SMEs Who Want to Export: Going from 0 to Overseas Markets, Step by Step

An export guide for first-time SMEs: choosing channels and markets, documents, pricing, payment and logistics, common mistakes and a 90-day plan.

A small herbal products shop in Chiang Mai starts getting messages from customers in Singapore and Taiwan asking, Can you ship overseas? The owner wants to say yes but does not know which documents to start with, how to price, or how to get paid. If you are in the same spot, this article breaks exporting into one decision at a time so you can start small and learn as you go.

3 export channels for first-time SMEs

1. International marketplaces

Sell through platforms that already have overseas buyers, so you do not have to find every customer yourself.

• Alibaba.com: B2B wholesale to businesses.
• Amazon: B2C retail to consumers.
• Etsy: handmade, craft and creative goods.
• Shopee and Lazada: offer cross-border selling within the region.

The upside is a fast start; the limits are fees, platform rules and many competitors.

2. Direct sales through social media

Use Instagram, TikTok or Facebook to reach overseas customers directly. This suits products with a story and a distinct identity, such as woven textiles, herbs, processed foods or jewellery. You build relationships with customers but must handle payment and shipping yourself.

3. Through a distributor or trading company

An agent in the destination country handles import, regulations and distribution, reducing your risk and workload but lowering your margin per unit. It suits products with complex rules, such as food and cosmetics.

How to choose your first market

• Start where there are signals: countries where customers have already contacted you, or where Thai communities and tourists know your product.
• Distance and shipping cost: nearby markets like ASEAN are easier to test.
• Import rules: some products must be registered or certified before sale in the destination country.
• One market first: make it work, then expand.

What to prepare

Documents

• Commercial invoice and packing list: the basic documents for every export.
• Certificate of Origin: for example ATIGA Form D for trade within ASEAN, which may help the buyer get reduced import duty.
• Phytosanitary Certificate: for certain plant products where the destination requires it.

Pricing and delivery terms

Your export price must include product cost, packaging, shipping, fees and profit. Agree clearly where your responsibility ends using Incoterms, such as FOB (delivered on board at the origin port) or CIF (including freight and insurance to the destination port).

Payment

• Bank transfer (T/T): commonly with a deposit before production.
• Payment gateway or PayPal: suits small orders and individual customers.
• Letter of Credit (L/C): the bank acts as intermediary, suiting large orders and new partners.

Packaging and communication

Packaging must survive long-distance shipping and carry English or local-language labels as the destination requires. Have an English catalogue that clearly states size, ingredients, price and minimum order quantity.

Common mistakes

• Pricing from your Thai retail price, then finding shipping eats all the profit.
• Shipping before payment to customers you do not yet know.
• Not checking destination import rules, so goods get stuck at customs.
• Accepting orders larger than you can produce, then missing deadlines.

Selling well in Thailand is not the end. Start with one market, small orders, and learn from every shipment.

Where to start: a 90-day plan

1. Days 1 to 15: choose 1 to 3 products with clear strengths and 1 first market.
2. Days 16 to 30: check import rules and required documents; calculate an export price covering all costs.
3. Days 31 to 60: create an English catalogue, list on a marketplace or open a social channel, and talk to an international freight forwarder.
4. Days 61 to 90: take small trial orders, record real costs and problems, then adjust before expanding.

Government agencies such as the Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP) and the Department of Foreign Trade offer information and services for exporters. Ask them or a specialist about duties and regulations before shipping for real.

Courses on Plants.work Learn to build your foundation: Export basics for Thai SMEs, Selling on Alibaba.com for beginners and Entering the Chinese market online for Thai brands. If your business needs people to help with exporting, post a job at Plants.work for employers.