Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-07-31
Exporters Should Study For
eign Needs.
A C0NSUL'S ADVICE
AMERICAN MONEY AND EULOGIES
WASTED.
Circulars Printed in English Sent to
Be Distributed in Franchise
of Metric System.

to the Department Of Commerce and La
Dor on the subject Of French American
trade requirements. The report is one that
could be studied with profit by all Ameri
can exporters, many of whom, it is claim
ed. give too little heed to the requirements
OF the foreign markets. which they seek.
Consul jackson writes:
Hints to Our Exporters.
american exporters very often judge
the value Of their goods and the needs Of
foreign purchasers by their own standard.
This standard may be true, as far as the
conditions Of the United States are con-
cerned. and partly or entirely false when
applied to other countries. The American
manufacturer should know the require
rnents of the people whose trade he seeks
and should try to satisfy them.
The French have fixed habits. from
which they do not easily change nor wish
manufactured product and thoroughly ac-
customed to it, they will not change except
from inability to obtain it or for marked
improvement In some new article. which
must be clearly demonstrated. Everybody
wants the best, but the improved article or
new product must be brought to the atten-
ton Of the prospective purchaser in very
definite fashion.
Formerly Americans came to France to
purchase brandy and even paid the manu-
facturer commission for selling them the
product Of his still. This condition still OBJ
ta1nS In certain quarters, but the general
conditions are changed. French distillers
have found 1t necessary to send out travel
Ing agents to secure business for them.
Ono Of the results Is that Americans will
often purchase an inferior grade Of brandy
of a 'marque' already tasted rather than a
superior quality of goods which they have
never seen.
Wasted Energies.
"Our manufacturers often expend their
energies and their money in way far
from practical For instance, ] receive at
this office hundreds of circulars during the
year, printed in English. describing certain
articles of export. 7 send them to the
proper dealers, but they cannot read them.
There are instances where l have spent
days in translating descriptive pamphlets
at the request of the persons here in whose
hands 1 had placed them. 1t is impossible
to translate all, as no provision is made
for work of this kind at this office.
Even were descriptive circulars published
in French and sent out to dealers. 1t would
at best but prepare the mind of the French
merchant for a commercial traveller. The
traveller unfortunately. does not follow the
circular and the energy Is to great
tent. lost. In view Of existing modern
trade bureaus and associations. 1t would
seem possible that one traveller could rep
resent several firms dealing In very di-
verse merchandise. BY this means the
dealer heret could have what Is necessary
to successful business-a practical demon
stration Of the utility of any particular
product. j..
Exporters Must Adapt Themselves.
American e1porters DESTROYS Of doing
business in France must adapt themselves
to the needs of the country. Their circu-
lars should be printed and their CORE
spondence carried on in French. The COM
mercial traveller should speak that Ian
guage. The fact that neither buyer nor
seller understands the other we'll causes
at least hesitation and delay IN reaching
business. The French think and perhaps
with more or less reason, that we are not
always careful enough In our business
methods, and, although sincere In recon-
mending goods. are very often not
sufficiently acquainted with the qualities
they possess We send our wares to France,
declaring that there are none better. This
may be perfectly true from our point OF
view. but the natural richness Of our coun-
try has rendered us more or less prodigal,
and we have not made the careful study of
the economic value Of certain products that
has been made in France.
I'VE may be able to impose our conditions
when We wish to buy, but this is more
difficult to do when we are the sellers. The
purchaser should be put to the least posi-
BILE Inconvenience If We want to keep his
trade. Our exporters should, as far as
necessary, adapt themselves to the business
habits Of the people to whom they wish to
sell.
The seller may impose conditions on the
sale Of a necessity when he has COM
petitor: otherwise he should strive to please
his customer. To show how far American
business caution may be due to lack of
knowledge of the French language and of
business customs take this Illustration: In
a comparatively recent transaction Ameri
can shippers demanded payment on the
basis of weight and analysis taken when
phosphate was put board in Florida.
The French buyer offered payment on the
basis of weight and analysis taken at La
Rochelle.
The result was that there was no agree
ment and the deal was declared off. An
English broker presents himself, offers to
the French buyer on the latter's conditions
at slightly higher figure, and is accepted.
The English broker knows of the American
offer. which he accepts and orders goods
shipped to La Rochelle. He has business
confidence in the American shipper. The
Frenchman pays more for his goods, but
buys less American and more Algerian; the
United States exporter gets hts terms but
does less business. The evident need here
Is better understanding, resulting in di-
rect transaction to the mutual interest Of
both countries, but especially to the one
that sells.
Use Of the Metric System.
"Our exporters in order to further their
own interests. should also, as far as their
relations with France are concerned, adapt
their business to Inc metric system of
weights and measures There Is nothing
more annoying to a French purchaser than
to be fOrceds to- make a reduction of our
weights to the very reasonable and logical
metric system. =