09-3-2785 Purchaser questionnaire

OMB No. 3117-0016/USITC No. 09-3-2784; Expiration Date: 6/30/2011
(No response is required if currently valid OMB control number is not displayed)

U.S. PURCHASERS’ QUESTIONNAIRE
COMMODITY MATCHBOOKS FROM INDIA

This questionnaire must be received by the Commission by no later than September 1, 2009
See page 4 of the Instruction Booklet for filing instructions.
The information called for in this questionnaire is for use by the United States International Trade Commission in
connection with its countervailing duty and antidumping investigations concerning commodity matchbooks from India
(inv. Nos. 701-TA-459 and 731-TA-1155 (Final)). The information requested in the questionnaire is requested under the
authority of the Tariff Act of 1930, title VII. This report is mandatory and failure to reply as directed can result in a
subpoena or other order to compel the submission of records or information in your possession (19 U.S.C. § 1333(a)).
Further information on this questionnaire can be obtained from Amelia Preece (202-205-3250, [email protected]).

Name of firm
Address
State

City

Zip Code

World Wide Web address
Has your firm purchased matchbooks (either commodity or promotional, as defined in the instruction booklet)
from any source at any time since January 1, 2006?

NO

(Sign the certification below and promptly return only this page of the questionnaire to the Commission)

YES

(Read the instruction booklet carefully, complete all parts of the questionnaire, and return the entire
questionnaire to the Commission so as to be received by the date indicated above)

CERTIFICATION
I certify that the information herein supplied in response to this questionnaire is complete and correct to the best of my knowledge
and belief and understand that the information submitted is subject to audit and verification by the Commission.
By submitting this certification I also grant consent for the Commission, and its employees and contract personnel, to use the
information provided in this questionnaire and throughout these investigations in any other import-injury investigations conducted
by the Commission on the same or similar merchandise.
I acknowledge that information submitted in this questionnaire response and throughout these investigations may be used by the
Commission, its employees, and contract personnel who are acting in the capacity of Commission employees, for developing or
maintaining the records of these investigations or related proceedings for which this information is submitted, or in internal audits
and investigations relating to the programs and operations of the Commission pursuant to 5 U.S.C. Appendix 3. I understand that
all contract personnel will sign non-disclosure agreements.

Name of Authorized Official

Title of Authorized Official

Date

Signature

Phone: (
Fax ( )

E-mail address

)

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Commodity Matchbooks

Page 2

PART I.—GENERAL INFORMATION
The questions in this questionnaire have been reviewed with market participants to ensure that issues of
concern are adequately addressed and that data requests are sufficient, meaningful, and as limited as
possible. Public reporting burden for this questionnaire is estimated to average 25 hours per response,
including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering the data needed,
and completing and reviewing the questionnaire. Send comments regarding the accuracy of this burden
estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing the
burden, to the Office of Investigations, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street, SW,
Washington, DC 20436.
I-1a.

Please report below the actual number of hours required and the cost to your firm of preparing the
reply to this questionnaire and completing the form.
hours

dollars

I-1b.

We are interested in any comments you may have for improving this questionnaire in general or
the clarity of specific questions. Please attach such comments to your response or send them to
the above address.

I-2.

Provide the name and address of establishment(s) covered by this questionnaire (see page 3 of the
instruction booklet for reporting guidelines). If your firm is publicly traded, please specify the
stock exchange and trading symbol.

I-3.

Is your firm owned, in whole or in part, by any other firm?
No

Firm name

Yes--List the following information.

Address

Extent of
ownership

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Commodity Matchbooks

Page 3

PART I.--GENERAL INFORMATION--Continued
I-4.

Does your firm have any related firms, either domestic or foreign, which are engaged in
importing commodity matchbooks from India into the United States or which are engaged in
exporting commodity matchbooks from India to the United States?
No
Firm name

I-5.

Yes--List the following information
Address

Affiliation

Does your firm have any related firms, either domestic or foreign, which are engaged in the
production of commodity matchbooks?
No
Firm name

Yes--List the following information
Address

Affiliation

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Commodity Matchbooks

Page 4

PART II.--PURCHASES
II-1.

