Discusses the state of direct marketing and what channels are available for companies to use direct marketing
Last Published: 7/12/2019

The biggest markets for foreign products and services are Santa Cruz, La Paz, Cochabamba, and El Alto.  The rest of the departmental capitals in Bolivia are also important, but the market share and size in these cities are smaller.

Catalog and online sales are not generally used by the average Bolivian consumer, but such sales are growing rapidly among the middle to upper classes, young teens, and internet users.  The cosmetics and clothing sectors have grown because of the success of catalog sales among the middle and lower classes of Bolivian consumers.  However, other sectors have not been successful with this type of marketing, largely because there is a high degree of suspicion regarding the quality of products and difficulty in obtaining warranty support.

Many Bolivian consumers prefer to browse in shops instead of purchasing goods through catalogs or online.  Shopping in stores gives consumers the opportunity to bargain for lower prices, a common practice in Bolivia.  Customers also prefer stores that can provide after sales service or address problems that might arise.  The exchange of products in Bolivia is complex due to the Value Added Tax (Impuesto al Valor Agregado, IVA).  Most store policies will provide store credit, rather than cash refunds.

Commercial information can be obtained through local chambers of commerce, local trade associations, and the U.S. Embassy’s Commercial Office.
 

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.