Methodology · April 14, 2026

The most valuable signal in customs data: a buyer with multiple suppliers

One data pattern predicts a new supplier's success better than anything else. We explain how we measure it and why it works.

Two types of buyers

Two clear profiles emerge in import data. The first buys for years from one and the same supplier: the relationship is long, the prices are settled in and the pain of switching is high. The second splits its orders among two to four suppliers, often from different countries.

Convincing the first type of buyer takes years. For the second type of buyer you are simply the next candidate on a list they have to consider anyway: comparing suppliers is their very business strategy.

How we see it

Our system counts, for each U.S. importer, how many European suppliers and how many countries lie behind their shipments in the most recent period. If there are two or more and the buyer has been active in recent months, they get a star: probably open to new suppliers.

This is not theory. The number of suppliers is a behavioral fact, not a survey answer. A company that already buys from both Latvia and Poland today will compare offers tomorrow as well.

Could your product sell in the USA?The first consultation is free: we show the real import numbers for your category and a few sample buyers.

How to use it

If your sales resource is limited, and for a small producer it always is, direct it to the starred buyers. The same effort, many times higher hit probability. Ask us for the list of starred buyers in your category and compare it yourself with your current targeting.

Let's talk about your export plan

The first consultation is free: together we'll see who in the US already buys your product and how to reach them.