdf) - Jan-2012 - This fact sheet provides tips on what to take, making your presentation, and questions that buyers may ask.
• Be Prepared Financially (pdf) - Jan-2012 - This fact sheet outlines some of the costs to enter an export market.
• Listing Fees, Slotting Allowances, Pay-to-Stay Fees (pdf) - Jan-2012 - In grocery marketing, shelf space and position are critical. Listing fees can determine where an item gets placed.
• Brokers and Distributors (pdf) - Jan-2012 - This fact sheet includes information on partner profiling and selection, working with your partner, and elements of a good partnership.
• About Electronic Data Interchange (pdf) - Jan-2012 - Alberta suppliers wanting to sell to larger retailers may be required to use EDI to become a vendor. They may choose to purchase software to enable them to use EDI or may prefer to contract a service provider. Read more.
• Tips for negotiating with international partners - Dec-2011 (BDC) - If you’re not armed with right negotiating skills in markets such as India, China or the Middle East, you may well lose out, says Ned Nedungadi, BDC’s Regional Director for Global Expansion.
• Presentation - Exporting Food Products (pdf) - Oct-2009 - This presentation was delivered at a brown bag seminar at the Business Link as a videoconference delivered throughout Alberta.

• Incoterms® 2010 (Canadian Chamber of Commerce) Link verified Jan-2012
• International Chamber of Commerce rules for the use of domestic and international trade terms - can be ordered from the Canadian Chamber of Commerce for $110.00.
• Exporting Goods from Canada (Canadian Border Services Association) Link verified Jan-2012
• This site provides details on export reporting requirements and links to:
  1. Canadian Harmonized System (HS) Codes for Export Classification
  2. Export Documentation
  3. Publications and forms
  4. SME Enterprise Centre with information tailored to meet the border and trade information needs of small and medium-sized enterprises
  5. Requirements from other departments such as:
  - D19-1-1 Food, Agricultural Commodities, Aquatic Commodities, and Agricultural Input
  - D19-3-2 Exportation of Wheat and Barley Products
• Certificates of Origin Available Online (Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada) Link verified Jan-2012
  A Certificate of Origin is a document that authenticates the country of origin of merchandise being shipped overseas. Proving where your product comes from is a requirement for many customs authorities before goods are allowed to enter foreign countries. Announced in December 2009, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and member chambers have entered into partnership with TradeCert, an international provider of online document certification.

• Step-by-Step Guide to Exporting 2011 (Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada) Link verified Jan-2011
  This guide is a great tool for companies preparing to export. It covers the entire process of exporting, from the time a company starts thinking about exporting until the time it’s paid for delivery of goods or services. It is available both online and in hard copy,
• Writing an Export Plan (Alberta Business Link 2008) Link verified Jan-2012
• Export Guides and Tools (Canada Business Network) Link verified Jan-2012
  From developing an export plan to delivering your goods, you can find it here:
  • Starting to export
  • Financing
  • Market research
  • Marketing, sales and logistics
  • Laws, regulations and permits
• Transparency International - 2010 Corruption Index Link verified Jan-2012
  Corrupt practices are more common in some countries than in others. Before doing business in a particular market, an exporting company should try to assess the level of corruption it’s likely to encounter. Transparency International (TI), the largest international NGO dedicated to monitoring and reporting on global corruption, can assist. Every year, TI publishes its Corruption Perceptions Index, which ranks the world’s countries according to the perceived level of their corruption in demanding bribes.
• Virtual Trade Commissioner Link verified Jan-2012
  Free registration puts you in touch with the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service across Canada and around the world. With VTC you can:
  1. Personalize the online experience with a web page that contains country information and business opportunities that match your international business interests.
  2. Access current market reports, sector-specific news and trade events.
  3. Receive assistance and request services from Trade Commissioners located in Canada and in your market.
  4. Be notified when new information is published to your VTC.

• Canadian International Freight Forwarders Association Link verified Jan-2012
  This is a member directory of freight forwarders, ocean carriers, packaging companies and more.