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Apple: What iPad freight records?

by Michael Grothaus Feb 19th 2010 at 10:00AM


Philip Elmer-DeWitt over at Apple 2.0 is reporting that Apple has taken steps to hide ocean shipping data for its iPad. Several business intelligence companies exist that collect, analyze, and resell data of a company's shipping records. This data is sold to the company's competitors in hope that they can glean information on how well a certain product is doing by extrapolating potential sales data from the shipping records.

Companies like Trade Privacy also exist to protect trade data. Trade Privacy has stated that in anticipation of the March iPad launch, Apple has blocked its bills of lading and other import records from public access. "Apple is the only major electronics company so far to have protected their import data," Trade Privacy CEO Andrew Park told DeWitt. "Similar companies like Microsoft, Sony and Google continue to import with their product data exposed to the public."

It's unclear whether Apple is a Trade Privacy client or if Trade Privacy just has knowledge of Apple's steps to retain its iPad shipping privacy.

Apple was reportedly alarmed two years ago by media reports that predicted the arrival of the iPhone 3G before it had been announced based on data from Import Genius – a firm that collects business intelligence data on a company's shipping records and resells that data to competitors.

"Apple was caught off guard and took swift action to protect their trade-secrets from competitors," Park told DeWitt. Given Apple's history of cloak and dagger tactics, safeguarding its shipping data for the much-hyped iPad should surprise few.

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Philip Elmer-DeWitt over at Apple 2.0 is reporting that Apple has taken steps to hide ocean shipping data for its iPad. Several business...
 

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The Apple Doctor

Jamus,

You beat me to the comment I was planning on giving, but here goes anyway.

If I were Apple(or any other high-tech company for that matter) I would not feel comfortable about anyone having the information about which ship is carrying my precious new iPads!(it's really no one's business) That would be asking for trouble on the high seas. Luckily the ships carrying the iPads don't go anywhere near Somolia!

February 19 2010 at 9:33 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Jamus

Bah! It is just to stay stealthy from those starving Somali pirates and their hunger for apples.

February 19 2010 at 2:05 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
JS

There are a lot of companies who say on their website that their product is made in the USA, but in reality it is all imported already made to the US. They will be need of this service. There is no harm in blocking your records, I think it is actually difficult to do and you have to get a lawyer to prove it harms your business.

February 19 2010 at 11:37 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
kfresh

Could they keep the secrecy by importing not fully assembled parts of the iPad and doing final assembly here in the U.S.? They could just ship it in two parts and attach the unibody and the screen here and say made in the U.S.A.?

Shipping records don't equal sales anyway, especially if the said product has a potential to need replacement units.

February 19 2010 at 10:57 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
2 replies to kfresh's comment
Mona

Then people would bitch that the product costs $1000 instead of $500.

February 19 2010 at 11:14 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Eric

That would be "Assembled in USA," not "Made in USA."

February 19 2010 at 12:54 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
William

Why don't more companies block public access? Is there a downside to it? I have no idea how this part of the industry works, so I don't know if it requires a lot of effort or money, but I would imagine more companies than just Apple would be interested in keeping their information private. Why wouldn't the companies that have their shipping data resold have their data made private so it couldn't be resold?

February 19 2010 at 10:51 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
2 replies to William's comment
JS

There is no harm in blocking your records, I think it is actually difficult to do and you have to get a lawyer to prove it harms your business. Freedom of Information Act says they are public, but that was just to open up shipments to Customs, not for companies to sell it on-line to your competitors.

February 19 2010 at 11:39 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Lon Seidman

William - many companies (including my own) block this information all of the time. Even beyond the usual quantity figures, other sensitive information like the manufacturer, freight companies, etc. are also posted on the bill of lading. It's especially advantageous for companies selling commodities to block trade information from being posted publicly.

US Customs will block information from public viewing by request. The importer needs to be very specific as the keywords used are not 'wild cards.' i.e. if Customs is instructed to block "Apple" it won't block "Apple Inc."


February 19 2010 at 1:55 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Tom Gregson

I think it is fairly safe to assume that Apple is not, nor likely never will be, a client of Trade Privacy. The cardinal rule for any company under contract to Apple is to avoid making public statements about any aspect of their business.

February 19 2010 at 10:35 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Wend

That's it. I am unsubscribing TUAW from my RSS feeds. I used to like this site before, but now its nothing more than a rumor and kiss-ass apple super fan boy site.

February 19 2010 at 10:34 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
2 replies to Wend's comment
dd

You are weird. How is this not interesting? A unique event, no other company protects their shipping data to this extreme, Interesting to know that Apple is so reactionary, Also, this is a Apple Based Blogsite.

also, the tone of this piece is neutral, TUAW neither denounces or lauds.

I may be using too much vocabulary for you though. Um. Can you point me to a sentence in this article that is sycophan--i mean 'Apple Fanboyish'--or speculati--I mean, rumor?

I see nothing but facts and journalism. Yeah, it kindah surprised me, too.

TUAW as a whole, uneven writing, sure, BAD tasteless pictures, definitely, pointless contests, sometimes--What was I writing about again?

NO ADVERBS IN BLOG PLEASE

February 19 2010 at 11:16 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
cjschrissouth

They might as well take the 'un' from 'unofficial' off seeing as they agree with everything their master Steve Jobs likes. TUAW is officially his BITCH!

February 19 2010 at 3:04 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Lebowski

Shopped.

February 19 2010 at 10:30 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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