What is import export data?
Import export data is the record of goods crossing borders: who shipped what, to whom, when, and in what quantity. It comes from customs declarations and shipping documents such as bills of lading. Exporters use it to find companies that already import their product, to size a market, and to see which countries those buyers source from today.
There are three kinds, and they answer different questions:
| TYPE | WHAT IT SHOWS | BEST FOR |
|---|---|---|
| Shipment-level customs data (bills of lading) | Each shipment: importer, exporter, product description, HS code, quantity, ports, date | Finding named importers and their suppliers |
| Detailed customs data | Declarations with values and quantities, sometimes without company names | Prices and volumes in a market |
| Statistical trade data | Totals by country and HS code, no company names | Market size and trends |
What you can see in Xporta
Importer data
The companies importing your product into a country.
Shipment data
How often they import, and in what volume, month by month.
Origin countries
Where they buy from today, so you know who you compete with.
Customs data
Records from customs sources for 100+ countries, covering the last 24 months.
How to find importers of your product, step by step
- Find your HS code. Use the 6-digit code from your shipping bill or the national tariff. "Cotton terry towels" is 630260; "other cotton bed linen" is 630231. The first six digits are the same in every country.
- Choose the market. Start with countries that import a lot of your product and where your price fits.
- Search the data. Ask Xporta "who imports [product or HS code] into [country]". The headline count is free.
- Read the pattern. Regular monthly shipments mean an active buyer. One shipment two years ago means a test that probably ended.
- Check the origin countries. An importer buying from Pakistan and China already sources from Asia, so an Indian supplier is an easy conversation.
- Find the person who decides and write to them. This is the step most data tools leave to you.
How to read a shipment record
A US bill of lading line usually shows the consignee (importer), the shipper, a product description, an HS code where declared, the weight, the number of packages, the port of lading and arrival, and the date. Watch for two traps: the consignee is sometimes a freight forwarder or logistics company rather than the real buyer, and product descriptions are free text, so search with several wordings.
Free import export data, and its limits
Government portals publish free statistics. In India, the Department of Commerce's TradeStat and the Indian Trade Portal show exports and tariffs by HS code and country. UN Comtrade and ITC Trade Map show world trade by country. These are excellent for market size, but they never name companies. For named importers you need shipment-level data, which is where tools such as Xporta, Volza, Export Genius or Eximpedia come in. We compare them in the best import export data tools in India.
Pricing
| WHAT YOU GET | PRICE |
|---|---|
| Data headlines, such as how many importers buy your product in a country | Free |
| Import records for one company | $0.10 |
| Full 24-month import history for one company | $0.20 |
| On a paid plan | Included in your usage |
No yearly subscription is needed. Compare with yearly data plans in Volza alternative, Export Genius vs Xporta and Eximpedia vs Xporta.
From data to buyers
Data tells you who imports. Your agent then finds the person who decides at each importer, with a verified email and LinkedIn profile, writes to them for your approval and follows up. Not every good buyer appears in customs data, because many retailers buy through importers, so Xporta also researches company websites to find buyers the data misses. See how to find buyers for export.
Five ways exporters use trade data
- Find new buyers. List every company importing your HS code into a market, then shortlist the regular importers.
- Check a buyer before you quote. A buyer who claims big volumes but shows two small shipments a year is worth a closer look before you offer credit.
- Benchmark your price. Where values are declared, compare unit prices by origin country to see whether you are in range.
- Watch competitors. See which importers your competitors ship to, and how often, so you know where they are strong.
- Choose your next market. Compare how much each country imports of your product, and how fast that is growing, before you spend on a trade show there.
Why some countries name companies and others do not
Coverage depends on what each customs authority publishes. United States bills of lading for sea freight name the importer, which is why US data is widely used to find buyers; air shipments are not in it. Several Latin American and Asian countries publish detailed declarations with company names. The European Union publishes statistics by product and country but not company names. That is why a good tool mixes customs records with company research: when a market's data has no names, the buyers still have websites, catalogues and LinkedIn pages. Xporta does not sell India's own customs or shipment data.
HS codes in one minute
The Harmonized System gives every traded product a code. The first 2 digits are the chapter (63 is "other made-up textile articles"), the first 4 the heading (6302 is "bed linen, table linen, toilet linen and kitchen linen"), and the first 6 the subheading, which is the same in every country. Countries then add their own digits: India uses 8, the US 10. Search trade data with the 6-digit code to compare markets, and try the next code up or down if your product could be classified two ways.
Questions
What is import export data?
Is there free import export data?
Which countries are covered?
Do I need a yearly subscription?
Can I search by HS code?
Does import data show the buyer’s email?