What is Exporting? Exporting Definition and Trends - Shopify (2024)

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Learn the definition of exporting, view export trends around the world, and explore how you can use exports to unlock new foreign markets for your products.

by Shopify Staff

What is Exporting? Exporting Definition and Trends - Shopify (4)

Whether you're selling in person to local buyers, or making ecommerce sales through Shopify or another platform, you may not realize that there's a wide world out there for selling your products—a world that transcends beyond your borders.

Take the United States, for example. The U.S. is a huge market for selling all kinds of goods. Yet 95% of consumers and 75% of the world's purchasing power reside outside the U.S.—and you can reach them with the power of exporting.

In this article, we'll explain what exporting means, examine the export market around the world, and explore how you can use exports to unlock new foreign markets for your products.

What is exporting?

In global trade, exporting is the process by which companies from one country sell their goods and services to companies or consumers in a different country. Common exports exchanged from one country to another include energy and natural resources, raw materials like food or textiles, and finished consumer products like electronics.

Manufacturers and retailers that sell their products to customers in foreign markets are exporting them. Exporting is one way that companies can rapidlyexpand their potential market, generate more revenue, and grow their businesses.

Which countries are the biggest exporters?

  1. China
  2. United States
  3. Germany
  4. France
  5. United Kingdom
  6. Netherlands
  7. Japan
  8. Hong Kong SAR
  9. South Korea
  10. Singapore

Top 10 USA exports in 2022

  1. Petroleum refining
  2. Oil drilling & gas extraction
  3. Car & automobile manufacturing
  4. Pharmaceutical manufacturing
  5. Organic chemical manufacturing
  6. Plastic & resin manufacturing
  7. Natural gas liquid processing
  8. Semiconductor & circuit manufacturing
  9. Navigational instrument manufacturing
  10. Nonferrous metal refining

Source: IBIS World

Source: World Bank

United States exporting

While the United States is the second largest exporter the world, it's worth noting that the country has a trade deficit. That means the U.S. spends more on imported goods than it receives from exporting.

Nevertheless, exports are big business. In fact, the United States Census Bureaureportedthat the US exported $2.134trillion worth of goods and services in 2020. Demand for U.S. goods and services remains high.

Top 10 USA exports in 2022

  1. Petroleum refining
  2. Oil drilling & gas extraction
  3. Car & automobile manufacturing
  4. Pharmaceutical manufacturing
  5. Organic chemical manufacturing
  6. Plastic & resin manufacturing
  7. Natural gas liquid processing
  8. Semiconductor & circuit manufacturing
  9. Navigational instrument manufacturing
  10. Nonferrous metal refining

Source:IBIS World

Top 10 countries the U.S. exported to in 2022

  1. Canada
  2. Mexico
  3. China
  4. Japan
  5. South Korea
  6. Germany
  7. United Kingdom
  8. Netherlands
  9. Brazil
  10. India

Source:Trading Economics

How to export products

While the benefits of exporting are clear, the path to building an export business is trickier. Here are some tips for starting your exporting journey.

  • Get government support. U.S. businesses interested in learning how to start exporting can get free support services from government agencies including the Small Business Administration (SBA), the International Trade Administration (ITA), and other state and local agencies. This support ranges from regulatory assistance to educational resources and even financial grants.
  • Conduct market research. Before you begin exporting, you'll need to research foreign markets in order to find out which countries have the biggest potential to sell your goods. That means understanding which kinds of products consumers in a foreign country are interested in, as well as what competition exists in the international market.
  • Understand trade barriers and restrictions. You can also take free online trainingcourses in exportingto see whether your products and services are eligible to be exported. Some countries have a specific process for approving new imports, or restrict certain products from entering their borders entirely.
  • Find shipping and distribution partners. Shipping products internationally can be complicated, with additional challenges around packaging, tracking, and payments. Partnering with an international shipping partner and third-party distributors in your new markets can help you minimize expenses while providing a reliable shipment experience for buyers.
  • Follow local regulations. Once you're ready to get up and running, it's important to make sure that you're abiding by all export regulations, both in your own country and in other countries. This may include securing an export license, as well as paying export duties and taxes.

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Exporting FAQ

What is exporting in economics?

In economics, exporting is the practice of producing a good or service in one country and selling it to consumers in another country.