Who should be contacted regarding the requested purchase information?
Company contact:
Name and title
(
)
Phone number

II-2a.

E-mail address

Report, as indicated below, your firm’s purchases (either directly or through a sales agent or
broker) of commodity matchbooks. Report based on delivery date, not order date.
(Quantity in number of cases, value in $1,000)

Item
Purchases of product produced in
the United States:
Quantity
Value
Purchases of product produced in
India:
Quantity
Value
Purchases of product produced in all
other countries:1
Quantity
Value
1
Please identify these countries:

2006

2007

2008

Jan.-June
2009

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Commodity Matchbooks

Page 5

PART II.--PURCHASES--Continued
II-2b.

Report, as indicated below, your firm’s purchases (either directly or through a sales agent or
broker) of promotional matchbooks. Report based on delivery date, not order date.
(Quantity in number of cases, value in $1,000)

Item
Purchases of product produced in
the United States:
Quantity
Value
Purchases of product produced in
India:
Quantity
Value
Purchases of product produced in all
other countries:1
Quantity
Value
1
Please identify these countries:

2006

2007

2008

Jan.-June
2009

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Commodity Matchbooks

Page 6

PART II.--PURCHASES--Continued
II-3.

If the relative shares of your firm’s total purchases of commodity matchbooks from different
sources (both domestic and foreign) have changed in the last three years, please list the country,
state whether the relative share from that country has increased or decreased, and state the reason.
Country

II-4.

Reason

Did your firm purchase commodity matchbooks from only one country?
No

II-5.

Increase/decrease

Yes-- Please explain the reasons for doing so.

If commodity matchbooks that your firm purchases were unavailable from India, would your
firm:
Purchase less commodity matchbooks overall:

Yes

No

Purchase more commodity matchbooks from U.S. producers:

Yes

No

Purchase more commodity matchbooks from countries
other than India or the United States:

Yes

No

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Commodity Matchbooks

Page 7

PART III.--MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES
III-1.

Who should be contacted regarding the requested information on market characteristics and
purchasing practices?
Company contact:
Name and title
(
)
Phone number

III-2.

III-3.

E-mail address

Which of the following best describes your firm as a purchaser of commodity matchbooks (check
all that apply, noting the specific end uses if known)?
Distributor (

)

Retailer (

)

Restaurant (

)

Other (

)

(a) If your firm is a distributor or reseller of commodity matchbooks, what are the major types of
consumers to which you sell commodity matchbooks?

(b) Do you compete for sales to your customers with the manufacturers or importers from which
you purchase commodity matchbooks?

III-4.

Has the demand for commodity matchbooks changed since January 1, 2006?
Increased

No change

Decreased

Fluctuated

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Commodity Matchbooks

Page 8

PART III.--MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES--Continued
III-5.

Please comment on the extent to which declining demand for commodity matchbooks is
attributable to the use of lighters instead of a decline in the rate of smoking.

III-6.

(a)

Is the commodity matchbooks market subject to business cycles or conditions of
competition distinctive to commodity matchbooks?
No

(b)

Yes--Please explain and provide estimates of the duration of any such
cycle.

Has the emergence of new markets or special business events for commodity matchbooks
since 2006 affected the business cycles or conditions of competition distinctive to
commodity matchbooks?
No

Yes--Please explain any such changes.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Commodity Matchbooks

Page 9

PART III.--MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES--Continued
III-7.

Did your firm change the amounts of its purchases (or do you plan to change the amounts of your
purchases) of commodity matchbooks produced in India because of the filing of the petition in
these investigations?
No

III-8.

Yes-- Supply specific details as to the time, nature, and amounts of any such
changes in purchases, also indicating whether any increases in such purchases
replaced or will replace (or whether any decreases in such purchases were
replaced by or will be replaced by) product produced in the United States and/or
in countries other than India or the United States.

