The most common dilemma in foreign trade business is samples. Because it is inconvenient for foreign trade customers to visit the factory, production and quality in person every time, they usually ask for samples before the transaction as a basis for initial negotiations and future delivery and inspection.
Providing samples may not necessarily lead to a deal. In addition, because samples usually need to be sent abroad, in addition to the value of the samples themselves, the cost of international postage is not cheap. In particular, in order to gain time and close a deal as soon as possible, international express delivery is often necessary, and the price is even higher. For example, the famous DHL international express delivery of a one-kilogram package to Los Angeles, USA, currently costs about 400 yuan. It is common for the transportation cost to greatly exceed the value of the goods.
In addition to foreign customers, domestic foreign trade companies often ask for samples. Although the high international express delivery fee is waived, it is difficult to charge foreign trade companies for sample fees if the sample unit price is not high. What’s more, the transaction rate of foreign trade companies after requesting samples is lower than that of foreign customers. After all, they have to transfer the samples to foreign customers again, and there are many variables due to multiple transfers.
So, whether to give samples, how to give samples, whether to charge sample fees and courier fees are often headaches for business novices.
First of all, samples must be given. For target customers, it is better to give them proactively. Seeing is believing. A physical product is more convincing than ten long development letters. This is a necessary expense for foreign trade business.