Skip to content
Get started
Selling

How exporters find buyers in the EU: a practical guide

EU buyers rarely choose a supplier from a single email with a price list. They expect complete product information, evidence of quality, a clear price on an Incoterms rule and a fast, specific reply to their request. An exporter who prepares this in advance beats cheaper but disorganised competitors.

By Hiram Trade Editorial Desk

Published

6 min read

Step 1: build your export offer

Before looking for buyers, put together a pack you can send to anyone interested:

  • product sheet: trade name, HS code, description, applications, photos;
  • technical specification: parameters with limits and test methods;
  • certificates of analysis from recent production lots;
  • capacity: monthly or annual output, minimum order quantity (MOQ), lead time;
  • packing: options, weights, units per 20' and 40' container;
  • certificates (see below);
  • company details: registration (for Philippine companies, SEC or DTI), tax number, plant address, contact person, bank details on company letterhead;
  • references: countries and industries you already supply.

Step 2: certificates and documents EU buyers ask for

Requirements depend on the sector. Keep two categories apart:

Legal requirements (without them the goods cannot be placed on the EU market), for example:

  • food: EU food law, contaminant and pesticide residue limits, labelling rules;
  • organic products: certification under Regulation (EU) 2018/848;
  • chemicals: REACH obligations;
  • many industrial products: CE marking where the applicable legislation requires it.

Buyer requirements (voluntary in law but often a condition of doing business), for example in food, GFSI-recognised food safety certification such as FSSC 22000, BRCGS or IFS, plus social audits (such as SMETA or amfori BSCI) and sustainability certification.

Check legal requirements for your product code and destination in the European Commission's Access2Markets tool. Ask buyers directly about their own requirements at the first contact.

Step 3: where to find buyers

  • trade fairs in the EU: still the best place for a first conversation with a purchasing team;
  • Enterprise Europe Network: an EU-backed network that helps SMEs find business partners;
  • export promotion bodies: in the Philippines, the DTI Export Marketing Bureau; in Poland, trade.gov.pl;
  • CBI: a Dutch government programme publishing EU market studies for exporters from developing countries;
  • B2B platforms: where buyers post requests and suppliers respond;
  • referrals: a satisfied customer is the best source of the next one.

Step 4: answer RFQs like a professional

Buyers often send the same request to several suppliers and compare replies side by side. The winners:

  • arrive fast, ideally within one working day (mind the time difference between Manila and European business hours);
  • answer every point of the request, in the same order;
  • quote the Incoterms rule and place the buyer asked for; add alternatives separately;
  • flag any deviation from the specification rather than hiding it;
  • state validity and payment terms clearly;
  • attach a certificate of analysis and the specification sheet.

See our guide to writing an RFQ for how buyers structure their requests.

Step 5: pricing with Incoterms

Build the price step by step from your ex-works cost:

LevelWhat you add
EXW (plant)product cost, packing, margin
FCA (plant or terminal)loading, export clearance, transport to the terminal
CPT / CIP (destination)main freight; for CIP, insurance at least on Institute Cargo Clauses (A) terms
DAP (destination)costs to the delivery place, excluding import clearance

Avoid DDP unless you have an entity or representative in the buyer's country: you would have to clear the goods for import and account for import taxes there. For container cargo, use FCA, CPT or CIP rather than FOB and CIF. See our guide to Incoterms 2020.

Freight rates move, so quotes including freight should have shorter validity than FCA quotes. Say so clearly.

Step 6: the first shipment

The first delivery decides whether there will be a second. How to prepare:

  1. Sample: send a sample from a production lot, not a specially prepared one, and keep a retained sample.
  2. Trial order: offer a smaller lot so the buyer can check quality and logistics.
  3. Payment terms: with a new buyer, a partial prepayment or a letter of credit is reasonable; EU buyers usually expect to move to softer terms after a few shipments.
  4. Documents: prepare the full set as agreed; send scans before the goods arrive.
  5. Proof of origin: if the goods qualify for preferential duty, include the correct proof, such as a REX statement on origin under GSP+.
  6. Communication: share loading date, container number, vessel and ETA without waiting to be asked.
  7. After delivery: ask for feedback and quality control results.

Common exporter mistakes

  • A price without an Incoterms rule, or with a country instead of a place.
  • No certificates of analysis or certifications in the first reply.
  • Promising volumes beyond real capacity.
  • Changing bank details mid-deal without formal confirmation.
  • Slow or no response to quality claims.

Selling on Hiram

On Hiram you can publish offers on the market and respond to requests from EU buyers, who compare quotes by total landed cost. Sellers pay a success fee only on completed deals; see the fee terms.

To reach buyers in the EU, register on Hiram.

Sources

This article is for information only and is not legal, tax or customs advice. Rules and rates change: check the current official sources or consult an adviser before you decide.

Related articles