How to Find Distributors Abroad: A Practical Guide

The terms are often used loosely, but they describe different relationships in terms of contract, price and risk. Knowing which one you want changes your first message.

Distributor

Buys from you on its own account, holds stock and resells to its own customers at its own prices. It carries the stock and credit risk and often handles importing, local registration and after-sales service.

Commercial agent

Finds customers and negotiates sales in your name without owning the goods. The sales contract is between you and the customer; the agent earns commission.

Dealer

Usually sells to end users or retailers in a defined area, often buying from a distributor. In large markets a distributor may run a dealer network.

Importer

Clears goods through customs in its own name. Most distributors are also importers, but not every importer markets your brand; some only trade.

As a rule of thumb: products that need stock, credit and local service (machinery, medical devices, building products) tend to go through distributors; project business and high-value sales often suit agents; consumer-facing products usually need a distributor with a dealer network.

An exhibitor list shows the companies with a stand. Some distributors exhibit with the brands they represent; others attend only as visitors and never appear on the list. The list is therefore not the only source for a distributor search, but it is one of the fastest places to start. Look for these signs:

• A multi-brand stand: a company showing several foreign brands rather than its own products is probably a distributor. Its website will have a page such as “our brands” or “authorised distributor”.
• Name and description: words such as trading, distribution, import, supply or Handel often point to a trading company. This is a hint, not proof; check the website.
• National and regional fairs: fairs held in the target country for its home market tend to have more local trading companies among the exhibitors. The largest international fairs are dominated by manufacturers.
• Country pavilions: companies in a national pavilion are usually manufacturers from that country, so they are competitors looking for distributors, not distributors. They still show which supplier countries are targeting the market.
• Competitors' distributor pages: manufacturers on the list often publish a country-by-country distributor page. A competitor's distributor may not take you on, but the page maps the trading companies in that market.

A few clear criteria turn a long list of candidates into a shortlist worth meeting.

These criteria are a practical checklist; their weight varies by sector.

Keep the first message short: what you make, what kind of partner you want in which market and why you chose this company. A meeting request tied to the fair dates tends to get more replies; see our meeting request templates. In the meeting, ask:

• Which brands do you represent, and for how long have you worked with them?
• Which customer groups account for most of your sales? How many sales staff cover the territory?
• How do you launch a new brand: fairs, catalogues, field visits, online promotion?
• Do you hold stock? What are your usual payment terms and order sizes?
• If registration, certification or labelling is needed, who handles it and how long does it take?
• What sales would be realistic in the first year, and how should we measure them?

Within a week of the fair, send your notes, price list and the outline of the partnership you propose. For follow-up wording, see our trade fair follow-up guide.

Distribution and agency agreements are governed by different rules in each country. The points below are general information, not legal advice; before signing, consult a lawyer who knows the law that will govern the contract.

• Termination and compensation: in Great Britain, the Commercial Agents (Council Directive) Regulations 1993 give commercial agents a right to indemnity or compensation when the agency ends; EU countries have similar rules based on Directive 86/653/EEC. Some countries also protect distributors.
• Governing law and disputes: state which country's law applies and where disputes are resolved, in court or by arbitration.
• Local protective rules: in some countries, for example under registered commercial agency regimes in the Gulf, local law can make it hard to end the contract or change partner. Understand the consequences before registering.
• Trade marks and product registration: register your trade mark in the target country in your own name. If a registration or import licence will be held by the distributor, write down how it is transferred if the relationship ends.
• Payment and delivery: payment terms, security, delivery terms (Incoterms) and how price changes are handled.

Most distributors ask for territorial exclusivity, which is reasonable because they will invest in building your brand. The problem is exclusivity given without conditions or limits. Common traps:

• Too wide a territory: giving “all of Europe” or “the whole Middle East” to a company that is strong in one country can close the others for years.
• Exclusivity without targets: without minimum sales or order targets, exclusivity binds you even when nothing sells. State that exclusivity lapses if targets are missed.
• A long first term: a one or two year trial period in the first agreement is safer than a five year commitment.
• Vague scope: list which product groups and which channels (public tenders, online sales, major retail chains) the exclusivity covers.
• Passive sales in the EU: EU competition rules (Regulation 2022/720 on vertical agreements) generally do not allow a ban on passive sales, meaning unsolicited orders from customers in another territory, even when exclusivity is granted. Draft the agreement with this in mind.

The honest answer: an exhibitor list does not hand you a ready-made distributor list. It gives you the active companies in your product area that paid to exhibit that year: manufacturers, trading companies, distributors and service providers together. Sorting and checking them is your job. In return, two things are certain: the companies are active, and the fair dates give you a natural reason to ask for a meeting.

The table below is a selection of upcoming fairs in frequently targeted markets, with fairs that have a ready exhibitor list first. Across these ten markets our directory holds 508 upcoming fairs with confirmed dates, 42 of them with a ready list.

All fairs with a ready list are on the exhibitor lists page. Fairs by country: Germany, United States, United Kingdom, France, Netherlands, Italy, Poland, Spain, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia.

In Expomatik a fair's exhibitor list is opened in your account, where you can filter companies by country and sector and set potential distributors apart. Campaigns go to each company's general address and opens are not tracked; replies show the result. The price of a list is shown before you open it; see Pricing. Rules on emailing businesses differ by country, and in Germany marketing emails to businesses generally need prior consent; see Is It Legal to Email Trade Fair Exhibitors? To look inside the lists, create a free account.

What is the difference between a distributor and an agent?

A distributor buys your product on its own account, holds stock and resells at its own price, carrying the credit risk. An agent finds customers and negotiates sales in your name without owning the goods and earns commission. The difference affects pricing, risk and what may be owed when the contract ends.

Are distributors on trade fair exhibitor lists?

Some are. A share of distributors exhibit with the brands they represent, especially at national and regional fairs. Many others attend only as visitors and do not appear on the list. The list also shows which manufacturers are entering the market, which helps you map its trading companies.

Should I grant exclusivity to my first distributor?

You do not have to. Many manufacturers start with a limited territory and a short trial period and tie exclusivity to measurable sales targets. If you grant it, set out the territory, term, targets and termination terms clearly, and take advice from a lawyer who knows the governing law.

Whose address does a campaign reach?

Expomatik campaigns go to each company's general contact address, such as info or sales. There is no targeting of named decision-makers. At small and mid-sized distributors these addresses often reach purchasing or management; ask for your message to be passed to the right person.