To get access to the largest export window in the world with Shaeps, this is how we do it:

Export

1. Shaeps will identify a specific opportunity in the market
2. Shaeps will ask that your company gives Shaeps the right to represent your company in the export market for a month. This requires nothing on your side but supplying Shaeps with relevant information.
3. Shaeps will test the opportunity and return with a 'verdict'. If the market test proves a real demand for your solution in the export market, we will ask that you consider to give us the mandate to represent you.
4. Upon agreement, Shaeps will pursue the sales opportunities and manage the first order with you on our platform. You will be required to localise your company, product, and marketing documentation - which we can help you get done. Also, you will be required to visit us in the market to get your company off the ground.
5. Following orders will be managed by you through our platform, but we stand by for advice and guidance.

Incubation & funding

Most companies don't have the resources to manage the export processes out of the box.

Our value proposition rests on the ambition, that SMEs should be able to perform export without significant investments up front. We offer to support you during the process of organizing and / or operating the export - on short and long term. It will be free for a start.

Eventually, you may want to expand your activity. Should you require funds for growth, we can assist you in identifying capital among our network of financiers.

Typically, going to a new market is a major investment. But this is the very reason why we were founded – to change the conventional export process by identifying the customer first, then the exporter who can serve that need.

We believe in ourselves, and thus we are ready to share the risk. We do not require upfront fees. On contrary, we typically provide a number of resources to get you started for free. Our revenue model is based on your success.

We have been active in China for over 10 years, and have in that time built a strong network of alliances with local governments, investment firms and sales channels. Today, this enables us to provide A to Z go-to-market and operational services for foreign companies.

The quick answer is: Work with those who have the knowhow and who you can trust. Launching in China without this is doomed to fail.

Distribution channels are extremely important. Going online may be key to reach a large audience, but channels should be selected carefully. Selling products on one or more of the super-large online portals like Taobao or Pinduoduo may give you a superior reach, but will require substantial resources and awareness such as 24/7 attention to your online shop. We strongly recommend that you diversify and choose a few alternative sales channels such as specialized online portals.

Offline sale is still extremely strong in China, and a good way to establish presence / begin building your brand. To foreign companies, tier 1 cities may seem intriguing. China is huge and this shouldn’t discourage you. Tier 2 to 4 cities are easier accessible and buying patterns in these cities increasingly resemble those of customers in tier 1 cities.

The key to successful communication between you and your Chinese arm is to have one or two key staff with strong English skills.

It isn’t realistic that all employees will be able to speak English, and truthfully it isn’t desirable either, since English-speakers generally require higher salaries. Your general manager should be able to speak English, and depending on your type of company and products/services you may also need a technically trained staff member that speaks English.

It’s all about your organization. First of all, local staff will bring valuable cultural understanding into the company. In addition, partners like us or likeminded at your side will instantly help you leapfrog the many early stage mistakes such as interpreting the complex and unique cultural aspects of doing business in China

Consumers’ buying patterns in China generally follow a few overall tendencies. The key determinant is Government policies.

Government policies and/or ‘attitude’ may be severely influence by international relations. The Chinese government has repeatedly demonstrated the willingness to initiate a wave of anti-sentiment towards a country, as seen in previous years with countries such as France and Norway. There is very little to do about this, other than to buckle down and wait for it to be over.

Second, domestic policies can often dictate certain directions and movements, like we see with the sustainability wave. China’s official policy of becoming carbon neutral by 2060 has spiked a massive interest in sustainable solutions.

Within that framework consumer behaviour is often governed by long-term trends. These include a large variety of products and services that revolve around stable aspects of Chinese culture, including things to do with healthy living, home decor, education and edutainment, and lifestyle products. A product or service in this category may not get you off the ground as quickly, but on the other hand tend to be less volatile and susceptible to outside influences.

Because new trends and fads can be spread very quickly on social media, making a product or idea the craze of the moment. The majority, however, tend to fade out rather quickly. This fast ‘rise and fall’ is often difficult to respond to in time.

It isn't always easy to understand and navigate in a system with bureaucracy, tough trade policy and other legal complications. Some industries face harsher restrictions than others, especially in recent years when attention has shifted towards the sustainability transition. To say that it is easy would be a stretch, but generally, it has become increasingly easy to obtain permits in China both in terms of policy and due to streamlining of application processes – driven among other by local governments’ eager to welcome new-entry foreign businesses.

Naturally, everything that can be done to protect yourself should be done, by registering IPs, trademarks etc. – preferably at the point in time where you start considering establishing your company in China.

Having said that, protection of intellectual property is an incredible hard challenge. IP protection and copyright laws are getting stronger in China – yet we regularly see local companies blatantly ignoring these laws and copy a foreign product. Infringements tried in court may take years to reach conclusion.

The risk is relevant ‘only’ to brands and other intellectual property that has already achieved a strong recognition. Most products entering China do not fall into this category.

How to position your company in a market with generally fierce competition may come as a surprise.

Distribution platforms like Taobao and Pinduoduo primarily represent price-sensitive customers. Low price is king, and while pricier items will also sell, this generally requires a large effort, unless your brand has achieved a wide recognition in China already.

Generally, when offering a foreign quality product you do not necessarily need to position yourself on price point. Numerous segments will buy pricier items if they perceive it value-for-money.

The hiring and managing of local employees can be a straightforward as well as highly complex affair, subject to the role in question. For general employees such as sales or HR it often makes sense to hire someone with experience from your industry.

For specialized roles the hiring process may be harder. Specialized people are scarce and their salary expectations are often higher. You may consider cooperating with a recruitment agency or your local partner to achieve a successful recruitment.

Labour compliance, while complex, follows specific rules and regulations, and as long as you follow those you should not encounter any significant problems.

Beware it can be difficult to fire people in China, which is why we recommend short-term contracts for new employees.

Trust or not, it is important to safe-guard the company against unwanted power. While the legal representative must be authorized to exercise certain operational and managerial decisions, the company should not exert too much power or allow the legal representative to make critical decisions suddenly without consulting with the headquarters first.

Trust takes time to build. It is essential that you spend some time with your legal representative. It is imperative that you impart your company values, dos and don’ts onto the legal representative – and that you make the legal representative understand his/her skills and knowledge are utilized and appreciated. Make sure to include your legal representative in important talks, and listen to the legal representative’s thoughts and advice, particularly with regards to Chinese culture.