Customs and Border Protection has a nice site that helps new importers and exporters understand how to start trading on the international stage. If you are just starting to move your business international, it is highly recommended to read the information on this site and the linked pages. This site provides specific tactical advice on how to begin importing and exporting.

CBP Tips for New Importers and Exporters

The other part of beginning to both import and export is understanding the market and environment which you are entering. Doing basic research into how much of the type of product you plan on trading is imported and exported and what related markets are growing can be the difference between a successful entry and a disaster. Zepol recommends trying trade data to do this research as it can give you specific information about product categories and different countries’ import and export profiles.

U.S. Census data, which Zepol’s TradeView provides, can quickly and easily help you identify the right markets to enter. U.S. Customs data, which Zepol’s TradeIQ exposes, can give you the specific company names for suppliers and U.S. importers in order to define the right partners to work with and fully understand the competitive landscape.

Visit www.zepol.com to receive a free trial or to participate in a demonstration of both of our trade data tools. We enjoy helping companies who are new to importing and exporting understand what they can do to make a successful entry into the international marketplace.