The table olive industry plays an important role in international trade. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the preferences of exporters about carrier attributes. Specifically, this study tries to identify the carrier profile preferred by exporters of table olive. The carrier profile is obtained using a methodology that is rarely used in this field: conjoint analysis. The choice of carrier is an important problem because there is a high heterogeneity in the transport service. This study, unlike most others, concentrates on one form of transport, that of the road, and on a concrete and peculiar product, the table olive. The results show that the most important attribute preferred by exporters of table olives is reliability, that is, the ability for make on-time deliveries. The second factor in order of important is the cost. On the other hand, the least valued factors are those associated with the image of the carrier, such as reputation and experience. The conclusions of this study try to contribute to the improvement of the carrier selection, focussing on the table olive industry.
