Tanzania Country Commercial Guide
Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in tanzania, 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:

Consumers in Tanzania often prefer American products over locally made or other international options. Product marketing should be aligned to Tanzanian culture and tradition. Marketing agencies in Tanzania have helped U.S. companies enter the market and attract U.S. customers.  

Trade Promotion and Advertising 

Companies in Tanzania use different avenues to advertise. Depending on the demographic of the audience, companies use radio, television, newspaper, billboards or the internet to reach their target market. Marketing and advertising agencies in Tanzania assist companies to identify the best advertising channel. 

Trade promotion links: 

Tanzania Trade Development Authority (TanTrade)
Confederation of Tanzania Industries
Tanzania Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture
Tanzania Private Sector Federation

Pricing 

Pricing for most goods and services is determined by market forces although the government regulates prices for certain products including fuel. There is 18% value added tax (VAT) on all domestic and imported goods except those with TRA exemptions. Most Tanzanians are highly price-sensitive and prefer affordable consumer products.  

Sales Service/Customer Support

It is important for companies entering Tanzania to maintain good customer and aftersales service. This will help in customer retention and build long-term loyalty. After sales services such as warranty service, training and repair is also critical to high customer satisfaction and increased word-of-mouth marketing for your company.  

Local Professional Services  

The Embassy can assist in identifying qualified local professional services. Well-established international business consulting firms such as Price Waterhouse Coopers, Ernst & Young, and Deloitte are present in Dar es Salaam. The Embassy maintains a list of local attorneys for hire by U.S. firms, available at: https://tz.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/local-resources-of-u-s-citizens/attorneys/

Principal Business Associations

  • The American Chamber of Commerce in Tanzania (AmCham), is a non-profit membership association that is part of the global network of American Chambers of Commerce. Its mandate is trade facilitation between the U.S. and Tanzania and to represent U.S. business interests in country.   

  • The Tanzania Private Sector Foundation (TPSF), provides a platform for the private sector to engage in Public-Private Dialogue (PPD) at the local, national and international levels. The foundation opens potential markets for its members through business forums and participation in local and international trade fairs, as well as offering programs to build the capacity of members to become competitive.   

  • The Confederation of Tanzania Industries (CTI), is a business membership organization that promotes Tanzanian business interests on the regulatory and policy level. The main aim of CTI is to ensure a conducive legal, financial and economic environment within which industry can operate effectively, prosper and contribute to national wealth and development. Limitations on Selling U.S. Products and Services There are no general restrictions on establishing a business in Tanzania. However, there are some restrictions on foreign investment in certain protected sectors such as banking and financial institutions, mining, telecommunications, insurance, shipping and construction.  

×

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