In 2022, the United States’ 100 most valuable imported consumer products generated a total US$1.671 trillion in spending on international markets.

That dollar amount represents 49.5% of the overall value of all US imported goods ($3.376 trillion in total). That percentage reflects a slight decrease from 50.1% worth of consumer products purchased in 2021.

The 5 most valuable consumer products imported into the United States during 2022 were cars, mobile phones, computers, medication mixes in doses, and automobile parts or accessories.

The total dollar amount for America’s top 100 imported consumer products increased by 13.6% from 2021 to 2022, less than the overall 15% expansion for all US imported goods for the year.

Among the top 100 consumer products imported by the US, 82 posted increases in total spending from 2021 to 2022. Leading gainers included American imports of miscellaneous items clad with precious metals (up 71.6%), petroleum gases (up 59.3%) and electric storage batteries (up 58.7%).

Recording double-digit downturns were US consumer imports of vulcanized rubber apparel (down -66.2%), gold (down -30.8%), liquid crystal or laser optical tools (down -21.8%), silver (down -19.7%), sports equipment (down -18.9%), iron or steel stoves and barbecues (down -15.2%) then crustaceans including lobsters (down -12.8%).

Changes in American consumer demand for essential imports offer future opportunities for international suppliers who correctly anticipate which upward or downward trends will continue.

Consumer Products Defined

Economics educator BoyceWire defines a consumer product as a final good or end product that a business creates for consumers to buy. For example, consumers often purchase refined petroleum oil at the gas station while imported crude oil is an intermediate good subject to further processing before being sold to end users.

Although there may be a few wealthy individual buyers, products like turbojets are excluded from the consumer products targeted by this study. That is because turbojets are usually purchased by corporations. In contrast, it is common for a consumer to buy a motorcycle.

Types of Consumer Products

This article focuses on 3 distinct consumer product types.

Convenience Products are easy to access, non-durable, have relatively lower prices and therefore consumers frequently purchase them. Examples of convenience products are food, alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks, and soap.

Shopping Products are not as easily available, involve more time to make a buying decision, are durable and are not bought as often as most convenience products. A great example of a shopping product is a mobile phone where buying a poor-performing model is a much more expensive mistake than buying a stale loaf of bread.

Speciality Products describe another consumer product type. This grey area includes infrequently purchased, expensive, durable and sometimes rare items. Consumers may consider the product’s brand image when making their purchase decisions. Some examples of speciality products are gold, silver, diamonds, jewelry, and branded refrigerators and dishwashers.

US Most Valuable Imported Convenience Products

The list below showcases the most valuable imported convenience products on which buyers in the United States spent the most. Items were selected at the four-digit Harmonized System tariff classification code level and are presented in descending order.

You can also peruse the greatest increases or decreases in product values from 2021 to 2022 by focusing on the percentages displayed to the right of each product name.

Medications: US$91,962,179,000 (up 8.9%)
Processed petroleum oils: $82,306,262,000 (up 27.9%)
Petroleum gas: $24,123,703,000 (up 59.3%)
Miscellaneous plastic items: $15,931,929,000 (down -6.8%)
Alcohol (including spirits, liqueurs): $12,878,979,000 (up 20.5%)
Plastic packing goods, lids, caps: $10,880,779,000 (up 11.9%)
Bread, biscuits, cakes, pastries: $9,831,887,000 (up 25.8%)
Coffee: $9,786,287,000 (up 41.5%)
Fish fillets, pieces: $9,582,414,000 (up 28.3%)
Plastic wares (table, kitchen, toiletry): $9,575,903,000 (up 12.1%)
Crustaceans (including lobsters): $9,541,503,000 (down -12.8%)
Miscellaneous food preparations: $8,471,851,000 (up 14.2%)
Wine: $7,684,771,000 (up 4.2%)
Malt beer: $7,050,111,000 (up 6.4%)
Miscellaneous fruits (fresh): $5,513,785,000 (up 10%)
Dates/pineapples/mango/avocado: $5,279,480,000 (up 7.7%)
Fresh or chilled beef: $4,874,459,000 (down -2%)
Miscellaneous preserved fruits: $4,578,201,000 (up 19.3%)
Other fresh/chilled vegetables: $4,337,592,000 (up 1.4%)
Crustaceans, molluscs (preserved/prepared): $4,119,790,000 (up 5.2%)
Chocolate, other cocoa preparations: $3,833,861,000 (up 18.9%)
Perfumes, toilet waters: $3,787,557,000 (up 22.6%)
Waters with added sugar: $3,687,729,000 (down -8.9%)
Fruit and vegetable juices: $3,418,977,000 (up 40.3%)