Did your firm change the amounts of its purchases (or do you plan to change the amounts of your
purchases) of commodity matchbooks produced in India because of the Department of
Commerce’s preliminary determinations of subsidies or sales at less than fair value?
No

Yes-- Supply specific details as to the time, nature, and amounts of any such
changes in purchases, also indicating whether any increases in such purchases
replaced or will replace (or whether any decreases in such purchases were
replaced by or will be replaced by) product produced in the United States and/or
in countries other than India or the United States.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Commodity Matchbooks

Page 10

PART III.--MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES--Continued
III-9.

(a)

Can other products be substituted for commodity matchbooks?
No

Yes--Please list these substitute products in order of importance.

(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(b)

Have changes in the prices of these products affected the price for commodity
matchbooks?
No

Yes

III-10. Are you aware whether the commodity matchbooks you are purchasing are U.S.-produced or
imported?
Always

Usually

Sometimes

Never

III-11. Do you know the manufacturer of the commodity matchbooks that you purchase?
Always

Usually

Sometimes

Never

III-12. To your knowledge, are your buyers aware of and/or interested in the country of origin of the
goods you supply them?
Always

Usually

Sometimes

Never

III-13. Have you made significant changes in your purchasing patterns (e.g., frequency) in the last three
years?
No

Yes-- Please describe.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Commodity Matchbooks

Page 11

PART III.--MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES--Continued
III-14 If you are a purchaser of promotional matchbooks, please estimate the proportions of such
matchbooks that are:
Preserved by collectors
Used and discarded
Total

100%

III-15. How many suppliers do you generally contact before making a purchase?

III-16. Have you changed suppliers since January 1, 2006?
No

Yes--Please list the suppliers, indicate whether each firm was added or
dropped as a supplier, and give the reasons for the change.

III-17. Are you aware of any new suppliers, either foreign or domestic, that have entered the market in
the last 3 years?
No

Yes--Please identify the firms.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Commodity Matchbooks

Page 12

PART III.--MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES--Continued
III-18. (a)

For the factors listed below, please rate each in terms of its importance in your purchase
decision for commodity matchbooks.
VERY
IMPORTANT

Availability .....................................
Delivery terms.................................
Delivery time ..................................
Discounts offered ............................
Extension of credit ..........................
Price ................................................
Minimum qty requirements.............
Packaging........................................
Product consistency ........................
Quality meets industry standards ....
Quality exceeds industry standards.
Product range ..................................
Product traceability .........................
Reliability of supply........................
Technical support/service ...............
U.S. transportation costs .................
Warranties and assurances ..............
Other (specify):
........
........
........

SOMEWHAT
IMPORTANT

NOT
IMPORTANT

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Commodity Matchbooks

Page 13

PART III.--MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES--Continued
III-18. (b)

Please list, in order of their importance, the three major factors generally considered by
your firm in deciding from whom to purchase commodity matchbooks for any one order
(examples include current availability, extension of credit, prearranged contracts, price,
quality exceeding specifications or industry standards, range of supplier’s product line,
traditional supplier, etc.).
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
Other factors or comments:

III-19. What characteristics does your firm consider when determining the quality of commodity
matchbooks?

III-20. How often does your firm purchase the commodity matchbooks that is offered at the lowest
price?
Always

Usually

Sometimes

Never

III-21. Please list the names of any firms you considered price leaders in the commodity matchbooks
market during January 2006-June 2009. A price leader is defined as (1) one or more firms that
initiate a price change, either upward or downward, that is followed by other firms, or (2) one or
more firms that have a significant impact on prices. A price leader does not necessarily have to
be the lowest priced supplier. For those firms identified as a price leader, please specify the time
period in which a price change was communicated, whether the price change was upward or
downward, and whether it covered a specific geographic region or a specific product type.

III-22. Please describe how the above firm(s) exhibited price leadership.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Commodity Matchbooks

Page 14

PART IV.—COMMODITY MATCHBOOKS COMPARISONS
IV-1.

Who should be contacted regarding the requested information on product comparisons?
Company contact:
Name and title
(
)
Phone number

IV-2.

E-mail address

Please indicate the countries of origin for commodity matchbooks for which your firm has actual
marketing/pricing knowledge.
United States
India
Other countries (Please specify:

IV-3.

