Internacionalização - Que mercado escolher ?

Aspectos a ter em atenção ao escolher um novo mercado

Para qualquer empresa que avançe no processo de Internacionalização, uma das questões que se põe é, PARA ONDE ?

O Mundo é imenso e, de País para País, senão mesmo de região para região, existem diferenças significativas a nivel cultural, legislativo, político, fiscal e de oportunidades. Assim ao pensar na Internacionalização, há alguns aspectos que se devem ter em consideração na escolha de um novo mercado.

LÍNGUA - É aconselhável o correcto domínio da língua nativa do seu novo mercado

CULTURA - Conheça o melhor possível a cultura e os hábitos culturais do seu novo mercado

RELIGIÃO - Certifique-se de que o seu produto ou serviço não colide com preceitos religiosos

CARACTERÍSTICAS COMPORTAMENTAIS - Qual a melhor forma de abordar o seu novo mercado ? (Feiras, Eye-to-eye, etc)

HÁBITOS DE CONSUMO - Conheça os hábitos de consumo do seu novo mercado e analise se o seu produto / serviço se enquadra em hábitos já existentes ou se será necessário criar e motivar o mercado

CAPACIDADE ECONÓMICA - Avalie a capacidade económica actual do seu novo mercado. Veja qual foi a evolução nos últimos 3 anos e quais são as previsões de evolução num futuro a curto e médio prazo.

POPULAÇÃO - Não muito relevante em si mesmo, o conhecimento dos dados demográficos, como índice de crescimento; densidade populacional, distribuição geográfica, distribuição étnica; média etária,  pode em cruzamento com outros indicadores facilitar a decisão final.

POLÍTICA E SOCIEDADE - Que tipo de Governo existe ? A situação política interna e externa são estáveis ? Existem tensões sociais que possam desestabilizar o País ? Existem conflitos externos declarados ou latentes ?

INVESTIMENTO PUBLICO - Qual o nível de investimento publico ? Será que existem projectos de desenvolvimento em curso ou em fase de lançamento ? Se sim em que áreas ? Será que os seus produtos ou serviços se podem enquadrar neles directa ou indirectamente ?

BANCA - Qual è a situação da Banca ?

TAXAS E IMPOSTOS - Analise o sistema fiscal, saiba que taxas e impostos vão incidir sobre os seus produtos ou serviços. saiba quais os encargos que terá de suportar para remeter divisas para Portugal. Existe alguma política de atracção de investimento externo ? Se sim, quais os benefícios e contra-partidas ? Será que o País promove uma política proteccionista ?

LOGÍSTICA  - Analise as infra-estruturas logísticas, a nivel de portos e aeroportos, rede viaria e ferroviaria.  Qual a cobertura geográfica das vias de comunicação. 

INFRA-ESTRUTURA BÁSICAS - Como são e como se encontram as redes de distribuição de àgua, Luz, esgotos, etc.

MEIOS DE COMUNICAÇÃO - Como funcionam as linhas de comunicação de telefone (rede fixa e movel); internet.

LEGISLAÇÃO - Saiba sob que legislação terá de operar e em que medida isso o pode afectar.

CONCORRÊNCIA - Quem é ? Como opera ? De que vantagens dispõe ?

APOIO LOCAL - Poderá dispôr de apoio local ? Nomeadamente ao nivel de Camaras de Comercio, Consulados, etc ?

EMPRESAS PORTUGUESAS - Já existem outras empresas portuguesas no mercado ? Em que medida isso pode constituir uma vantagem para si ?

ACORDOS BILATERAIS - Existem acordos bilaterais com o Estado Português ?

TRADE ORGANIZATIONS - O seu novo mercado pertence a alguma Trade Organization ou tem acordos com outros Países que constituam uma porta de entrada para os seus produtos ou serviços em outros mercados em situação vantajosa ?

POLÍTICA DE VISTOS - Saiba como pode entrar e sair do País

NÍVEL DE INVESTIMENTO - Calcule qual o investimento necessário

Após ter recolhido e trabalhado o máximo possivel de informação seleccione o mercado que lhe parecer mais promissor. Obtenha contactos de empresas locais e visite-as. Aproveite a estadia para se "sentir" a realidade do País, do povo, da cultura, veja como a sua concorrência opera e promove os produtos localmente.

Reanalise a sua opinião e tome uma decisão final.

Para informações adicionais ou esclarecimentos, contacte:

Paulo Alexandre Nunes Porto

e-mail: paulonunes.porto@gmail.com

Telef.: (+351) 969446897 / 219940812

Letters of Credit - How many are they?

There are several different kinds of Letters of Credit, with different benefits and utilities. What kind of Letter of Credit should be used will depend on what your needs are.

THE NEGOTIABLE LETTER OF CREDIT - Probably the most know and used. Might be confirmed or not. Opened from a buyer to a seller through the bank system, clearly states, goods, amount, payment time (at sigh or deferred) and validity. When you present documents to the advising/negotiating/ confirming bank, (and if everything is in order) you'll receive your payment in the agreed timming

THE TRANSFERABLE LETTER OF CREDIT - Most like the negotiable, but with the characterisitic that it can be transfered in part or parts (amount and quantities) from the first beneficiary to a second beneficiary, maintaining the specific details like documents required, dates, Port of shipment etc. And be the time of negotiating documents, the first beneficiary usually only has to present it's own invoices and drafts (if necessary). It's usefull when you are selling goods that you have to buy to someelse.

