Positive Impact of ITC’s Market Analysis Tools
A recent user survey on the International Trade Centre (ITC) market analysis tools (MAT) has revealed their positive contribution towards ITC’s mandate: export impact for good.
The objective of the survey was tomonitor relevance, utilization and performance of the market analysis tools – Trade Map, Market Access Map, Investment Map and Product Map. The survey also aimed to provide insight into their impact and to obtain feedback for future improvements.
ITC Executive Director Patricia R. Francis said ‘The transparency of global trade and provision of market access information assist users to analyse their market position’.
Questionnaires were sent to users who had visited the websites of one or more tools at least twice. More than 60,000 e-mails were sent out with an answer rate of 7.5%. Universities and students represent 30% of MAT users, enterprises 28%, governments 17% and trade support institutions 9%.
Enterprises were asked a specific question about the size of turnover for which the MAT helped them make decisions. Their replies showed that the tools were of use to companies in coming to a decision for an import or export turnover of, on average, US$ 2 million.
The questionnaire also asked for examples of where MAT tools had an impact on the service delivered; survey respondents supplied more than 2,000 examples.
- A Cuban enterprise said: ‘We conducted a study of the Russian market for export of Cubita roasted and ground coffee beans. The tools that you offer have allowed us to understand the growth of coffee imports in Russia, their main suppliers, growth trends and import duty levels. This study culminated last February in a concrete order to the value of US $500,000’.
- A non-governmental organisation in Bhutan stated: ‘Whilst negotiating a bilateral trade agreement we used ITC’s market analysis online tools to identify 18 of the most recent products to enter the Bangladesh market, allowing us to ascertain the trade advantage for both countries’.
An average rating of 84/100 was given by users (excluding enterprises), when asked what influence the tools have had on the service they deliver. A 0 rating corresponded to a negative influence and 100 to a very positive influence. Enterprises were also satisfied with the MAT, rating the tools’ influence on their import or export activity at 73/100.
The survey results reveal that all the tools (Trade Map, Market Access Map, Investment Map and Product Map) are performing well, with Trade Map scoring highest, especially in terms of usefulness.
The survey results are available online on the MAT website at: www.intracen.org/marketanalysis
ITC works continually to improve the tools in order to better respond to users’ needs. For this reason, a new release of Market Access Map and a new tool on voluntary sustainability standards will be launched before the end of the year.
