27 September 2008
Import Genius allows you track your competitors via their shipment records
Posted by Roger under: Highlites; Shipping & Ocean Freight .
Here is an interesting online startup which could be potentially useful in the trade wars and seems to be gaining some buzz. It’s an online service called ImportGenius (http://www.importgenius.com) which basically places US customs shipment records such as Bill of Ladings online into an indexed and searchable database which according to their website could be used to:
- Watch Competitors: Penetrate your competition. Analyze their import activity and identify their suppliers. Discover their new endeavors.
- Watch Suppliers: Monitor your suppliers by watching their inbound shipments. Identify threats and opportunities. Nab cheating factories.
Very interesting idea. Customs records are public record but apparently there is no easy method of searching them other then paying a lawyer to do so for you. Until now that is. More from their website:
“Imagine having unfettered access to your overseas supplier’s shipment data. You would know instantly if single-source agreements were being violated. Suppose you could receive a monthly, weekly, or daily report on your competitor’s incoming containers.”
According to an article in the washington post, companies have been using it to enforce copyright protection by hunting down the factory where the goods originated.
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One Comment so far...
Kevin Palmstein Says:
30 September 2008 at 4:47 pm.
This data is available to trade data providers from U.S. Customs and Border Protection through the Freedom of Information Act. CBP collects this data from the Automated Manifest System, importers are required to electronically transmit manifest information 24 hours before their products depart for the United States. They then release the information to providers of the data after the products enter the United States. This does make the information near real-time, but it is not a live feed and will not show shipments that are currently on the water.
While there are the competitive intelligence uses for this information, thousands of companies rely on this information as a daily business tool. Transportation service providers find new customers and educate themselves on their customers’ supply chains. Sourcing departments research suppliers and monitor exclusive distribution agreements. Brand owners proactively protect their trademarks and copyrights by looking at the counterfeiters’ Bills of Lading. Finally, economists and business analysts derive valuable forecasts and market assessments.
Check out a sample of the information that is provided at http://www.zepol.com/CASE-STUDY/Zepol-Bill-of-Lading-Sample.pdf
Import Genius is a new provider; several other companies have been providing this data for years and have built advanced databases to meet their customers’ specific needs. Our company, Zepol Corporation, has provided U.S. Customs and Border Protection data for more than 5 years. We have hundreds of customers ranging from the Fortune 500 to small and midsized importers. Visit http://www.zepol.com to try our free trial.
