Chile Forum

Can anyone out there recommend a good export agent? Or got any tips on exporting for the beginner?! We are looking to export arts and crafts products to the UK on a small scale and would really appreciate some advice. Despite my fluent Spanish we have so far drawn a blank with ProChile...can anyone explain to me how the process works??!

A friend whose family was in shipping recommends customs agent Alan Macowan who operates in various parts of Chile. They’re in http://blancas.amarillas.cl/

thanks! I will check that out.

Hey, I don't work for a brokerage company, but I do work for a new export import company.

Have you tried just using Fedex or CH Robinson? I would start with fedex becuase they work with packages that are smaller and will handle the customs for you.

In my experience fed ex has been horribly expensive. If you want to get it there quick and it's really light then by all means use it though.

runawaytrain wrote:Can anyone out there recommend a good export agent? Or got any tips on exporting for the beginner?! We are looking to export arts and crafts products to the UK on a small scale and would really appreciate some advice. Despite my fluent Spanish we have so far drawn a blank with ProChile...can anyone explain to me how the process works??!

I would like to suggest going in a different path instead of trying to hire an export agent. Although I'm a chilean born with an american way of doing business and been here for over a year after a lifetime in the States I can tell you that I'm extremely dissapointed with "their way". As you well know, the red tape is never ending and is necessary great amounts of patience ( I have zero) as well as "mineral oil" for them to expel a piece of document. Then you need to find out if the "export agent" is credible, trustworthy ( that's the harders part)and so on. I had the opportunity to attend a mini "trade show" here in Valdivia where Prochile, Sercotec, Sence and other entities as well as 4 or 5 artisans/crafters ( such as myself) had a tiny stand.I talked and shook hands with many including "top bosses" from Prochile.Many took my business card and I heard lots and lots of promises (" will see what we can do" "I'll talk to Mr Soandso" and such) This happened 7 weeks ago.....did I hear from anyone?? a big NO to that. Summing up...what I think of it all honestly ?? As personal experience, to me chileans are PURO SALTO Y PEO (jump and fart) meaning THEY NEVER MEAN WHAT THEY SAY....period!
So....if I were you, since you'll be doing ( I'm assuming) exports in a small scale, I would contact a handful of good a reliable artisans/crafters ( I'm raising my hand on that and check please the 2 links below), test the market in UK and if it takes off after a while....then I would contact an agent but not before....however that's me.

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