import yeti com

April 23, 2025

ImportYeti is one of those rare tools that feels like it shouldn’t be free. It lets anyone peek into U.S. import data and see which suppliers companies are using — something that used to be locked behind expensive trade databases. Whether you’re sourcing a product, studying competitors, or auditing supply chains, it gives you data you can actually use, not vague business chatter.

What ImportYeti Actually Does

ImportYeti collects and organizes U.S. ocean freight import records — real shipment data filed with customs. Every time a company imports goods into the U.S. by sea, a “bill of lading” is created. That document lists who shipped what, from where, and to whom. ImportYeti turns those government filings into a searchable database.

You can type in a brand name like “Lululemon” or “Louis Vuitton,” and it’ll show the factories that sent them goods, how often they shipped, and when. It’s not a directory. It’s evidence — shipment records with timestamps. The site’s main focus is helping users find manufacturers or suppliers that other companies already trust.

It doesn’t track air freight or land shipments. Only ocean freight data is public in the U.S., and ImportYeti works with that slice. Still, that’s a huge dataset — enough to map out supply networks for thousands of companies.

Why ImportYeti Matters

Sourcing products is hard. Finding reliable factories is harder. ImportYeti gives people a shortcut by showing which suppliers are already used by established importers. That’s valuable whether you’re launching an e-commerce brand or managing a corporate supply chain.

Instead of gambling on unverified suppliers from Alibaba, you can look up factories that have proven track records shipping to real companies. For instance, if you want to make yoga mats, you can search Lululemon and see which manufacturers consistently appear in their import history. That’s how many small brands reverse engineer supply chains.

It’s also used by freight forwarders, analysts, and journalists. Freight companies use it to find importers who need shipping services. Analysts use it to track trade patterns or production shifts. Journalists and NGOs use it to investigate sourcing practices — especially when there are ethical or environmental questions tied to manufacturing.

How to Use ImportYeti Step by Step

The interface is simple. You go to importyeti.com and type in a company name, supplier name, or keyword.

Search for a company.
Start with the exact legal name of the importer if you know it. For example, “Apple Inc.” might appear as “Apple Computer Inc.” or under a logistics subsidiary. Sometimes you have to test variations to find the right records.
Review shipment data.
Once the search runs, you’ll see supplier names, shipment counts, ports, dates, and descriptions of goods. ImportYeti organizes this in lists and graphs. You can spot who ships the most, what countries are involved, and how frequent the trade is.
Filter and analyze.
You can filter by country, year, or supplier. This helps eliminate noise — especially if you’re trying to isolate certain types of goods or recent data.
Find potential suppliers.
When you see a supplier name that fits your product type, you can research that company separately — visit their website, confirm capabilities, and check certifications. ImportYeti doesn’t always provide contact info, so external verification is needed.
Cross-reference.
Use the data as a starting point, not a final answer. Combine it with other tools like LinkedIn, Alibaba, or Chinese business registries to confirm legitimacy.

The process is fast. Within minutes you can map out years of shipment history for any major importer that uses sea freight.

Features That Make It Stand Out

ImportYeti isn’t trying to be fancy. It’s clean, fast, and functional. But there are a few things that make it genuinely useful:

Power Query mode. Lets you run advanced searches with multiple filters — by product keywords, suppliers, countries, or shipment frequency.
Visual charts. You can see import trends over time and identify spikes or drops in volume.
Data exports. Premium users can export results to spreadsheets for deeper analysis.
Supplier overlap view. It shows which suppliers serve multiple brands, revealing networks that aren’t obvious otherwise.
API access. For developers or analysts, there’s a way to query data directly without the website interface.

There’s also a public dataset section with summarized trade info — not as detailed as premium access but still informative.

Limitations You Should Know

Like any data tool, ImportYeti isn’t perfect.

First, it only tracks ocean freight. If a company relies heavily on air cargo — common for electronics or high-value goods — you won’t see it here. That means the picture can look incomplete.

Second, some companies use confidentiality requests to hide their shipment data. The U.S. customs system allows this, and some brands take advantage of it. If you search and get nothing, it might not mean they don’t import — just that they opted out of public disclosure.

Third, supplier names can vary. The same factory might appear under different spellings or company entities. You have to read carefully and cross-check details.

Fourth, the data isn’t real-time. It’s usually updated monthly or quarterly. That’s fine for research but not for daily logistics tracking.

Lastly, some users assume ImportYeti lists verified contact info — it doesn’t. The tool shows shipment data, not factory websites or emails. You’ll have to do that part yourself.

Common Mistakes When Using ImportYeti

A lot of new users misread the data. One common mistake is assuming the first supplier listed is the only supplier. Many brands have dozens of factories; some handle packaging, others produce components.

Another mistake is ignoring legal entities. Large corporations import through subsidiaries, logistics firms, or distributors. Searching only the brand name might miss the real importer.

A third mistake is chasing the biggest shipment counts. High frequency doesn’t always mean high quality. It just means more volume. Always vet a supplier directly before contacting them.

And the biggest one — relying on ImportYeti alone. It’s a discovery tool, not a vetting system. It can point you to a supplier, but it can’t tell you whether that factory meets your standards or timelines.

When ImportYeti Helps the Most

ImportYeti shines in a few clear situations:

Competitive sourcing. You want to see where similar products are being made.
Product research. You’re testing if a factory can handle a specific type of item.
Market intelligence. You need to understand trade patterns — which countries supply which goods.
Supplier verification. You’re checking if a factory really exports to reputable clients.
Academic or investigative work. You’re tracing supply chains for transparency or ethics.

In all these cases, the tool saves massive amounts of time and gives a reality check that polished marketing pages can’t.

How to Get Better Results

If you’re using ImportYeti for serious sourcing, use exact company names and narrow filters. Try date ranges like “past two years” to focus on active suppliers. Don’t forget to look for multiple factories under one brand — especially for consumer goods where production scales fast.

If you’re doing research or journalism, pair ImportYeti with trade databases like Panjiva or Import Genius. They cost more but can confirm missing records.

And if you’re in logistics or sales, use ImportYeti to identify companies that already import regularly. Those are warm leads for freight, packaging, or insurance services.

Pros and Cons Summary

Pros:

Free access to large customs dataset
Simple to use
Great for supplier discovery
Supports export and analysis
Transparent data based on real shipments

Cons:

Only covers ocean freight
Some companies hide data
Limited contact details
Occasional duplicate or outdated entries

Despite the cons, most users consider it invaluable — especially small businesses that can’t justify expensive trade intelligence software.

FAQs

Is ImportYeti free?
Yes. ImportYeti offers free access to its basic database. Some advanced features like Power Query or data exports may require a paid tier.

Can I find suppliers outside the U.S.?
Not directly. The data comes from U.S. import records. It shows foreign suppliers shipping into the U.S., but doesn’t include non-U.S. trade routes.

How accurate is the data?
It’s pulled from official customs filings, so it’s accurate as of the source. However, typos, aliases, or confidentiality requests can distort some entries.

Can I track live shipments?
No. ImportYeti isn’t a logistics tracker. It’s for research and sourcing, not real-time freight tracking.

Who uses ImportYeti?
Importers, exporters, e-commerce brands, supply chain analysts, journalists, and sourcing consultants all use it.

Does it show product prices or quantities?
No. It lists shipment frequency, ports, and descriptions, but not transaction values or pricing details.

ImportYeti’s biggest strength is accessibility. It turns a massive trove of government data into something any business owner can search in seconds. It’s not flawless, but it’s one of the most practical tools for learning how goods actually move across oceans — and who’s moving them.