What exporting is
Exporting means selling your products or services overseas. This means that you can consider exporting if you either:
- already have an established business and you want it to grow, or
- are setting up your business and you want to offer products or services to an overseas market.
You can export:
- physical goods that you manufacture
- services that you provide.
If you ship to overseas customers or have a client overseas, you’re an exporter – even if you don’t sell physical things
This means you are exporting whenever these factors are involved:
- goods or services going overseas
- a client
- money changing hands.
Benefits of exporting
Reaching overseas markets means you can:
- find more customers for your products or services
- increase production
- Unlock more efficient ways to create your products and lower costs per unit (economies of scale)
- spread your risks, so you can keep earning when the local economy slows
- learn from overseas customers and competitors.
Certain products fetch a higher price overseas, too. Some overseas markets see Kiwi products as premium. International customers may associate your products positively with New Zealand’s global brand.
But there are also costs to consider when exporting, and a few complexities to manage.
Stages of exporting
Breaking your exporting journey up into stages, and knowing who can provide support, can make it feel less daunting and easier to tackle.
When you’re getting ready to export, it’s important to:
- Build your network – so you can talk to others in similar situations or with more experience.
- Create an export plan – so you can define your market, competitors, partners, costs, and goals.
Then when you’re choosing an export market, do thorough research into potential markets to ensure you invest in the right place.
And finally, once you’re ready for market entry, make sure you plan how to ship and distribute your products or services. This includes:
- deciding if you want to ship goods yourself, or use a third party
- tracking
- choosing sales channels and distribution options
- agreement terms if you use a distributor
- passing through customs in other parts of the world.
It’s a good idea to work with customs brokers or freight forwarders if you’re exporting physical products. They can take the complexity out of distribution, and make sure your products get to their destination market safely and securely.
Make the most of government knowledge and support
Exporting can be a complex business, so make the most of free government support and resources for exporters.
Government experts in New Zealand and overseas have created a wealth of knowledge about different markets, regulations and financial systems to help New Zealand businesses find their way on the global stage.
Find out what help is available across government agencies, including from:
- New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE)
- Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI)
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT)
- New Zealand Customs Service (Customs)
- New Zealand Export Credit (NZEC)
- Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE)
- Education New Zealand (ENZ)