The listed convenience products led by medications, processed petroleum oils and petroleum gas represent America’s least popular import product type behind both shopping products and speciality goods.

Non-durable consumer products are goods that are not re-used once consumed. Alcoholic beverages and bananas are examples of non-durable goods. Convenience products are uniquely non-durable consumer products.

US Most Valuable Imported Shopping Products

The following list highlights the most valuable imported shopping products on which buyers in the United States spent the greatest amounts. Items were selected at the four-digit Harmonized System tariff classification code level and are presented from highest to lowest total amounts.

The percentages displayed to the right of each product name reveal the highest increases or decreases in America’s spending on that specific type of shopping product from 2021 to 2022.

Cars: US$168,337,379,000 (up 13.7%)
Phone devices including smartphones: $126,687,473,000 (up 13.6%)
Computers, optical readers: $123,819,128,000 (up 4.8%)
Automobile parts/accessories: $86,225,918,000 (up 16.7%)
Miscellaneous furniture: $36,139,352,000 (up 13.1%)
Trucks: $35,161,277,000 (up 13.1%)
Computer parts, accessories: $34,108,651,000 (up 12.2%)
Seats (not barber/dentist chairs): $31,012,417,000 (up 4.8%)
Insulated wire/cable: $29,930,958,000 (up 20.6%)
Electrical converters/power units: $23,428,788,000 (up 23.6%)
Miscellaneous toys: $22,153,371,000 (up 12.9%)
Rubber tires (new): $21,776,161,000 (up 26.4%)
Tractors: $18,813,699,000 (up 43.6%)
Unrecorded sound media: $18,586,922,000 (up 8.8%)
Jerseys, pullovers (knit or crochet): $18,009,894,000 (up 16%)
Orthopedic appliances: $16,873,864,000 (up 17.2%)
Miscellaneous items clad with precious metals: $16,785,405,000 (up 71.6%)
Printing machinery: $16,230,472,000 (up 5.2%)
Footwear (leather): $15,049,387,000 (up 39.4%)
Video console games, table games: $14,787,035,000 (up 18.9%)
Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $14,696,623,000 (up 16.7%)
Cases, handbags, wallets: $14,676,723,000 (up 27.5%)
Microphones/headphones/amps: $13,750,852,000 (up 11.7%)
Footwear (textile): $12,518,319,000 (up 32.5%)
Women’s clothing (not knit/crochet): $12,189,220,000 (up 35.1%)
Sports equipment: $10,595,390,000 (down -18.9%)
Men’s suits (unknit/non-crochet): $10,241,470,000 (up 36.4%)
T-shirts, vests (knit or crochet): $9,303,249,000 (up 26%)
Screws, bolts, washers, hooks, pins: $8,533,135,000 (up 29.9%)
Footwear (rubber or plastic): $8,320,482,000 (up 31.8%)
Miscellaneous iron or steel items: $7,937,023,000 (up 24%)
Women’s clothing (knit or crochet): $7,489,311,000 (up 8.2%)
Miscellaneous textile items: $7,057,345,000 (down -5.9%)
Trailers: $7,011,638,000 (up 35.1%)
Linens: $6,982,632,000 (down -7.6%)
Plastic tile or roll coverings: $6,248,048,000 (up 15.4%)
Mattresses, quilts: $5,664,180,000 (down -6.2%)
Vulcanized rubber items: $5,253,920,000 (up 10.5%)
Motorcycles: $5,144,556,000 (up 39.4%)
Iron/steel tables, household items: $4,456,198,000 (down -7.6%)
Wrist/pocket watches (regular case): $4,396,469,000 (up 10.6%)
Women’s underwear (knit/crochet): $4,304,144,000 (up 3.7%)
Other pharmaceutical goods: $4,256,717,000 (up 9.9%)
Hot-rolled iron/non-alloy steel items: $4,147,060,000 (down -7.7%)
Paper containers, cellulose wadding: $3,853,342,000 (up 15.7%)
Vulcanized rubber apparel: $3,665,712,000 (down -66.2%)
Men’s suits, trousers (knit or crochet): $3,540,512,000 (up 11.8%)
Men’s shirts (not knit or crochet): $3,386,997,000 (up 50.9%)
Electric lamps: $3,319,061,000 (down -2.5%)
Yachts, canoes, row boats: $3,269,983,000 (up 17.5%)
Bras, corsets (unknit/non-crochet): $3,183,651,000 (up 1.3%)