)

Are commodity matchbooks produced in the United States and in other countries interchangeable
(i.e., can they physically be used in the same applications)? Please indicate below, using “A” to
indicate that the products from a specified country-pair are always interchangeable, “F” to
indicate that the products are frequently interchangeable, “S” to indicate that the products are
sometimes interchangeable, “N” to indicate that the products are never interchangeable, and “0”
to indicate no familiarity with products from a specified country-pair.1
Country-pair

United States

India

Other countries

United States

India
1
For any country-pair producing commodity matchbooks which is sometimes or never interchangeable,
please explain the factors that limit or preclude interchangeable use:

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Commodity Matchbooks

Page 15

PART IV.--COMMODITY MATCHBOOKS COMPARISONS--Continued
IV-4.

Do you or your customers ever specifically order commodity matchbooks from one country in
particular over other possible sources of supply?
No

IV-5.

Are certain types/sizes of commodity matchbooks available from only a single source (domestic
or foreign, including both subject and nonsubject countries)?
No

IV-6.

Yes--Please identify all relevant countries (including the United States and
both subject and nonsubject foreign countries) from which you or your
customers prefer to order, and indicate why commodity matchbooks from
these countries is preferred over product from other countries (please note
the specific product in your response).

Yes--Please identify the source and the grade/type/size.

If you purchased commodity matchbooks from one source although a comparable product was
available from another source at a lower price, please explain your reasons for doing so (please
specify by country, including the United States and both subject and nonsubject foreign
countries). Possibilities might include transaction characteristics such as length of time to fill
orders, minimum order size, reliability of supply, etc.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Commodity Matchbooks

Page 16

PART IV.--COMMODITY MATCHBOOKS COMPARISONS--Continued
For the factors listed below, please rate how commodity matchbooks produced in each country
you identified in your response to the first question in Part IV compares with commodity
matchbooks produced in each of the other countries you identified (including the United States
and both subject and nonsubject foreign countries). Please type an “X” for each quality in each
product comparison indicating whether the product from the first source is superior, comparable,
or inferior compared with the product from the second source.

Availability ...............................................
Delivery terms .........................................
Delivery time ...........................................
Discounts offered ....................................
Extension of credit...................................
Lower price..............................................
Minimum quantity requirements..............
Packaging................................................
Product consistency ................................
Quality meets industry standards............
Quality exceeds industry standards ........
Product range..........................................
Reliability of supply .................................
Technical support/service .......................
Lower U.S. transportation costs..............
Other (specify):

Inferior

Comparable

Product from
India
compared to
product from
Other countries

Superior

Inferior

Product from
United States
compared to
product from
Other countries
Comparable

Inferior

Comparable

Quality

Superior

Product from
United States
compared to
product from
India

Superior

IV-7.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Commodity Matchbooks

Page 17

PART IV.--COMMODITY MATCHBOOKS COMPARISONS--Continued
IV-8.

(a)

How often do domestically produced commodity matchbooks meet minimum quality
specifications for your uses or your customers’ uses?
Always

(b)

Usually

Sometimes

Never

How often do imported subject commodity matchbooks meet minimum quality
specifications for your uses or your customers’ uses?
India
Always

(c)

Usually

Sometimes

Never

How often do imported nonsubject commodity matchbooks meet minimum quality
specifications for your uses or your customers’ uses?
From:
Always

Usually

Sometimes

Never

Usually

Sometimes

Never

Usually

Sometimes

Never

Usually

Sometimes

Never

From:
Always
From:
Always
From:
Always

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Commodity Matchbooks

Page 18

PART V.—SUPPLIER IDENTIFICATION
V-1.

No.

1

2

3

4

5

Please provide the names and addresses of your firm’s five largest suppliers of commodity
matchbooks purchased during 2006-09. Please also provide the name and telephone number of a
contact person and the share of the quantity of your firm’s total purchases of commodity
matchbooks that each of these suppliers accounted for in 2008.

Supplier’s name

Street address (not P.O.
box), city, state, and zip
code

Contact person

Area
code and
telephone
number

Share of
2008
purchases
(%)