When asked to rank the importance of 25 factors that could influence product success, the 11 factors rated very to extremely important. Several of these can be summarized as the ability and willingness to work with the customer and produce and deliver what is needed when it is needed. All of these combine to affect the company reputation, which received the top ranking. Factors such as gathering market information, adverstising, brand name, etc., were in the bottom half of the 25 factors. Mouldings and doors are the most commonly exported products.
Larger establishments are much more involved in exporting.
Both exporters and non-exporters were asked to rank a list of factors that affect export success. Those who do no export cite their domestic marketing focus, small size, and inability to contact foreign customers as leading factors for not exporting. In contrast, the exporters rated competition in foreign markets, financing terms, and inability to contact foreign customers as the top factors affecting success. Pro-active methods, such as traveling to foreign countries to seek customers or participating in international trade shows, are not commonly used. Distance from the source of raw material was of higher concern than distance to product markets.