Take A Close Look At The Trade Data
The trade data provided in the tool is an average (usually over five years, but no less than three years), rather than annual data.
You’ll see data in the tool on:
- how much the market imported, on average, from the United States
- how much the market imported, on average, from the world
- the U.S. share of the market’s average imports
- where the U.S. ranks as an exporter of the products to the market
- the market’s import growth
- data on other top exporters of the product(s) to that market
However, the tool does not provide time series data (data for individual years), and the data in the tool is only at the six-digit subheading level. Fortunately, additional trade data can be easily obtained from a number of sources.
International Trade Data
- The tool uses foreign country import data from the United Nations Comtrade Database. This is data reported by the partner market on their imports of the products from the United States and other markets.
- While the data in the tool is presented in the aggregate as an average, time series data is available from the online Comtrade Database.
- Basic data is available without an account or subscription through Comtrade’s easy-to-use interface. Bulk downloads require a premium subscription.
- Please note that, although trade data in the tool is also from the UN Comtrade database, data may not match exactly between the database and the tool. Before the trade data is entered into the tool, our staff convert it to the correct HS nomenclature where needed. This is to make sure trade data is comparable across countries and across the five-year period currently used in the tool. More information on this is available on the “Indicators and Calculations” page.
U.S. Trade Data Resources
- The tool only includes data at the HS 6-digit or subheading level. More detailed, national line U.S. export data and state-level export data are available from several sources.
- If you have your full Schedule B number, which is the number used to classify your U.S. export data in the Electronic Export Information (EEI) system, you can use that to get more detailed U.S. export data.
- The USITC’s DataWeb includes the most detailed U.S. product-level export data. (Free account required)
- USA Trade Online from the U.S. Census Bureau also provides the most detailed U.S. product-level export data. It also includes state-level trade data by HS number (up to six digits) or NAICS code. (Free account required)
- TradeStats Express provides state-level trade data by product (NAICS 2 to 4-digit) and by partner in an easy-to-use interactive interface.
Get A Better Idea Of The Tariffs You Might Face
The Market Diversification Tool provides only the estimated average tariff for the six-digit HS subheading where your product is classified, not the actual national line tariff you would face in the market. If you have selected more than one product, it provides the maximum of the average tariffs for the selected products. Most countries have more than one tariff line per six-digit subheading, so knowing the precise tariff you will face is important.
CustomsInfo Database
- To get information on the more detailed national line tariffs, the CustomsInfo database (requires a free account) provides detailed tariff data. The International Trade Administration provides U.S. exporters with free access to the CUSTOMS Info database, which provides detailed tariff information for many markets along with information on other taxes like VAT taxes. Additional instructions on using the CustomsInfo database.
Free Trade Agreement (FTA) Tariff Tool
- If you are considering exporting to a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) partner, you may also want to utilize the FTA Tariff Tool. This free search tool provides tariff information on all products covered under U.S. FTAs along with product-specific rules of origin to help you determine your products’ eligibility for preferential rates.
Other Market Research Resources
These free tools provide other ways of doing market research that can give you additional perspectives.
Global Market Finder – U.S. Census Bureau
- The United States Census Bureau’s Global Market Finder is an interactive data visualization that can help U.S. businesses learn more about the products that are exported from the United States.
- Just enter your Schedule B commodity code, and it leverages Census data to show you top U.S. export markets for the product with value and quantity, how those products have historically been shipped, and the average unit price of goods shipped each market.
Resources from the International Trade Centre
- The International Trade Centre is a joint agency of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization focused on supporting small businesses in international trade.
Export Potential Map – International Trade Centre
- The Export Potential Map shows you where the United States might have unrealized export potential for the product you export. The results are visualized in interactive graphics that let you easily explore the data.
- It looks at things like demand, U.S. export performance market access and linkages with other markets. Just enter your product and the United States as the exporter.
Trade Helpdesk – International Trade Centre
- The Trade Helpdesk brings together trade and market data from 11 partner agencies into a single, integrated platform that can help you with market research.
- It includes data on trade, export potential, tariffs, import and export procedures, regulatory requirements, trade agreements, and even information on potential buyers.
