Commercial intelligence · International trade

Know what’s worth researching before you invest.

We turn trade data and commercial research into a written first-pass assessment for commercial managers, importers and distributors: what the market shows, what it could mean for your business and what still needs validating before you commit resources.

See a sample study What an assessment includes
For
Importers, distributors and market-development teams
Deliverable
A written study, with sources and cut-off dates
Initial focus
Paraguay; other markets depending on sources and scope
Outcome
What to research next, and what to set aside
01ExampleWhat does an assessment look like?

How an assessment works: from a data point to the next decision.

An excerpt from the public study on new-tire imports into Brazil. It shows how a striking figure is put in context, what reading it supports, what remains unresolved and what is worth researching next.

Study question Brazil · New tires · NCM 4011

Is Brazil’s tire import market, and especially its Truck & Bus segment, worth a closer look?

  1. Data point

    Fact · sourced

    The signal +35.1% Value of new-tire imports: USD 1.35 billion in January–July 2026, compared with the same period in 2025.

    The composition +84.3% Import value of the Truck & Bus segment, which now accounts for 39.0% of the total (+10.4 points).

    Where the increase comes from · USD millions

    More tires imported
    +350.5
    Mix shift toward higher-value segments
    +192.8
    Lower declared value per tire
    −193.8
    Net growth
    +349.5

    Source: MDIC/SECEX, Comex Stat. January–July 2026 vs. January–July 2025.

  2. Interpretation

    Inference · hypothesis

    Headline growth is only the starting point: it comes mainly from more units, not from higher value per tire. The Truck & Bus signal is stronger than the aggregate.

    Working hypothesis: Truck & Bus, especially commercial-vehicle tires, is the first area worth researching. The market as a whole is too broad for an entry conclusion.

  3. Uncertainty

    Unknown · to validate
    • Which sub-categories and tire sizes drive Truck & Bus growth, and from which origins.
    • Which certifications, duties, taxes and trade measures apply to a specific product and origin.
    • Price points and landed cost.
    • Whether the increase reflects sustainable replacement demand or temporary inventory or sourcing effects.
    • Which distributors would consider a new supplier.

  4. Next decision

    Next investigation

    Break down Truck & Bus growth by NCM sub-heading, tire size, origin and channel.

    Then: map access requirements for the exact product and origin, estimate landed cost and identify distributors or importers with the appetite and reach for a new brand.

Outcome of this assessmentThe signal justifies further research, focused on Truck & Bus.

Read the full study

Figures as published in the sample study. Declared value per tire is an import-record metric, not a selling price. The sample is a first-pass assessment: it shows the method of analysis and is neither an entry recommendation nor a commercial result.

02What’s includedWhat does your company receive?

A study to decide where your next research effort should go.

Trade data exists, but it is scattered, uses different definitions and rarely answers a commercial question on its own. Each study — what we call a screen — gathers and cross-checks that evidence and turns it into a first-pass commercial assessment that a commercial director or business owner can read in one sitting.

Every study includes

The core, for any product and market.

  1. 01Question and scopeProduct, market and the decision being assessed.
  2. 02Sources and cut-off datesWhere each figure comes from and which period it covers.
  3. 03FindingsFigures in context, with unit, period and scope.
  4. 04Commercial interpretationWhat the evidence supports, and with what confidence.
  5. 05Hypotheses and unknownsWhat deserves follow-up and what is not yet known.
  6. 06Validation prioritiesWhat to check first, and with whom.

Depending on the case

Added when there are enough sources and information to support them.

  • Competitors and observed prices
  • Sales channels
  • Access requirementsDuties, certifications, trade measures.
  • Estimated landed costs
  • Scenarios

Decisions it supports

Focus
Where to concentrate research time and budget.
Narrow
Which products, segments or origins to prioritize.
Anticipate
Which regulatory or commercial constraints to expect before you commit resources.
Prepare
What to ask suppliers, distributors or customers, and what to test in the market.

A good outcome can also be to narrow, pause or drop a line of research early.

03MethodHow is the research done?

Four stages and one rule: keep what is known apart from what is assumed.

  1. 1

    Question and scope

    We define which decision the study should inform, for which product and market, and over what horizon.

  2. 2

    Search and cross-check

    We gather trade statistics, regulations and commercial sources, and compare definitions, periods and scope.

  3. 3

    Interpretation

    We read what the evidence supports and what it doesn’t, with alternative explanations in view.

  4. 4

    First-pass assessment

    We deliver the conclusion, its uncertainties and the recommended next investigation.

04ScopeWho is it for?

For companies that need to decide what to research before moving forward.

  • Evaluating a new product line to import.
  • Adding a brand or category to a distribution business.
  • Exploring an export market.
  • Checking whether a market signal deserves more work.

What it does not replaceA first-pass assessment organizes the available evidence and flags what to validate. On its own it does not prove demand, profitability, the availability of a representative or commercial access: those answers come from the validations the study itself prioritizes.

Product in validationSeek & Screen is still refining the study format and its scope. The initial commercial focus is Paraguay; other markets are studied depending on available sources and the agreed scope.

Next step

Five answers are enough to scope a study.

They define the question, the relevant sources and which modules make sense to include. In the meantime, you can review a full study.

  1. ProductAnd its tariff code, if you have it.
  2. MarketThe origin or destination country you want to study.
  3. DecisionWhat you want to decide with the study.
  4. HorizonWhen you need to decide.
  5. Your own informationSales, prices or suppliers you already know.
Request a study See the sample study

Contact

Tell us what you want to decide.

Answer with whatever you have from the five questions. You don’t need everything: we’ll define what’s missing together.

Or write directly toinvestigation [at] seekandscreen.com

Fields not marked “optional” are required.

Product, market, decision and timing. If you already have your own data, mention it.

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