OVERSEA TRADE.

Press, Volume L, Issue 15121, 10 November 1914, Page 8

OVERSEA TRADE.

BRITISH LACK OF ENTERPRISE.

(FROM Otm OWN COnBESFONDENT.) LONDON", September 30. *Mr Austin Wilson (Hull and Barnsley Railway) says in a letter to the Newcastle "Chronicle" that he has recently returned from a business tour through New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa. As our manufacturers are now ■ taking steps to capture the overseas trade previously in the hands of German, manufacturers, Mr Wilson details some of the points, which from his own-experience may be considered of importance. .Mr Wilson says:— "I 'was met everywhere with the cry that German firms were more enterprising, moro anxious to study their clients' requirements, than British firms. They were at all times prepared to specialise for any particular market, while British houses adopt generally a cast-iron attitude, and only supply their standard articles. "His Majesty's Trade Commissioners, I am sure, could supply; innumerable instances . of trade lost by • this ooutttry owing to this cause alone. ,

_ -'Then,- again, comparatively few British . firms send representatives out to our oversea Dominions. It , is quite common, for instance, in any large centre in Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa to find one firm representing from six to thirty different British houses, and representing them quite inadequately, .especially where distances are so great. ■ ■ "ALso, German firms were • always prepared to quote prices 'delivered,' while British firms very frequently quote 'f.o.b. U.K. port,' and the buyer does not know the actual cost of the goods until they reach him.. Hβ consequently cannot forward sales with any degree of. confidence. This question of quoting 'f.o.b. U.K. port' is very gene•raJ, and British firms , unnecessarily handicap themselves thereby. For instance, Glasgow and Yorkshire firms c&uld quote cheaper prices 'f.o.b. Humbef ports/ biit in very few instances do they take advantage of their, geographical position. ■ . "One of the largest foreign buyers in London told mc some time ago of a largo contract placed' in Glasgow. He offered to arrange shipment from Glasgow Docks if the makers would give him somo ; allowance, but they stated their price was 'f.o.b. U.K. port,' and they could not make any allowance even if. shipped from Glasgow: Hfe therefore ordered tho whole oE- tho goods to London, and the makers had to pay .1 largo amount por ton more than if they had delivered 'f.o.b.' Glasgow.' 11 have come across hundreds of similar in--1 stances. In fact, any buying firm doing a largo oversea business- will be able to confirm my statements. ' "These are only one or two instances of how British firms handicap' themselves m the competition for "oversea business, but 1 think any unbiased person will consider they are of sufficient importance- to call'for the attention of thoso directly interested. Briefly stated, the loss of trade in the past is largely owjng to the carelessness and lack of enterprise of British firms, and though we may regain a cood deal of lost ground as a result of the war, it cannot be too strongly urged that commercial Britain must 'wake up' and pay more attention to the methods of -thpir competitors if they liono to maintain a pre-eminent position."