How do I use ITC Trade Map for export research?

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To use ITC Trade Map, select the product or HS code, choose the trade flow, identify the countries you want to analyze, and review imports, exports, growth rates, market shares, and competing suppliers. Use the results to shortlist export destinations, then verify tariffs, regulations, landed costs, and buyer opportunities separately. Trade Map offers trade data and indicators for market research, with availability and features varying by dataset and account access. Step 1: Open Trade Map and Identify Your Product Visit the ITC Trade Map website and open the goods trade-data section. Identify your product using its HS code or the product search tools. Confirm that the classification matches the product you intend to sell; a broad or incorrect code can combine unrelated products or leave out relevant trade flows. Begin at https://www.trademap.org/. Step 2: Select Trade Flow and Countries Choose imports to investigate which countries are buying the product, or exports to examine where supplying countries sell it. Depending on the analysis, select the world, a reporting economy, or a specific partner. If you are choosing markets for your own exports, begin by examining the importing countries for the selected product and compare the results over several years. Step 3: Review Import Values, Growth, and Market Shares Review total import values, quantities where available, annual growth, and the market's share of global imports. Examine several years rather than choosing a destination based on a single reporting period. Strong import values can indicate a sizable market, while positive growth may signal an expanding opportunity. Check price and volume trends together to distinguish changes in quantities from changes in prices. Step 4: Analyze Competing Supplier Countries Review which countries supply the target market, the value and quantity of their shipments, and how their market shares change over time. This helps you see where the market currently sources the product and whether supply is concentrated among a few countries. Trade data does not necessarily identify every individual buyer, so use additional sources to identify importers and confirm their purchasing needs. Step 5: Validate the Shortlist Before Exporting After creating a shortlist, check import tariffs, non-tariff measures, product standards, certification, logistics, payment risks, and expected landed costs. Contact potential distributors, importers, or end users to validate demand and price expectations. Treat trade statistics as a screening tool rather than a guarantee of sales. Consult Trade Map's official user resources and FAQs at https://www.trademap.org/selectionmenu.aspx and https://www.trademap.org/stFAQ.aspx.