America’s most popular imported product type is shopping products (SD) led by cars, mobile phones, computers, automotive parts or accessories, miscellaneous furniture, and trucks.

As a product category, shopping products exceed half (51) of America’s top 100 imported consumer goods.

Durable consumer products are goods like cars, refrigerators and furniture that last a relatively long time. Consumers can put durable products to use again and again. Note that shopping products and speciality products are considered as durable consumer products.

US Most Valuable Imported Speciality Products

Speciality products represent the category with the fewest entries among America’s imports that attracted the United States’ greatest spending on imported consumer goods during 2022.

Selected at the four-digit Harmonized System tariff classification code level, the most valuable speciality items are listed in descending order below.

The percentage to the right of each product name reveal highest increases or decreases in 2022 compared to 2021.

Electric storage batteries: US$23,910,267,000 (up 58.7%)
Diamonds (unmounted/unset): $23,676,721,000 (up 17.1%)
Refrigerators, freezers: $14,973,784,000 (up 5.7%)
Air conditioners: $13,986,045,000 (up 20.6%)
Jewelry: $13,229,931,000 (down -6%)
Liquid pumps: $13,123,124,000 (up 12.9%)
Electric motors, not generating sets: $12,913,145,000 (up 13.6%)
Electric water heaters, hair dryers: $12,818,655,000 (up 5.2%)
Household base metal mountings: $10,028,394,000 (up 14.8%)
Gold (unwrought): $9,612,186,000 (down -30.8%)
Temperature-change machines: $7,634,669,000 (up 18.1%)
Hand-drawn paintings, drawings: $7,452,785,000 (up 20.9%)
Beauty/makeup/skin care: $6,351,334,000 (up 14.3%)
Potassic fertilizers: $6,286,953,000 (up 56.2%)
Carnival items, magic tricks: $6,099,677,000 (up 17.1%)
Dishwash, clean/dry/fill machines : $5,620,314,000 (up 3%)
Silver (unwrought): $5,370,521,000 (down -19.7%)
Coins including legal tender: $5,207,310,000 (up 26%)
Nitrogenous fertilizers: $4,884,826,000 (up 24.5%)
Iron/steel stoves, barbecues: $4,869,475,000 (down -15.2%)
Vacuum cleaners: $3,733,645,000 (down -0.7%)
Electromechanic appliances: $3,417,578,000 (up 1.7%)
Liquid crystal/laser/optical tools: $3,410,616,000 (down -21.8%)
Special hand/machine tools: $3,252,819,000 (up 1.1%)
Spectacles, goggles: $3,043,673,000 (up 3.6%)

Like the shopping products category, speciality products are considered as durable consumer products.

Based on the product types identified in the sections above, 76 of the United States’ 100 highest-value consumer shopper plus speciality products are durable while the remaining 24 convenience products are classified as non-durable.

Overall Fastest-Growing Consumer Imports

Listed below are the top 10 consumer products imported into the United States that experienced the highest percentage increases in spending from 2021 to 2022.

