Short answer: Look the supplier up in public US import records, such as bill of lading records from ocean shipments, and check that recent shipments match your product and go to US buyers. Start from your product, add an HS code if you know it, and search the supplier's name and its variants. A match is a signal, not a certification, so follow it with samples, references and your own checks.
Why it's worth checking
A supplier that already exports your kind of product to the United States has done things a first-time exporter hasn't: packed for long-distance freight, produced shipping documents that US customs accepts, and worked with US importers. That makes it a useful filter, not a final answer.
You don't have to take a supplier's word for it. Some of the evidence is public. This guide from GetGlobex (getglobex.com) explains what that evidence is, how to read it, where it falls short, and what to ask the supplier next.
What public US import records are
For containerized goods coming to the United States by sea, the ocean carrier sends cargo manifest information to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) electronically, generally 24 hours before the cargo is loaded at the foreign port. Some non-vessel operating common carriers (NVOCCs, companies that book space on ships and issue their own bills of lading) file their part directly. CBP makes a set of these vessel manifest data fields available to the public, and trade data tools collect and repackage that data so you can search it by company name, product or port. People often call these "bill of lading records", because each line traces back to a bill of lading: the transport document for a shipment.
What fields typically show
The public vessel manifest data has a fixed list of fields, and trade data tools may add their own on top. A typical record can include:
- Shipper: the name and address of the party that sent the goods (it may be the manufacturer, a vendor or trading company, or a forwarder or NVOCC);
- Consignee and notify party: the party in the US the goods are going to, and any other party listed for contact;
- Description of goods: a short, free-text description written from the shipper's information;
- Quantity and weight: the manifest quantity and units, piece count and weight;
- Containers: container and seal numbers;
- Voyage details: the carrier, vessel name, foreign port of lading, US port of unlading, estimated arrival date and bill of lading number.
The foreign port of lading shows where the goods were loaded, which isn't always where they were made. The list of public data fields doesn't include an HS code, so any HS code you see in a trade data tool was added or inferred by that tool.
The limits you should know
Import records are useful, but they're not a complete picture. Keep these limits in mind:
- Ocean freight only. The public manifest data comes from vessel manifests. Advance cargo information for air, truck and rail shipments is exempt from public disclosure, so a supplier that ships by air or across a land border may not show up at all.
- Confidentiality requests. A US importer or consignee can ask CBP to keep its name and address confidential on inward vessel manifests, and it can ask the same for the names and addresses of its foreign shippers. A granted request lasts two years and can be renewed. When it applies, the shipper, consignee and notify party names and addresses are left out of the public data. So a supplier with real US shipments may not show up under its own name, because its buyer asked for confidentiality.
- House vs master bills. When several shippers' goods are consolidated into one container, the ocean carrier issues a master bill of lading to the consolidator (an NVOCC or freight forwarder), and the consolidator issues a house bill of lading for each underlying shipment. At the master-bill level, the consolidator can be listed as both shipper and consignee. The house bill is where the foreign vendor or manufacturer and the actual US consignee appear. If you only find the master bill, the "shipper" may be a logistics company, not the supplier you're talking to.
- Timing lag. Trade data tools collect and process the data on their own schedules, so the most recent shipments may not be visible yet in the tool you use.
- Messy text. Descriptions are short and are based on what the shipper declared. Names can be misspelled, abbreviated or transliterated. Any HS code a tool shows is its own addition, so treat it as a hint, not a fact.
A signal, not a certification
Even a clean set of records only shows that goods were shipped. It says nothing about product quality, factory conditions, certifications, or whether a supplier will meet your specs and terms. Treat import records as one input alongside samples, references and inspections.
Step by step: check a supplier's US shipment history
Step 1: Start from your product
Write down what you're buying in plain words: the product, main material, use and key specs. Cargo descriptions are short, so list the different ways the same product could be described. This is what you'll compare records against.
Step 2: Add an HS code if you know it (optional)
An HS code is the classification customs uses for your product. It helps you check that a record describes the same kind of goods. If you don't know yours, look it up in the official US Harmonized Tariff Schedule at the USITC HTS search. The first six digits are the international Harmonized System code; the digits after that are specific to the United States. Manifest records describe goods in words, and any code a tool shows is the tool's own addition, often at six digits or fewer. So use your code as a cross-check against the description, and don't throw out a record just because the code is missing. A code your supplier gives you may also come from its own country's schedule: the first six digits should line up, but the rest can differ. Your final classification is your call, or your licensed customs broker's.
Step 3: Get the supplier's exact names and variants
Ask the supplier for its full legal name, its export entity (some factories ship through a separate trading arm or parent company) and its address. Then list the variants you'll search:
- the name with and without suffixes such as Co., Ltd., JSC, Pvt. Ltd. or S.A. de C.V.;
- common abbreviations and spellings, including transliterations from the local language;
- the parent company or sister companies the supplier mentions;
- the city or address, which helps when names are generic.
