Insights
Short educational briefs on how the public trade record works — what it shows, what it hides, and how to read it without fooling yourself. Published monthly, free to read.
2026-10-28
A bill of lading is the most-quoted document in trade data research, and the most over-read. Here is what it reliably shows, what it never shows, and why a single record proves less than it seems.
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Almost every trade statistic is organized by HS code. Understanding how the classification works — and where it breaks — is the difference between a number you can use and a number that misleads.
Read the brief →2026-08-28
Before a first order, the public record can answer a surprising number of questions about a supplier — and leave a few important ones unanswered. A practical order of checks.
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