Ideas for exports

[wineexports]

I am looking for products to export to USA and Japan. Any ideas or interested people?

 

[Bairesgirl]

Hi:

I´m Argentine born, but raised abroad (high school, and master´s degree in international trade & transport- London M.Univ.) and am actualy working in that field at the moment.... so very interested in seeing if there is something that we could do

I´m Mostly in contact w/ the Creative sector- companies looking to export (bijoux and accesories , art , etc....) There are certain products that would do well in the US I´m sure as what they are doing is in line with current tendencies (tendencies even in crisis) ... am in contact with a contact in London who believes it could work there so we are looking at that market for some products.....

I have also worked in other industries in export sectors, industrial goods, foodstuff (organic and conventional fruits & vegetables), etc...
So have had experiences in different sectors, dealing with the farmers, producers, dealing with the local business mentality etc....

Are you currently in California? Do you have an import company or looking to start one?
Can PM you with more details

best,

B.

 

[jimdepalermo]

The best lines of the national makers - FV, Deco Piazza, Robinet, Andez, etc. - have both the style and excellent price/quality ratio to sell very well abroad. While the quality may not comparable to Grohe or Dornbracht, Argentine fixtures could be priced with considerable markup and still sell for half the price of faucets with comparable design and style. Also, faucets and accessories are not so large or heavy that transportation costs would be great.

 

[ezequiel]

You should think about exporting what you have buyers for. I believe it is rule #1 of doing business with someone else's produce.

I have family in the wine business, so if you are interested in that, send me a PM.

Jim, please don't take it as an offense. I will comment on your ideas.
FV is already one of the leading faucet sellers worldwide, Deca Piazza (now with Brazilian capital) and Andez are also present in USA and Europe... and to be honest, the others, although cheap, are of very bad quality and doubt you couldn't find a Chinese faucet, of similar or better quality for cheaper.

There are other products that can be commercialized on the US that could work, although nowadays, almost everything has been tried due to the good exchange rate we had for the past few years.

I have to agree with Bairesgirl that the best thing you can export right now is creativity or "brains". Unfortunately, thinking is paid very cheap in Argentina.

Best of luck.

 

[jimdepalermo]

FV is already one of the leading faucet sellers worldwide, Deca Piazza (now with Brazilian capital) and Andez are also present in USA and Europe... and to be honest, the others, although cheap, are of very bad quality and doubt you couldn't find a Chinese faucet, of similar or better quality for cheaper.

No offense whatsoever, Ezequiel. After renovating a number of kitchens and bathrooms in the US, I was excited to find the quality and design of Argentine products, at seemingly ridiculous [low] prices, when I undertook my first project here about 3 years ago. Since then, I've taken a number of visiting friends on visits to Barugel, and a number have carried things back to the US for their own projects.

I wasn't aware that these companies now have representation in the states. If their prices don't triple in export, I assume they're doing quite well there.

 

[Ries]

Unfortunately, the reality of export is- their prices DO triple in the USA.
I, too, was pleasantly surprised at the quality, low prices, and great design of Argentine companies making kitchen and bath products.
Besides Ferrum and FV, I really like my Franke stainless steel sink, hood, and gas range.
http://www.franke.com.ar/

But a little research shows all three have US divisions, and all three cost, in dollars, about what they cost here in pesos.
This it true with most mass market products- same price in dollars in the US as in pesos in Argentina. Even many wines are like this.

To set up to market, distribute, warehouse, and sell in the USA is not cheap. Every single aspect of the US company is more expensive than equivalent Argentine prices- and you need US based web designers, graphic artists, printers, warehouses, truckers, salesmen, and more. And for that, you pay US prices. I am guessing a 100,000 sq foot distribution center in Ontario Ca costs easily triple or more what a nice warehouse in Avellenada costs.

Add to that shipping, and the wacky Argentine laws regarding export- Argentina, unlike the USA, charges export taxes on many products.

And, of course, "everything is bigger in Texas"- so many of the compact, well designed, and reasonably priced argentine versions are not very salable in the USA, where a kitchen can be 200 sq meters and cost $100,000. And the bigger versions for export inevitably cost more as well.

The items that would work well to export would be ones that dont require a huge US marketing and warehousing apparatus, and ones that are high value because of design and craftsmanship, and limited, exclusive availability.

I am gonna give away my million dollar idea here- because I know I will never do it-
made to order designer shoes.

No country in the world will do what Argentina does- build custom designed shoes, in tiny quantities, for reasonable prices. The chinese will do cheap- but only in container loads, a year or six months in advance. And quality is questionable, especially for fine leather and fabric womens shoes.
The Italians will make high quality, at fiendishly high prices, relatively slowly, in medium or high quantities.

But in Buenos Aires, virtually every high end boutique will have their own, custom shoes, with only a couple dozen pairs made, three or four times a year.

If you could set yourself up as a middleman, allowing small USA designers and boutiques to order 2 dozen pairs of totally custom shoes, and drop ship directly to the boutiques, with no US warehousing- well that would be a good small export business. Its a market niche no one is filling.

I used to know an Argentine couple in LA who would design their own lines, and just fly back three times a year or so and bring them back as additional luggage- and they always sold out. That would be the way to do it- do a 3 or 4 time a year delivery, personally bring them to the USA and get them thru US customs in bulk, then drop ship from the UPS store a block down Century Blvd from LAX. Then fly back to BA, do all the sales online, and get a new batch made.

If anyone does this, you owe me dinner...

 

[Bairesgirl]

I think it´s a great idea, it would need dedication....

I heard a company specializing in tango shoes was doing something of the sort....
creating bespoke tango shoes and shipping off to the US/Europe.... But only tango shoes mind you----

Ezequiel does your family business export to the uk??

best,
B.

 

[mini]

I think it´s a great idea, it would need dedication....

I heard a company specializing in tango shoes was doing something of the sort....
creating bespoke tango shoes and shipping off to the US/Europe.... But only tango shoes mind you----

Ezequiel does your family business export to the uk??

best,
B.

I think someone should change the tango shoes to regular shoes (ie. but regular soles on them) and export them.

 

[ezequiel]

No offense whatsoever, Ezequiel. After renovating a number of kitchens and bathrooms in the US, I was excited to find the quality and design of Argentine products, at seemingly ridiculous [low] prices, when I undertook my first project here about 3 years ago. Since then, I've taken a number of visiting friends on visits to Barugel, and a number have carried things back to the US for their own projects.

I wasn't aware that these companies now have representation in the states. If their prices don't triple in export, I assume they're doing quite well there.

Jim, you are right, and I agree, but since they already have a representation (actually, their own offices), it would be impossible for you to legally sell their products. That is why, to buy "market" products in the US, I would definitely go for Hans Grohe or something of that sort. The ones made in Argentina are nice and pretty good, but our technology is light years away from the European manufacturers.

On the other hand, I am an architect, and suggest that you don't buy any products (especially faucets) in Barugel or Blaisten (except for the products that they are exclusive sellers of), since they are 20% to 30% more expensive than what you can buy them at other stores. They are great showrooms, but way to expensive. They are made for architects and interior designers who take their clients there and make them buy there, therefore, getting a higher commission on the % fee for the work done.



On the shoes side... you'd be surprised to know how many Texans come to Argentina to get their boots done. There is a big business for tailored made everything in Argentina, where foreigners even come to the manufacturers (I would say artists) to order personally (and that even includes european kings, yes, it does).

But it is a niche market that has an enormous potential and unlimited resources.


Bairesgirl, I sent you a PM.


Looks like the person who started the thread doesn't care anymore... not even one comment... not a single thank you.