Italy - Selling Factors and Techniques Italy - Selling Factors
A number of U.S. firms maintain their own sales organizations in Italy. Others sell through specialized importers or appoint sales agents who often are manufacturers' brokers. A large, well-established Italian firm with an efficient nationwide sales organization is likely to insist on an exclusive arrangement. About 1,800 U.S. firms are represented in the Italian market through agents, branches, subsidiaries, or licenses. Of these, about half have a substantial direct capital investment in the form of stock as a sole owner or partner in an enterprise. Generally, the sales territory includes all of Italy. In other cases, the territory also covers all or part of the European Union, depending on the type of product and degree of technical support needed. Italian distributors tend to have excellent contacts within Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean Basin.
Prepared by our U.S. Embassies abroad. With its network of 108 offices across the United States and in more than 75 countries, the U.S. Commercial Service of the U.S. Department of Commerce utilizes its global presence and international marketing expertise to help U.S. companies sell their products and services worldwide. Locate the U.S. Commercial Service trade specialist in the U.S. nearest you by visiting http://export.gov/usoffices.