Selecting a foreign trade information platform

For a company that imports or exports, foreign trade information is raw material for decisions. Platforms of this kind typically bring together data such as import and export records, tariff classifications, regulations, or supplier and competitor activity. There are several options on the market, with very different coverage, sources, and ways to query them.

A company with foreign trade operations needed to choose one of these platforms. The risk was the same as with any purchase of specialized information:

• Comparing demos instead of needs. Each vendor shows what it does best, which isn't always what the company needs to look up.

• Coverage that's hard to verify. Two platforms can look the same and differ in their sources, time span, or level of detail.

• Users with different questions. The teams that use the platform aren't looking for the same thing, and a tool that serves one may not serve another.

• A subscription that renews out of habit. Without written criteria, it's hard to tell later whether the platform delivers what was expected.

In 2025, AVILA® led the selection of the foreign trade information platform, using the same method it applies to selecting any system: first understand what the company needs, then compare options.

• Needs and business questions. Which decisions the platform should support and what information each team needs to make them.

• Requirements and criteria. A prioritized list of what the platform must offer, with evaluation criteria agreed on before seeing any demos.

• A side-by-side comparison. The same questions and the same lookup scenarios for every vendor, to compare what each platform delivers against the company's needs.

• A documented recommendation. A recommendation with its reasoning, so leadership can decide with full information and check later whether the platform delivers.

Impartiality

AVILA® doesn't partner with the vendors of the platforms it evaluates. That way, the recommendation reflects the client's needs rather than a commercial agreement. It's the same principle behind the RFP AVILA® prepared for a reservations system and its support for ERP selection and implementation in manufacturing.

Choosing with a method doesn't depend on the type of system: it applies equally to an ERP, a CRM, or a specialized information platform. If your company is about to choose a platform, see ERP, CRM, and MRP selection or talk to us.