THE RED CLAUSE LETTER OF CREDIT - In this Letter of Credit the orderer allows a certain amount to be payed to the beneficiary in advance. Usually this Letter of Credit is used when, special manufacturing equipment or raw materials have to be purchased for producing an order. In this case the Buyer takes some risk in financing (in advance) the seller.

THE BACK-TO-BACK LETTER OF CREDIT - Basically when you receive a Letter of Credit non transferable and you need to purchase goods a Back-to-back can be your solution. This Letter of Credit is suported by another Letter of Credit where you are the beneficiary. When opening a Back-to-Back some cautions have to be taken into consideration, in order that the received documents can be used and negotiated for the initial Letter of Credit

THE REVOLVING LETTER OF CREDIT - When the amount of the Credit is used, it is reposted from the beginning. This Letter of Credit is most commonly used when we are dealing with regular shipments (for instance 2500MT monthly) It sates for how may shipments and for how long this Letter of Credit will be valid

THE STAND-BY LETTER OF CREDIT - It's a common payment term in countries like USA. Basically it works as a payment warranty, if buyer fails to pay within the agreed timming, then seller presents documents for negotiation with the bank

Although knowing that this isn't an exaustive presentation on Letter of Credits, I truly hope that it will be helpfull for someone.

If you have any doubt concerning this or other relted subject, please call Mr.Paulo Nunes Porto - e-mail: paulonunes.porto@gmail.com or at the mobile phone (+351 96 9446897)

Letter of Credit

When the buyer and the seller don't know each other, how do we prevent the business from failing ? And at the same time protect the interests from both the Buyer and the Seller?

The most used way is the use of a Letter of Credit. By being a Bank to Bank payment agreement this instrument is suitable for the majority of situations concerning International Commerce, once the payment goes from the Buyer's Bank to the seller's bank directly and has the Buyer's Bank garantee that if certain conditions are entirely fullfilled the payment will be done in due time.

As easy as this may look, both the buyer and the seller have to take some precautions if they want theyr interests duly safeguarded.

The main intervenients in a Letter of Credit are:
Orderer: The person that instructs the bank to open the Letter of Credit, usually the Buyer
Beneficiary. The person to receive the payment, usually the Seller
Issuing Bank: The Bank that issues(opens) the Letter of Credit
Notifying Bank : The Bank nominated to notify / Advise the Beneficiary that a Letter of Credits in his favour has been opened with the following details
Confirmation Bank: If required by the Issuing Bank the Letter of Credit can be "Confirmed" by another Bank,usually the notifying bank.

A Letter of Credit confirmation means that the Bank adding it's confirmation to a certain Letter of Credit takes the responsability to pay the due amount of the Letter of Credit if all the requirements mentioned in the Letter of Credit are duly fullfilled by the Beneficiary.

So if you're a Seller you must ask your customer to issue an Irrevocable and Confirmed Letter of Credit and check out carefully all the terms of the Letter of Credit you receive, including documentation, validity dates, goods description, etc

If you're a Buyer you must make sure that validity and shipping dates, goods description, goods origin and required documents do really meet your needs so you may be able to proceed with import proceedures without problems.

If you need further information please call Paulo Nunes Porto - e-mail: paulonunes.porto@gmail.com or at the mobile phone (+351 96 9446897)

Incoterms - Are you using them correctly ?

This post doesn't pretend to cover all the related aspects with the Incoterms, but as far as my experience shows me, most of exporters and importers aren't aware of the relevant importance of having the correct Incoterm chosen in their exchanges.

The Incoterms are one of the most important aspects in what international trade is concerned. They define exactly what the responsabilities of both the buyer and the seller are. Through the incoterms you are able to know exactly waht expenses are of your account. For instance if you are selling your product CIF Luanda you have to pay all export cost, freight charges and taxes as well as insurance the goods up to arrival at destination port, but all charges and costs after arrival of goods to the destination Port will be on buyer's account.

Therefore, and in order to avoid unexpected cost it's quite important that when presenting a selling offer to a potential customer, your proforma / offer / quotation clearly states the valid incoterm.

The most common incoterms are:

CIF  (Given place ) - Read Cost Insurance and Freight - meaning that seller has to pay for all costs and insurance up to destination

C+F / CFR (Given place ) - Read Cost and Freight - meaning that seller has to pay for all costs up to destination but, the insurance of goods is on Buyer's account

FOB (Given place ) - Read Free On Board - meaning that seller has to pay for all cost up to goods on Board on transport at a given point

Besides the above mentioned incoterms there are other less know like:

Ex- Works - Goods available at suppliers facilities
FAS           -  Free Along Side Shipp - meaning that supplier deliveres the goods at the side of the vessel
CPT           -  Freight payed up to (given place)
DAF          -  Delivered at Border (given place)
DES          -  Delivered at the Vessel (Destination Port mentioned)

There are several more Incoterms, but all of them were conceived to clearly define where the goods have to be delivered and who's responsible for paying the charges.

For more detailled infomation please call Paulo Nunes Porto - e-mail paulonunes.porto@gmail.com or at the mobile phone: (+351) 96 9446897