Hello John,
Recently I came across this web site (www.importgenius.com). What do you think? Could this replace or complement the steps we take when we research to find the best place for our products??
Hey Ergin,
The site is very well produced, and here goes my review...
Right off the back, I don't like the crude offer...
Watch Competitors
Penetrate your competition.
***Eeeeew...***
Analyze their import activity and identify their suppliers.
***Not interested...can get it elsewhere for free...***
Discover their new endeavors.
***I get their catalog for that...***
Watch Suppliers
Monitor your suppliers by watching their inbound shipments.
***What am I looking for...? I already know they sell to my competitors. I have no exclusives, so what do I worry?***
Identify threats ***???*** and opportunities.
***I rely on my customers, not my suppliers, for opportunities...***
Nab cheating factories.
*** I don’t work with cheating factories. If I were to nab one, then what do I do? What do they do that is cheating? If this is a purpose of importgenius.com, and I subscribe, will my good factories get the idea that I am chekcing up on them, that I suspect them of cheating?***
So I do not see much benefit in their offer... moving on to the website..
The scrolling import info on the bottom of the pages that name importers strangely note companies that do not have websites... I checked about half. (Made up names?)
One google search for a names match refers back to importgenius.com, and a breathless story based on trade data that suggests, hold on, Apple is importing a new generation of iPhones. Well, ok. It would be weird if they weren’t.
The article states: “By analyzing thouands of US Customs records for Apple Computer...” hang on, if true somebody is going to jail. If it is customs records, forms 7501 or 3461, those are private and are illegal to access. or pass around. I’ve emailed importgenius.com regardng this on their “fast reply” connection an 6 hours later, no reply.
It appears their dataset is merely steamshipline manifests, which have been around and availble forever and at no cost, (and the Census data at USITC, as outlined at www.johnspiers.com/NTDB.html is vastly superior).
This article also leads me to believe the website is just reselling PIERS or other Journal of Commerce data, since the dtaset is no better than what is available anyway, elsewhere, at no cost.
Also, a more subtle point, what importgenius.com takes to be secrecy or subterfuge in the decription Apple uses is just a common practice of doing your own thing on bills of lading description, which shows at importgenius.com, just like in PIERS or the DIRECTOY OF US IMPORTERS, importers can hide anything they want from such prying eyes.
Two more points..
There are no references from satisfied customers...
They do not identify themselves.
There is nothing new here, in a pretty package. I wouldn’t waste my time.
There is still a service to be created, tracking trade in services worldwide, by tracking payments thereof through banks worldwide. That is where importgenius would have designed something new and useful.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Ergin Wants importgenius.com Reviewed
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6 comments:
I find it strange that the author of this post is so critical of the ImportGenius data, without actually having seen the data or knowing where they get it from.
I find it strange that six days after asking importgenius.com precisely this question via their "fast reply" contact system, I have still received no reply. Thumbs down.
I tried their fast reply too and not a word back. I also tried the chat and they cut me off with a rude comment! yeah, goodbye to you too! I won't be going back to that site.
Sally Harmon.
If this information is available elsewhere at no cost, do you have sites you would recommend to find some of the information?
Sure, just email me at john@johnspiers.com and I'll send you enough information on how to gather for free that you could start a business that competes with importgenius.
Import Genius charges a lot less for very similar data compared to its competitors. This site gives you more bang for your buck. For companies that use supplier/manufacturer information daily I would recommend it.
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