Step 4: Search the records
Search the supplier's name and its variants as the shipper in a trade data tool or another source of US import records. If you find nothing, try the address or a distinctive part of the name. A blank result isn't proof of anything on its own, because of the limits above.
Step 5: Check recency
Look at the arrival dates. Recent shipments say more about a supplier's current ability to export than old ones. If the trail stops long ago, ask why: a new entity, a lost customer, a switch to air freight, or something else.
Step 6: Check the product match
Read the cargo descriptions and any HS codes. Do they describe your kind of product, or something unrelated? A supplier that ships a related product to the US may still be a good fit, but you'll want to know how close the match really is.
Step 7: Look at the consignee side
Where consignee names are visible, see whether the supplier ships to more than one US company and whether shipments repeat over time. Repeat shipments to the same buyer can suggest an ongoing relationship. A single shipment, long ago, is a much weaker signal.
If you don't have a supplier yet
The same records work in reverse: search by product description or HS code to see which companies ship that kind of goods to the US, then shortlist names worth contacting. This takes time to do by hand, and that is the job GetGlobex automates (see below).
Red flags to watch for
None of these proves a problem, but each deserves a question:
- the supplier claims many US customers, but you can't find any records under any name variant, and it can't explain why;
- records only show a freight forwarder or trading company as shipper, while the supplier says it ships directly as the factory;
- the shipments you find are for a clearly different product from the one you're buying;
- the most recent shipment is years old, but the supplier describes US exports as current;
- the name, address or country on the records doesn't match the documents the supplier gives you;
- the supplier won't name its export entity or refuses to share any shipping documents at all.
Questions to ask the supplier
Shipment history opens the conversation. These questions help you close the gaps:
- Which legal entity appears as shipper on your US bills of lading?
- Do you ship to the US directly, or through a trading company or forwarder?
- Which products have you shipped to the US in the past year, and by sea or by air?
- Can you share a redacted bill of lading or commercial invoice from a recent US shipment?
- Can you provide references from US importers we may contact?
- What testing, labeling or compliance documents have you provided to US buyers for this product?
- Can you send samples, and will you allow an inspection by a provider we choose?
How GetGlobex does this for you
Checking records by hand works for one or two suppliers, but it gets slow. GetGlobex (an AI supplier-matching marketplace for US importers) does the first pass for you.
You describe the product you need. Know your HS code? Add it. We look at public US customs and import records (for example, bill of lading records) for suppliers worldwide, using the product description and HS context, the origin and how recent the shipments are. Information a supplier gives in its own profile is labelled as self-reported and isn't treated as proof on its own. You get a short, ranked list instead of a catalog, and if there isn't enough signal for your product yet, we'll tell you.
"Not a trader, not an agent: buyers and suppliers deal directly, with no paid ranking." You still run your own diligence on the suppliers you pick. See how it works, read short answers in our FAQ, or compare approaches in supplier directory vs AI matching. More for importers is on the page for buyers.
Frequently asked questions
How can I tell if a supplier already ships to the US?
Search public US import records, such as bill of lading records, for the supplier's name and its variants. Check that recent shipments describe your kind of product and go to US consignees. Then confirm with the supplier, ask for documents and references, and order samples.
Where do US import records come from?
For goods shipped by sea, ocean carriers (and some NVOCCs) send cargo manifest information to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, generally before the cargo is loaded abroad. CBP makes a set of vessel manifest data fields available to the public, and trade data tools collect and repackage that data so it can be searched. Air, truck and rail cargo information isn't publicly released.
Why can't I find a supplier in import records?
Common reasons are name variants or misspellings, shipments made under a parent or trading company, a consolidator listed as shipper on a master bill, goods sent by air or land rather than sea, a confidentiality request filed with CBP by the US importer, or a lag in the tool you use. No result is a reason to ask questions, not proof on its own.
Does shipment history mean a supplier is certified or inspected?
No. It's a signal, not a certification. It shows goods were shipped, not that they met any quality, safety or compliance standard. Request samples, check references and arrange any inspection or testing you need.
Do I need an HS code to check a supplier?
No. A clear product description is enough to compare against cargo descriptions. An HS code from the official USITC HTS search at hts.usitc.gov is a helpful cross-check when you have one.
Is GetGlobex a broker?
GetGlobex (getglobex.com) is an AI supplier-matching marketplace. We are not a broker, and we don't offer forex, CFD or investment products.
Can GetGlobex check a supplier's US shipments for me?
Yes, as part of a match. Describe your product, add an HS code if you know it, and we shortlist suppliers worldwide ranked on public US customs and import records. Buyers and suppliers deal directly, and you still do your own diligence.
Request a free match
Skip the manual search. Tell us the product you need, add your HS code if you know it, and we'll shortlist suppliers whose public US import records show they already ship related goods to the US.