Miscellaneous items clad with precious metals: Up 71.6% ($16.8 billion)
Petroleum gas: Up 59.3% ($24.1 billion)
Electric storage batteries: Up 58.7% ($23.9 billion)
Potassic fertilizers: Up 56.2% ($6.3 billion)
Unknitted and non-crocheted men’s shirts: Up 50.9% ($3.4 billion)
Tractors: Up 43.6% ($18.8 billion)
Coffee: Up 41.5% ($9.8 billion)
Fruit and vegetable juices: Up 40.3% ($3.4 billion)
Footwear (leather): Up 39.4% ($15 billion)
Motorcycles: Up 39.4% ($5.1 billion)

Among these top 10 items are 7 durable goods that consumers can re-use over time.

Five top gainers are shopping products that require a comparatively longer time to make a buying decision. Specifically, these are miscellaneous items clad with precious metals, unknitted and non-crocheted men’s shirts, tractors, leather footwear and motorcycles. Two are periodically purchased speciality items namely electric storage batteries and potassic fertilizers.

The three non-durable top consumer imports are petroleum gas, coffee, and fruit or vegetable juices.

Overall Worst-Declining US Consumer Imports

America’s spending on the following 10 items decreased at the greatest percentage pace from 2021 to 2022.

Vulcanized rubber apparel: Down -66.2% ($3.7 billion)
Gold: Down -30.8% ($9.6 billion)
Liquid crystal/laser/optical tools: Down -21.8% ($3.4 billion)
Silver: Down -19.7% ($5.4 billion)
Sports equipment: Down -18.9% ($10.6 billion)
Iron/steel stoves, barbecues: Down -15.2% ($4.9 billion)
Crustaceans (including lobsters): Down -12.8% ($9.5 billion)
Waters with added sugar: Down -8.9% ($3.7 billion)
Hot-rolled iron/non-alloy steel items: Down -7.7% ($4.15 billion)
Iron/steel tables, household items: Down -7.6% ($4.5 billion)

Four of these items are shopping products. Another 4 are specialty products namely gold, liquid crystal laser or optical tools, silver, and iron or steel stoves and barbecues.

The two declining non-durable consumer products are crustaceans including lobsters and water with added sugar–imported goods that are consumed one time only.

Key Suppliers by Country

This analysis reveals competitive suppliers that target America’s demand for its top 5 consumer import products.

The biggest US imported consumer product by value is cars. America’s 4 other leading consumer imports are mobile phones, computers, medication mixes in dosage, and automotive parts or accessories.

Below, you will find major supplying countries for US imported:

Cars: Mexico (21.7% of total), Japan (19.9%), Canada (15.7%), South Korea (13.2%), Germany (11.6%), United Kingdom (3.8%), Slovakia (2.8%), Italy (2.1%), Sweden (2%), and mainland China (1.5%).

Phones: mainland China (50.8% of total), Vietnam (19.4%), Mexico (7.9%), Taiwan (5.4%), Thailand (3.9%), Malaysia (3.1%), India (1.5%), South Korea (1.1%), Japan (0.8%), and Canada (also 0.8%).

Computers: mainland China (45% of total), Mexico (29.7%), Taiwan (9.1%), Thailand (7%), Vietnam (3%), Malaysia (1.3%), Philippines (0.8%), Germany (also 0.8%), Canada (0.4%), and Japan (also 0.4%).

Medication mixes in dosage: Ireland (16.5% of total), Switzerland (14.1%), India (9.5%), Germany (9.2%), mainland China (7.9%), Denmark (6.8%), Canada (5.3%), Italy (5.2%), United Kingdom (3.8%), and Japan (3.4%).

Automotive parts or accessories: Mexico (36.2% of total), mainland China (13.5%), Canada (12.7%), Japan (9.2%), South Korea (7.5%), Germany (6.3%), Taiwan (2.8%), India (2.3%), Thailand (1.5%), and Italy (1%).

References

Independent insights and analysis presented in this article are based on researched facts and statistics sourced from the following educational portals.

BoyceWire, Consumer Goods Definition.

Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook: United States Economy.

International Trade Centre, Trade Map.

Investopedia, Consumer Goods, Consumer Staples Definition, Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG).

Trading Economics, United States Consumer Spending.

Wikipedia, List of largest consumer markets.

World’s Top Exports, United States Top 10 Imports.