1. The company did not have the commitment or the determination to overcome the difficulties associated with exporting, and it lacked the resources to meet the financial obligations incurred during the initial stages of exporting.
2. Not enough attention was paid to choosing a foreign agent or distributor. The one chosen performed poorly and the company became discouraged.
3. In the first flush of enthusiasm, the company spread itself too thin, attempting to enter several different markets, rather than focusing on one and establishing a base of expertise and strength from which further efforts might be undertaken.
4. The company regarded exporting as a safety net, turning to it only when the domestic market experienced a downturn and abandoning it when domestic business recovered. It did not develop a long-term strategy or presence.
5. The company treated its foreign partners agents and distributors with less consideration than it treated its partners and associates at home.
6. The company refused to modify its products to respond to regulations or cultural preferences in its target markets.
7. The company attempted to operate exclusively in English and did not bother to provide itself with capabilities in the language of the target market, nor did it seek to produce documents in that language.
8. The firm attempted to do everything by itself instead of engaging specialists such as freight forwarders and Customs brokers to handle the technical details of exporting.
9. The company failed to investigate the potential benefits of partnerships, joint ventures and technology exchanges as a way of enhancing its export efforts.
10. The company did not gather all the necessary background information about the target market. It failed to devise a meaningful marketing plan before attempting to export.
Source: http://www.infoexport.gc.ca
