7 Export Tips for SMEs Entering International Markets

Breaking into international markets is never easy, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). According to data from the Ministry of Trade, only about 0.75 percent of Indonesia's 670 thousand small and medium-sized businesses dare to export their products. So how do you get into those international markets?

Here are 7 SME export tips you can use to reach buyers abroad.

SME Export Tips

• Tip 1: Before you export what you produce, first make sure the goods are not prohibited items. Check that they meet the specific requirements, such as the export restrictions set by current law. To see what those requirements are, you can visit isnw.go.id (the Indonesia National Single Window portal).
• Tip 2: Next, make sure the goods meet the requirements of the destination country and that the country actually allows them in.

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• Tip 3: If the goods already have a buyer overseas, settle the payment system by agreeing on the quantity and specifications of the goods. After that, you only need to complete the documents that match the agreement.
• Tip 4: The next step is to notify Customs (Bea Cukai) using the Export Goods Notification (Pemberitahuan Ekspor Barang, or PEB).
• Tip 5: Once Customs approves the export, an Export Approval Note (Nota Persetujuan Ekspor, or NPE) is issued. When the NPE has been issued, the goods are legally treated as export goods.
• Tip 6: Next, carry out the stuffing (loading the goods into containers) and ship them, whether by air, sea or land.
• Tip 7: The last tip is to use CIF terms (cost, insurance and freight) and to insure the goods.

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Those are the 7 SME export tips. Before you ship goods abroad, find out first whether the destination actually needs your product. If the export destination turns out not to need your goods, all the effort will be wasted and you will suffer a big loss. Good luck.