Dominican republic Country Commercial Guide
Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in dominican republic, prepared by at U.S. Embassies worldwide by Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals
Select Country Guide
Selling Factors and Techniques
Last published date:

At the retail sales level, Dominicans prefer seeing the product and also expect reliable after-sales service. Quality and responsiveness in after-sales service are becoming increasingly important ingredients in effective marketing strategies.  In sales of services and manufactured goods, Dominicans often rely on networking as well as on close family and personal relationships. These characteristics create the need for local agents and distributors or direct, in-country operations to make and sustain these contacts. 

Trade Promotion & Advertising

Most businesses in Dominican Republic use major newspapers, television channels, and radio stations to advertise their products. When marketing products to all social classes, television and radio are primarily used.

The following are web links to some of the major newspapers and publications in the DR:

  • Diario Libre - Daily newspaper
  • Listin Diario - Daily newspaper
  • Periódico Hoy - Daily newspaper
  • Periódico El Caribe and Cadena de Noticias - daily newspaper and news network
  • El Nacional - Daily newspaper 
  • Peridico El Dia – Daily newspaper 
  • DR 1 Daily news - excerpts of Dominican news in English 

Companies already in the Dominican Republic are well aware of the benefits of participating in local trade promotion events. There are also many industry-specific expositions in the DR.

Pricing

The DR market is particularly price-sensitive due to significant levels of income inequality.  Price is typically the critical factor in most purchasing decisions. Products of U.S. origin enjoy a strong reputation for quality and Dominicans are familiar with U.S. pricing practices. As Dominican consumers become more affluent and sophisticated, many successful new retail outlets will increasingly concentrate on quality goods and service support.

Sales Service/Customer Support

The quality and level of customer support and service is evolving and improving at a rapid rate.  In many sectors, low-cost local labor allows for a level of service that would be prohibitive in more developed overseas markets. This is especially true in the urban centers and tourist areas of the east and north coasts. While U.S. exporters should be prepared to provide customer and after-sales support, there may be an opportunity to apply advanced customer support techniques developed in their home markets.   

Dominican workers enjoy a good reputation for customer service which in part explains the country’s success in tourism and, more recently, in operating international call centers.

Local Professional Services

A local attorney is an important partner in establishing operations and advising on doing business in Dominican Republic. It is advisable to engage an attorney experienced in agency law to review any agency/distributorship contract to avoid issues with Law 173. Accounting firms may also be of assistance with financial issues. It is advisable to retain professional advice early on in a business venture to ensure smooth start up and compliance with local laws.  Lists of lawyers and accounting firms with experience assisting U.S. businesses are available at the U.S. Commercial Service in Santo Domingo.

Principal Business Associations

  • Cámara Americana  de Comercio de la República Dominicana (AMCHAM-DR)
         (American Chamber of Commerce of Dominican Republic)
        Av. Sarasota No. 20, Torre Empresarial AIRD, 6to. FL
        Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
        Contact: Mr. William Malamud, Executive Vice President
        Phone: (809) 381-0777
        E-mail: amcham@claro.net.do
     
  • Camara de Comercio y Produccion de Santo Domingo
         (Santo Domingo Chamber of Commerce)
        Ave. 27 de Febrero No. 228, Torre Friusa, La Esperilla
        Contact: Mr. Fantino Polanco, Executive Vice President
        Phone: (809) 682-2688
        Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
        E-mail: ccpsd@camarasantodomingo.org.do 
     
  • Camara de Comercio y Producción de Santiago, Inc.
        (Santiago Chamber of Commerce)
        Av. Las Carreras No. 7, Edif. Empresarial 1er. Piso, Centro Ciudad
        Santiago, Dominican Republic
        Contact: Mr. Fernando Puig, Executive Director
        Phone: (809) 582-2856
        E-mail: director@camarasantiago.com
     
