Research

KOTRA Export Promising Index Guide: A Compass for Global Market Entry

What Is the Export Promising Index?

The KOTRA Export Promising Index is a composite index developed by KOTRA to enable Korean exporters to objectively evaluate export potential by product and country. It is structured along three axes — Market Size, Growth Potential, and Competitiveness — with detailed indicators under each axis combined into a 0-100 point scale.

The Export Promising Index is a tool that transforms subjective market judgments into data-driven decision-making. It provides quantitative evidence for the question "Which country should I export this product to?" This guide covers the index's structure, application methods, and an analysis of promising products applied to the Bangladesh market.

3 axes
Evaluation Axes
Market size, growth, competitiveness
12
Detailed Indicators
4 per axis
0-100
Score Range
Composite index
80+
Countries Evaluated
Major export markets
1,200
Products Evaluated
HS 4-digit level
Quarterly
Data Updates
UN Comtrade
15
Bangladesh Promising Items
Score 70+ products
5,000+
User Companies
Annual users

Three-Axis Evaluation Framework

The core of the Export Promising Index is a balanced evaluation across market size, growth potential, and competitiveness. A large market without growth is less attractive, and even a growing market is not a real opportunity without Korean product competitiveness. The three-axis simultaneous evaluation identifies market-product combinations with the highest actual export success probability.

Market Size (30 points)
Import VolumeAbsolute import value
Market ConcentrationHHI Index
Import DiversificationNumber of supplier countries
Korea AccessibilityLogistics & FTA
Growth Potential (35 points)
Import Growth Rate3-year CAGR
Economic GrowthGDP growth
Industrial TransitionStructural demand
Policy FriendlinessImport policy
Competitiveness (35 points)
Korean Market ShareCurrent share
Share Trend3-year change
Price CompetitivenessUnit price comparison
Technology DifferentiationQuality premium
Index Grade Classification
Grade A80-100 points
Grade B60-79 points
Grade C40-59 points
Grade D0-39 points

Bangladesh Promising Product Analysis

Applying the Export Promising Index to Bangladesh, 15 products scored 70 points or above (B+ grade). Electronics, medical devices, and cosmetics emerged as the top three product groups, representing the areas where Korean products have the strongest market entry prospects.

Bangladesh Export Promising Index: Top 15 Products
RankProductHS CodeMarket SizeGrowthCompetitivenessTotal
1Semiconductors/ICs854225323087
2Medical Devices (Ultrasound)901822303284
3Cosmetics (Skincare)330418333182
4Automobile Parts870824282779
5Plastic Raw Materials3901-0226272578
6Hot/Cold Rolled Steel7208-0928242476
7Synthetic Fiber Fabric540724262575
8Elevators842820302474
9Packaging Machinery842219282673
10LED Lighting940518292572

Practical Application Guide

01
Product Screening: Initial Target Selection
Identify the HS code of your products and check country-by-country scores in the Export Promising Index. Select countries scoring 70+ as primary targets. Bangladesh scored 70+ across 15 products, confirming it as a promising market.
02
Axis-by-Axis Strength/Weakness Analysis: Deriving Strategic Direction
Analyze scores by each of the three axes, not just the composite score. High growth + low competitiveness → price strategy focus. Large market + high competitiveness → market expansion strategy. Bangladesh predominantly shows "high growth + medium competitiveness," making quality differentiation the key.
03
Time Series Tracking: Trend Monitoring
Track quarterly index changes to detect market shifts early. Rising index products warrant preemptive entry; declining index products require cause analysis before strategy revision. In Bangladesh, cosmetics and medical device indices have been rising rapidly.
04
KOTRA Service Linkage: From Information to Execution
After selecting target markets via the Export Promising Index, connect to KOTRA follow-up services (paid research, buyer matching, exhibitions, export vouchers) for actual export conversion. A 3-step approach of index-based selection → paid research → buyer discovery is most effective.
Export Promising Index Application Process
Identify Product HS Code
Customs product classification
Query Index
KOTRA platform
Axis-level Analysis
Identify strength/weakness patterns
Market Selection
Target countries scoring 70+
Execution Linkage
KOTRA export support
Bangladesh Commodity DB Analysis: 17 Product Import-Export TrendsReview detailed import-export data for promising products
Korea-Bangladesh Trade Seasonality AnalysisIdentify optimal export timing for promising products

The Export Promising Index is a tool that transforms market selection from "intuition" to "data." Bangladesh scored 70 points or above across 15 products, confirming it as a promising market for Korean exporters. Using the index as a starting point, combining it with local market intelligence (KOTRA overseas market research, paid research) to develop actionable export strategies is the key to success.

Export Promising IndexKOTRAmarket sizegrowth potentialcompetitiveness assessment
KOTRA Export Promising Index Guide: A Compass for Global Market Entry | Dhaka Trade Portal