The right distributor will have the contacts and market knowledge to get the company established quickly. The wrong distributor will cause grief ranging from lost sales to disputes and damaged reputation. So due diligence is necessary. Abrams relied on CITO to research distributors and set up appointments. In order to cement a working relationship, Abrams spent a lot of time with the principal of the company and her husband.
Exclusive contracts are a no-no.
Everybody asks for an exclusive, but it has to be an equitable agreement. Abrams and his distributor are sharing the cost of translating their catalog into Spanish. Abrams wants to add designs that are specific to the Mexican market, such as serape designs. These also would be appealing to tourists who want Mexican-looking things to take home. The MouseRug was launched at the Mexico City Gift Show in January.