International trade is becoming increasingly data-driven. Whether you're searching for new buyers, evaluating overseas markets, or monitoring industry trends, making decisions without reliable information can be costly. One of the most valuable resources available today is customs data.

Unlike market surveys or industry forecasts, customs data is generated from actual cross-border transactions. It provides businesses with a factual view of global trade activities and helps reduce uncertainty when entering new markets.

For companies that are just beginning their research, a variety of free government platforms provide access to official customs data and trade statistics. As business needs become more sophisticated, professional trade intelligence platforms offer deeper commercial insights that go far beyond public databases.

What Is Customs Data?

Customs data refers to the information recorded when goods pass through customs during international import and export activities. Governments collect these records to support customs administration, trade statistics, and regulatory compliance.

Depending on the country, customs data may include product descriptions, HS codes, shipment values, quantities, countries of origin and destination, reporting periods, ports, and other trade-related information.

Some commercial customs data providers also organize shipment records into searchable databases that help businesses analyze markets, identify buyers, and monitor competitor activities.

Because it reflects actual international trade transactions, customs data is widely used for market research, supply chain analysis, sourcing decisions, and export planning.

10 Free Customs Data Platforms You Can Use

Many official organizations publish free customs statistics and trade information. Although these platforms mainly provide country-level or macroeconomic data rather than complete shipment records, they are valuable resources for international market research.

1. Brazil Comex Stat

Website: https://comexstat.mdic.gov.br/

Brazil's official foreign trade statistics platform provides detailed import and export data by product, trading partner, and reporting period.

2. New Zealand Stats NZ – International Trade

Website: https://www.stats.govt.nz/

Stats NZ publishes official merchandise import and export statistics along with trade reports and downloadable datasets.

3. South Africa Revenue Service (SARS) Trade Statistics

Website: https://www.sars.gov.za/

SARS provides official customs and international trade statistics covering South Africa's imports and exports.

4. United Arab Emirates Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre

Website: https://fcsc.gov.ae/

The UAE publishes national trade statistics, including import and export performance across different industries.

5. Malaysia Department of Statistics (DOSM)

Website: https://www.dosm.gov.my/

DOSM releases official international trade statistics, including detailed import and export reports.

6. Thailand Ministry of Commerce – Trade Statistics

Website: https://tradereport.moc.go.th/

Thailand's Ministry of Commerce provides official trade statistics covering exports, imports, and product classifications.

7. Vietnam General Statistics Office

Website: https://www.gso.gov.vn/

Vietnam's official statistics agency publishes import and export performance, commodity data, and international trade reports.

8. Chile National Customs Service

Website: https://www.aduana.cl/

Chile's customs authority provides customs regulations, tariff information, and official trade statistics.

9. Peru National Superintendence of Customs and Tax Administration (SUNAT)

Website: https://www.sunat.gob.pe/

SUNAT offers customs information, import/export statistics, and trade-related resources for businesses.

10. Philippines Statistics Authority (PSA)

Website: https://psa.gov.ph/

The PSA publishes official Philippine merchandise trade statistics, including import and export data by commodity and trading partner.

What Can Customs Data Tell You?

Businesses often associate customs data with import and export statistics, but its value extends much further.

For example, a manufacturer can use customs data to compare demand across different countries before expanding internationally. A sourcing company can monitor changes in supplier countries to reduce procurement risks, while exporters can evaluate whether overseas demand for specific products has remained stable over several years.

Because customs data is updated regularly by official authorities, it provides a reliable foundation for long-term market analysis and strategic planning.

Why Free Customs Data Doesn't Answer Every Business Question

Free customs databases are excellent for understanding national trade performance, but they rarely provide the commercial details needed for customer development.

Imagine discovering that imports of packaging materials into a particular country have increased steadily over the last three years. Public customs data can confirm the trend, but it usually cannot tell you which companies placed those orders, whether they continue importing today, or who currently supplies them.

Without this information, exporters still need to spend significant time researching potential customers manually.

Businesses that want to identify active buyers, monitor competitors, and develop qualified sales leads typically require more comprehensive trade intelligence.

How Tendata Turns Customs Data Into Actionable Business Intelligence

Tendata is a professional global trade intelligence platform that helps companies unlock the full value of customs data.

Rather than simply presenting customs records, Tendata integrates international trade information with market analysis, competitor research, and customer development tools.

This allows businesses to make strategic decisions supported by real commercial activity.

Analyze Markets Before You Invest

Every international market behaves differently.

Using Tendata, companies can analyze customs data by country, product, industry, and HS code to compare market demand and identify regions with sustainable growth.

For example, exporters of onions can search HS Code 070310 to compare import demand across countries, evaluate historical purchasing trends, and determine which markets deserve greater attention.

This helps businesses allocate sales resources more effectively.

>>> Tendata’s Onions Market Lifecycle Analysis <<<

Data Source: Tendata Platform

Understand Competitor Strategies

Instead of relying on public company information alone, businesses can use Tendata's customs data to observe how competitors participate in global trade.

Users can study export destinations, shipment frequency, market coverage, and historical trading activity, helping them understand where competitors are strongest and where new opportunities may exist.

These insights make international business planning much more data-driven.

>>> Tendata’s Onions Competitive Company List in 2025 <<<

Data Source: Tendata Platform

>>> Tendata’s Onions Competitive Company Analysis <<<

Data Source: Tendata Platform

Discover Buyers With Verified Purchasing Activity

Finding companies that genuinely purchase your products is one of the biggest challenges in international sales.

Tendata allows users to search buyers through verified customs data, helping businesses identify importers with consistent purchasing histories.

Users can evaluate shipment frequency, buying volumes, supplier relationships, and procurement patterns before beginning customer outreach.

To streamline business development, Tendata also integrates available company contact information, including email addresses, LinkedIn profiles, Facebook pages, and other public business resources.

>>> Obtaining Customer Contact Information from Tendata <<<

Data Source: Tendata Platform

Summary

Customs data provides businesses with a reliable way to understand international trade, evaluate market demand, monitor competitors, and identify growth opportunities. Free resources such as Brazil Comex Stat, Stats NZ, SARS, DOSM, SUNAT, and other official government platforms offer valuable customs statistics for market research.

For businesses seeking deeper commercial intelligence, Tendata combines comprehensive customs data with market analysis, competitor insights, buyer discovery, and business contact information. By transforming customs records into actionable intelligence, Tendata helps exporters and manufacturers expand into international markets with greater confidence and efficiency.