How to expand business to Europe

Poshsalt

Hi,

Ive had a business now for 3 years, I own all the copyrights and trademarks. I cant see this product sold in Europe and wondered how would I find franchieees or break into Europe. I can't sell the product the postage out weights the profit so I'd need someone in that country to sell.

Also would a trademark registered in UK hold up in Europe.

Regards

tightauldgit

What kind of product is it? And who would buy it? 

If its a consumer product then probably the easiest way would be to see if you can find retailers in your target country willing to sell it. Then you sell wholesale to them.

Thanks to Brexit, no your UK trademark won't hold up in Europe - unless it was an EU trademark to begin with?

Poshsalt

tightauldgit said:

What kind of product is it? And who would buy it? 

If its a consumer product then probably the easiest way would be to see if you can find retailers in your target country willing to sell it. Then you sell wholesale to them.

Thanks to Brexit, no your UK trademark won't hold up in Europe - unless it was an EU trademark to begin with?

Oh thats interesting, so how do I get a EU trademark?

Just looked £850 to register wow.

martindow

Since Brexit my European sales have fallen off a cliff.  Potential customers have read enough about delays and extra costs being charged by carriers to be very wary - and I don't blame them.

Retailers are also likely to hesitate before ordering from the UK for the same reasons.  Unless your products are not available from a EU source I don't think your chances are very good.

macman

Unless your product is unique and in demand, them I can't think of any reason now why either a retailer or wholesaler in the EU would buy from outside the EU.
As a UK resident, would you buy something from outside the EU if it were also available here? I think not.
I suspect that in future the only way to make this work is to have an actual physical and fiscal status in the EU as well, which will only work if you are trading at sufficient volume to support such an operation. We don't know how big your business is.

tightauldgit

Poshsalt said:

tightauldgit said:

What kind of product is it? And who would buy it? 

If its a consumer product then probably the easiest way would be to see if you can find retailers in your target country willing to sell it. Then you sell wholesale to them.

Thanks to Brexit, no your UK trademark won't hold up in Europe - unless it was an EU trademark to begin with?

Oh thats interesting, so how do I get a EU trademark?

Just looked £850 to register wow.

You have to apply for a trademark in every territory that you want it to apply to. As you have seen it can be an expensive process and often not worth it unless you have something truly valuable.

Poshsalt

tightauldgit said:

Poshsalt said:

tightauldgit said:

What kind of product is it? And who would buy it? 

If its a consumer product then probably the easiest way would be to see if you can find retailers in your target country willing to sell it. Then you sell wholesale to them.

Thanks to Brexit, no your UK trademark won't hold up in Europe - unless it was an EU trademark to begin with?

Oh thats interesting, so how do I get a EU trademark?

Just looked £850 to register wow.

You have to apply for a trademark in every territory that you want it to apply to. As you have seen it can be an expensive process and often not worth it unless you have something truly valuable.

When you say every terriory you mean EU or like France, Spain, Germany etc

[Deleted User]

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=move+your+business+to+the+netherlands&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-gb&client=safari

sad to hear of another British business needing to create jobs abroad rather than here, but I guess those that voted for it must be happy.