Generalizes on the best strategy to enter the market, e.g., visiting the country; importance of relationships to finding a good partner; use of agents.
More than 2,000 large, medium and small U.S. firms have established operations in Singapore. Many U.S. exporters successfully use agents or distributors to serve Singapore and other Southeast Asian markets. Singapore firms are aggressive when it comes to representing new products and usually respond enthusiastically to new opportunities.
Price, quality, and service are the three main factors for Singapore buyers. U.S. exporters should be aware that competition is strong, and buyers expect good after-sales service. Selling techniques vary according to the industry and product and are comparable to the techniques used in most other sophisticated markets. It is also important for U.S. firms to visit their representatives in Singapore on a regular basis. A well-developed social media strategy is growing in importance as Singapore and ASEAN consumers are avid users of e-commerce.