Why is exporting important?

Exporting goods to buyers in a foreign market is a powerful way for companies to quickly access a significant new pool of customers—often with less competition than they face in domestic markets.

What is direct exporting?

Direct exporting is the practice of selling your products directly to a customer in a foreign country, rather than going through a third-party distributor. With direct exports, you complete a transaction with a buyer, then ship their purchase directly to them.

What are the risks of exporting?

Exporting products can pose numerous challenges, including political instability, legal and liability challenges, cultural differences, and the risk of lost revenue due to theft, fraud, or nonpayment.

by Shopify Staff

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What is Exporting? Exporting Definition and Trends - Shopify (2024)

FAQs

What is Exporting? Exporting Definition and Trends - Shopify? ›

In economics, exporting is the practice of producing a good or service in one country and selling it to consumers in another country.

What does export mean on Shopify? ›

You can export your products to a CSV file to help with several tasks: Creating a backup of your products. Moving your existing products to a new Shopify store. Editing your products in bulk using a spreadsheet.

What does exporting information mean? ›

Export in computing refers to the process of transferring or saving data from one software application or file format to another. It allows you to create a file in a specific format that can be used by other programs or shared with others.

Is exporting the same as selling? ›

Buying and Selling is a common term used in any trade whether it be domestic or international. Import/Export means the buying and selling of goods or services outside the country. Ie. Goods/services bought from another country is called import and goods/services sold to another country is called export.

What is the definition of exporting goods? ›

Exports of goods and services consist of transactions in goods and services (sales, barter, and gifts) from residents to non-residents. Exports of goods occur when economic ownership of goods changes between residents and non-residents.

Is exporting good or bad? ›

One of the primary benefits of exporting is access to a global market of buyers. In other words, by exporting your products and going global, you open your business to more than 95% of the world's population - and by not exporting, you limit your sales to less than 5% of potential buyers.

What happens when you export? ›

Exports facilitate international trade and stimulate domestic economic activity by creating employment, production, and revenue. Companies that export are typically exposed to a higher degree of financial risk.

What is the point of exporting? ›

Exporting can be profitable for businesses of all sizes. On average, sales grow faster, more jobs are created, and employees earn more than in non-exporting firms. Competitive Advantage. The United States is known worldwide for high quality, innovative goods and services, customer service, and sound business practices.

What are examples of exporting? ›

Some export examples are final goods like cars, cell phones, computers, or clothing. These are goods that are made in one nation from start to finish and the completed product is exported to other countries. Exports do not have to be final or complete goods to qualify as an export.

Is exporting the same as uploading? ›

An uploaded file is a file that is suitable for upload to online services. An export file is similar, but, since your online services have not yet seen your files, do not use custom "export" files to upload. Such files are useful for transferring your information from one database to another and are rarely used.

Is exporter the buyer or seller? ›

Key Points. International trade presents a spectrum of risk, which causes uncertainty over the timing of payments between the exporter (seller) and importer (foreign buyer).

Can you make money exporting? ›

The short answer is yes. There are fantastic, niche products all over the world that can very profitable if you're willing to do the market research, course suppliers and understand the import process.

Which is not a benefit of exporting? ›

Limited presence in foreign markets is not an advantage of exporting.

What is exporting in simple terms? ›

In global trade, exporting is the process by which companies from one country sell their goods and services to companies or consumers in a different country.

What best describes exporting? ›

c) Exporting is where a company sells its physical products that are manufactured outside the target country to the target country.

What does it mean to export an item? ›

Export means to send or take controlled tangible items, software or information out of the United States in any manner, to transfer ownership or control of controlled tangible items, software or information to a foreign person, or to disclose information about controlled items, software or information to a foreign ...

What does it mean to export an order? ›

Exporting orders can be a quick way to back up your order history or transfer it to a third-party accounting software. Orders are an excellent example of when you might want to customize an export.

What is the purpose of exporting a package? ›

Export packaging enables your goods arrive intact and undamaged with your overseas buyer. Export packaging is also often referred to as transport packaging.

What does export mean in delivery? ›

Exporting means sending goods from one country to another – and they pass through customs on the way. For customs to clear your goods, it's vital to have the right shipping documents for export, and to fill them in correctly.

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