IMPORTER PURCHASE BEHAVIOR - GUIDELINES FOR ASIAN EXPORTERS

Exporters from the Asian developing countries face ever increasing competition as they try to penetrate the United States market. To compete successfully, exporters must understand the purchasing behavior of U.S. importers. This article presents the results of an empirical study of the supplier selection criteria used by U.S. importers in three merchandise categories when selecting an Asian supplier. In all three categories, the most important criteria were price and product quality, followed closely by on-time delivery. Geographically location of the seller and seller's brand name were both unimportant in the supplier selection decision. The results offer guidelines for potential exporters who want to penetrate markets in the industrialized countries.