  • Asociación de Empresas de Inversión Extranjera (ASIEX)
    (Association of Foreign Investment Companies)
    Ave. Sarasota No. 20 Torre Empresarial AIRD, Suite 1106, La Julia 
    Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
    Contact: Alejandro Peña-Prieto - President
    Patricia Bobea - General Director
    Phone: (809) 535 - 6165
    E-mail: pbobea@asiex.org
        
  • Consejo Nacional de la Empresa Privada, Inc. (CONEP)
    (National Council of Enterprises)
    Av. Sarasota No. 20
    Torre Empresarial piso 12, Ens. La Julia
    Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
    Contact: Mr. Cesar Dargam, Executive Vice President
    Phone: (809) 472-7531
    E-mail: conep@conep.org.do  
     
  • Junta Agroempresarial Dominicana (JAD)
    (Dominican Agribusiness Council)
    Euclides Morillo No. 51, Arroyo Hondo
    Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic 
    Contact: Mr. Osmar Benitez, Executive President
    Phone: (809) 563-6178
    E-mail: jad@claro.net.do
     
  • Asociacion Dominicana de Exportadores (ADOEXPO)
    (Dominican Exporters Association)
    Av. Winston Churchill No. 5 (entre Av. Sarasota y Av. Bolivar)
    Apartamento C, Ens. Bella Vista
    Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
    Contact: Roselyn Amaro Berges, Executive Vice President
    Phone: (809) 567-6779
    E-mail: info@adoexpo.org  
     
  • Asociacion de Industrias de la Republica Dominicana (AIRD)
     (Association of Manufacturers of Dominican Republic)
     Av. Sarasota No. 20 casi esq. Av. Abraham Lincoln 
     Edif. Torre Empresarial, piso 12, Ens. La Julia 
     Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
     Contact: Mr. Mario E. Pujols, Executive Vice President
     Phone: (809) 472-0000
     E-mail: aird@claro.net.do 

Limitations on Selling US Products and Services

U.S. standards are currently accepted and respected by the purchasing entities. Marketing strategies used by successful companies include mass advertisement in television, social media, magazines, newspapers, and radio. 

×

Global Business Navigator Chatbot Beta

Welcome to the Global Business Navigator, an artificial intelligence (AI) Chatbot from the International Trade Administration (ITA). This tool, currently in beta version testing, is designed to provide general information on the exporting process and the resources available to assist new and experienced U.S. exporters. The Chatbot, developed using Microsoft’s Azure AI services, is trained on ITA’s export-related content and aims to quickly get users the information they need. The Chatbot is intended to make the benefits of exporting more accessible by understanding non-expert language, idiomatic expressions, and foreign languages.

Limitations

As a beta product, the Chatbot is currently being tested and its responses may occasionally produce inaccurate or incomplete information. The Chatbot is trained to decline out of scope or inappropriate requests. The Chatbot’s knowledge is limited to the public information on the Export Solutions web pages of Trade.gov, which covers a wide range of topics on exporting. While it cannot provide responses specific to a company’s product or a specific foreign market, its reference pages will guide you to other relevant government resources and market research. Always double-check the Chatbot’s responses using the provided references or by visiting the Export Solutions web pages on Trade.gov. Do not use its responses as legal or professional advice. Inaccurate advice from the Chatbot would not be a defense to violating any export rules or regulations.

Privacy

The Chatbot does not collect information about users and does not use the contents of users’ chat history to learn new information. All feedback is anonymous. Please do not enter personally identifiable information (PII), sensitive, or proprietary information into the Chatbot. Your conversations will not be connected to other interactions or accounts with ITA. Conversations with the Chatbot may be reviewed to help ITA improve the tool and address harmful, illegal, or otherwise inappropriate questions.

Translation

The Chatbot supports a wide range of languages. Because the Chatbot is trained in English and responses are translated, you should verify the translation. For example, the Chatbot may have difficulty with acronyms, abbreviations, and nuances in a language other than English.

Privacy Program | Information Quality Guidelines | Accessibility