1. The product, country of export and market size are expressed in dollars. The product of choice to market is an electric starting component for outboard marine engines. The country of choice for export is Germany. The product is a fully assembled, self-contained unit that universally fits most battery-operated outboard marine engines. The manufacturing cost is $50.00 per unit with a 50% markup for a total selling price of $100.00 each. The product is manufactured in a local manufacturing facility in Madison, Wisconsin. According to the latest trade statistics, Germany imported US$299 million worth of outboard motors for marine propulsion in 2005. This figure represents an increase of 14.6% over the previous year. Of all the replacement components for an outboard motor, experience shows that electric starting is one of the most frequently needed and there is a market for it. I plan to initiate letters of credit for sales transactions, in addition to cashing out in advance with new customers, or a combination of both. Of course, credit checks will be carried out on companies wishing to purchase my product. I plan to contact the US Embassy in Germany and request credit information, as well as the freight forwarding company I intend to use for the transaction. A letter of credit is a binding document that guarantees payment to the seller for goods sold. This eliminates the risk of non-payment on the part of the buyer. The seller presents the required shipping documents to the bank which essentially confirms delivery of the goods. The seller's bank works with the buyer's bank to complete the cash transaction. A fee will be charged by both banks for this service, especially since the importer/buyer's bank bears the risk. If something goes wrong with the documentation and the exporter has already been paid, the importer is not obligated to pay the bank. The payment in advance option appeals to me because the cash transaction is completed before the goods are shipped. No risk is taken by the seller; only by the buyer.2. Import levels of the product into the country of your choice. General imports into Germany for the month of February 2002 of electrical equipment, appliances or components amounted to US$249.650 million, based on customs value. During the year ended 12/05, the total amount of imports was 625.