ImportYeti indexes public US Customs records — the Bill of Lading data that every ocean-freight import into the United States generates. For Amazon sellers, that makes it the closest thing to a competitor's purchase order history that is legally public. It does not show cost, margin, or selling price. It shows who is importing from whom, in what volume, and on what cadence — which is the supply-side layer that demand tools cannot access.
Why this matters
Replenishment cadence is the supply-chain fact that demand tools are built to miss. A BSR drop tells you a product is selling. ImportYeti tells you whether the next shipment is inbound — which decides whether the gap is real or temporary.
Replenishment cadence is the supply-chain fact that demand tools are built to miss. A BSR drop tells you a product is selling. ImportYeti tells you whether the next shipment is inbound — which decides whether the gap is real or temporary.
Supplier overlap is invisible in marketplace data and visible in Customs data. When five competing brands all trace to the same two Guangdong factories, they share exposure to the same disruptions — and an operator who knows that has a structurally different risk picture than one who doesn't.
What the data actually is
US Customs requires a Bill of Lading (BOL) for every ocean-freight import. The BOL names the shipper (exporting factory), the consignee (US importer), the port of loading, the port of entry, the container count, and a description of the goods.
US Customs requires a Bill of Lading (BOL) for every ocean-freight import. The BOL names the shipper (exporting factory), the consignee (US importer), the port of loading, the port of entry, the container count, and a description of the goods. ImportYeti aggregates this public record and makes it searchable by brand, importer, or supplier. The data has a lag of a few weeks to a few months relative to actual shipment dates.
How to read it for replenishment cadence
Search ImportYeti for the brand name or the US importing entity of a competitor. Look at the container dates over the past 24 months. Count the gap between shipments — that is the reorder interval. Compare the last arrival date against today.
Search ImportYeti for the brand name or the US importing entity of a competitor. Look at the container dates over the past 24 months. Count the gap between shipments — that is the reorder interval. Compare the last arrival date against today. If the last container arrived 90 days ago and the reorder interval is 120 days, the brand is likely in its ordering window right now. If the last container arrived 20 days ago, the category just refilled.
How to identify supplier overlap
On the shipper side of the BOL, look for factory names. Search the same factory name across multiple importers. When two competing brands list the same factory as their shipper, they are sourcing from the same production facility. At category scale, a cluster of brands sharing one or two factories means correlated supply risk: a single factory disruption affects multiple.
On the shipper side of the BOL, look for factory names. Search the same factory name across multiple importers. When two competing brands list the same factory as their shipper, they are sourcing from the same production facility. At category scale, a cluster of brands sharing one or two factories means correlated supply risk: a single factory disruption affects multiple sellers simultaneously.
What it cannot tell you
Cost per unit, sell-through velocity, margin, or inventory on hand. The BOL shows what entered the country, not what sold, how much is sitting in a warehouse, or what it cost. It is a flow indicator (shipment in) not a stock indicator (inventory on hand).
Cost per unit, sell-through velocity, margin, or inventory on hand. The BOL shows what entered the country, not what sold, how much is sitting in a warehouse, or what it cost. It is a flow indicator (shipment in) not a stock indicator (inventory on hand). Pair it with BSR trends to estimate the stock level indirectly.
Decision rule: Start with the top three sellers by BSR in your target category. Search each in ImportYeti by the brand name. If you find all three sourcing from one or two factories, note it — that is the category's supply-concentration profile, and it tells you more about your category-entry risk than the BSR data does.
An ImportYeti research checklist for Amazon sellers
- Look up the top three sellers in your target category by brand or US importer name
- Note the container arrival dates over the past 24 months — calculate the average reorder interval
- Check whether a new shipment is inbound: if last arrival + reorder interval > today, the window may be open
- Cross-reference the shipper names across multiple competitors to identify factory overlap
- Flag any shipper that appears for three or more competing brands — that is a concentration signal
- Note the origin port: Guangdong, Hai Phong, or Jakarta tells you which diversification story is real
Common mistakes
Treating ImportYeti container dates as proof of what is on a warehouse shelf today — it shows ocean arrivals, not stock levels. Ignoring shipper names and reading only the importer side — the factory identity is where the supply overlap lives. Assuming a gap in container dates means the competitor ran out — it may mean they switched to air.
- Treating ImportYeti container dates as proof of what is on a warehouse shelf today — it shows ocean arrivals, not stock levels.
- Ignoring shipper names and reading only the importer side — the factory identity is where the supply overlap lives.
- Assuming a gap in container dates means the competitor ran out — it may mean they switched to air freight or a new importer entity.
- Searching only by brand when the importer may be a 3PL or holding company with a different name.
Frequently asked questions
- Why this matters?
- Replenishment cadence is the supply-chain fact that demand tools are built to miss. A BSR drop tells you a product is selling. ImportYeti tells you whether the next shipment is inbound — which decides whether the gap is real or temporary.
- What the data actually is?
- US Customs requires a Bill of Lading (BOL) for every ocean-freight import. The BOL names the shipper (exporting factory), the consignee (US importer), the port of loading, the port of entry, the container count, and a description of the goods.
- How to read it for replenishment cadence?
- Search ImportYeti for the brand name or the US importing entity of a competitor. Look at the container dates over the past 24 months. Count the gap between shipments — that is the reorder interval. Compare the last arrival date against today.
- How to identify supplier overlap?
- On the shipper side of the BOL, look for factory names. Search the same factory name across multiple importers. When two competing brands list the same factory as their shipper, they are sourcing from the same production facility. At category scale, a cluster of brands sharing one or two factories means correlated supply risk: a single factory disruption affects multiple.
- What it cannot tell you?
- Cost per unit, sell-through velocity, margin, or inventory on hand. The BOL shows what entered the country, not what sold, how much is sitting in a warehouse, or what it cost. It is a flow indicator (shipment in) not a stock indicator (inventory on hand).
This guide is educational. It is not a manufacturing quote, certification review, legal advice, or a guarantee that a product can be built. If you want this applied to your specific product, request a human-reviewed Motor Readiness Scorecard.
Want this applied to your product?
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