Evidence suggests that firms in poor countries stagnate because they cannot access growth-conducive markets. We hypothesize that overlooked heterogeneity in marketing ability distorts market access. To investigate, we gave a random subset of Liberian firms vouchers for a week-long program that teaches how to sell to corporations, governments, and other large buyers. Firms that participate win about three times as many contracts, but only firms with access to the Internet benefit. We use a simple model and variation in online and offline demand to show evidence that this is because ICT dampens traditional information frictions, but not marketing barriers.

Customs fraud and informal trade have grown exponentially in Tunisia in recent years. Several studies have been conducted to try to identify the sources of this phenomenon and to estimate its scale. Customs bonded warehouses (magasins et aires de dédouanement – MAD) are suspected to be major sources of goods for this parallel trade sector. In this article, two approaches have been used to identify and quantify the fraud risks in these facilities. The first approach is based on interviews and observations in the field and the second is based on statistical analysis that uses the customs value density of goods sold on informal markets as an explanatory variable. Undervaluing goods leads to revenue losses estimated at more than USD 150 million per year. Several deficiencies have been identified as potential sources of fraud and the inspection and monitoring system needs to be amended.

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