Most international moving companies chase new business the same way: by focusing on people moving out of their own country. This “export-only” approach feels logical. After all, when the customer lives locally, you can visit their home, assess their needs, and provide a personal quote. It’s familiar territory, but there’s a big blind spot here, one that could be holding your company back from significant growth.
By focusing only on export lanes, you’re missing out on an equally valuable, often overlooked source of business: import lanes.
In this article we’re going to explore what import lanes are, why they’re so powerful, and how tapping into them can help your business grow faster, smarter, and with less competition, by looking at the following topics:
What Are Import Lanes?
Why Most Movers Ignore Import Lanes (And Why They Shouldn’t)
Why Import Lanes Are a Hidden Growth Engine
Data Insight From Relocately
What You Should Know Before Buying Import Leads
How to Activate Import Lanes on Relocately
The One Thing to Remember
What Are Import Lanes?
Put simply, import lanes are lead routes for people moving into your country, not out of it. If you’re an American moving company, and someone in France is relocating to the United States, that’s an import lead for you.
Most companies work with export lanes because they feel easier to manage. You know the market, you can visit customers in person, and you’re confident in your ability to deliver a great experience from start to finish, but focusing only on exports is like opening your shop to customers leaving town, when there’s a whole crowd arriving that needs your help.
What does this mean for you as a mover?
It means that you can filter import leads coming from all over the world to a specific region in your country.
For example, leads from Mexico to Amsterdam, or leads from France to Madrid.
In both cases, your business plays a crucial role. But in the second example, the starting point is abroad, and the customer is arriving at your doorstep. It might seem difficult to quote a customer without seeing their belongings first, however, in today’s modern world, quoting using videos or pictures is a lot more common than people might think.
Why Most Movers Ignore Import Lanes (And Why They Shouldn’t)
Even though import lanes offer huge potential, many international moving companies don’t actively pursue them. There are a few common reasons for this hesitation:
Perceived lack of control:
Many movers believe that if the customer starts in another country, it’s harder to ensure service quality. Since they’re not on-site for the initial packing and pickup, they assume they won’t be able to deliver the same high standard of service they’re known for locally.Assumption that in-person visits are essential:
Some companies still rely heavily on in-home visits for quoting. They think, “If I can’t visit the customer to walk through their home, I can’t give an accurate quote.” This makes cross-border origin moves seem too complicated or risky.Operational uncertainty:
There’s a belief that import moves are more complex or harder to manage. From customs regulations to logistics coordination, companies fear they’ll face unexpected complications that are easier to handle on home turf.Inertia and focus on the familiar:
Let’s face it, most companies stick to what they know. Export lanes feel comfortable. They’ve been doing them for years, and the systems, teams, and partners are all aligned around that structure.
But here’s the reality: the international moving industry has changed, and your business likely has too.
Today, a growing number of movers are already equipped to handle import leads without realizing it. That’s because the tools, processes, and partnerships many companies now use are naturally suited for cross-border flexibility. For example:
Virtual quoting is now the norm:
More companies are ditching the in-home survey. They use apps, video calls, or customer-filled inventories to gather move details remotely, making it irrelevant whether the customer lives next door or across the border.Global agent networks are stronger than ever:
Many movers already collaborate with trusted partners in other countries to handle origin services. These relationships make it possible to coordinate packing and pickup abroad with minimal friction.Destination services are often your strongest value-add:
Companies that excel in customs clearance, delivery, unpacking, and local customer service are already in a perfect position to take on the destination side of an import move. And that’s exactly what many import customers need.
So while import moves might feel like a stretch, they often require no major changes to your business model. You probably have most of the puzzle pieces in place already, you just haven’t put them to use on the import side.
Why Import Lanes Are a Hidden Growth Engine
Graph: Based on Relocately Data
Think of import lanes as the other half of your business that’s just waiting to be unlocked.
Twice the Lead Volume
Every customer moving out of your country has a counterpart moving in. That means for every export lead you work with, there’s an equal chance someone else is headed your way. By adding import lanes to your strategy, you can effectively double your lead pool, without doubling your budget. It’s a simple, powerful way to grow.
New Markets Without New Infrastructure
Import lanes let you expand your business reach into new countries or cities, without opening offices or hiring new teams abroad. You can begin attracting leads from new regions simply by adjusting your intake settings and using your existing network of partners. It’s like building a bridge into another market, without laying all the bricks yourself.
Customers Already Coming Your Way
Import leads are people who’ve already made the decision to move to your country. They need help getting settled, handling customs, and moving into their new home. These are high-intent prospects; they just need someone local they can trust. That could be you.
New Strategic Growth Partnerships
When you activate import lanes, you're not just bringing in more leads; you’re opening the door to new strategic partnerships.
Many companies find that once they start receiving import leads from specific countries, they naturally begin collaborating with movers in those locations to fulfill the origin side of the move. These collaborations often evolve into lasting partnerships, where both parties benefit from a steady two-way stream of leads.
Over time, this kind of cooperation can lead to:
Entirely new export routes you hadn’t considered before
Stronger visibility in previously untapped markets
A more balanced global lead flow, reducing reliance on a single region
And here’s where Relocately helps you take this even further:
Through our platform, you can find which companies are currently relocating customers from those origin countries. This gives you a strategic edge, not only can you buy the right leads, but you can also proactively reach out to potential partner movers in those regions directly through Relocately.
The result? You’re not just reacting to demand, you’re building your own network, expanding your global footprint, and actively shaping your company’s future growth path.
Data Insight From Relocately
Over the past 12 months, Relocately’s platform data has revealed clear, compelling trends in the value of import lanes for movers. On average, 23% of all contract lines are dedicated to import services, and 33% of our customers, that’s 159 out of 370 active companies, have engaged with at least one import contract line.
The impact is tangible: companies that activated an import lane saw a 43% increase in lead volume within just the first three months. Certain lanes stood out in performance, particularly France to Netherlands and UK to Germany, with conversion rates ranging from 12% to 17%, often outperforming their export counterparts.
Interestingly, movers combining both export and import lanes experienced more consistent lead flow month-to-month, especially during traditionally quieter seasons. This suggests that import lanes are not just a theoretical growth lever, they’re delivering real, measurable ROI for the movers who leverage them.
What You Should Know Before Buying Import Leads
Ready to explore import lanes? Here are a few things to keep in mind as you get started.
Know What You Can Offer
You don’t need to do everything; just be clear about what you can do well. If you specialize in customs clearance, delivery, and storage, focus on import leads that need destination services. If you have partner agents abroad, you can offer full door-to-door solutions even if the move starts elsewhere. You as a company can choose which important lanes you want, they are not tied to your export lanes, which means that you can go a completely different route when focusing on import lanes.
In short, play to your strengths.
Start with the Right Lanes
Look at where your best export lanes are today. The same countries may have strong import potential. If you’re already moving people from the Netherlands to Spain, why not also support people moving from Spain to the Netherlands?
Starting with familiar regions helps you move faster and avoid surprises.
Set Clear Filters
When using a platform like Relocately, you can fine-tune the types of leads you want by setting filters, such as origin country, move size, or customer type. This helps ensure you only receive leads that match your business model and service capabilities.
Monitor Your Conversions
Once you’ve activated your import lanes, the next, and arguably most important, phase begins: monitoring your conversions. This is where you evaluate how well the leads are performing. You’ll track which leads are converting into actual moves, and which ones aren’t. This insight helps you understand what types of leads work best for your business, while also giving us valuable data to fine-tune and optimize your lead flow together.
How to Activate Import Lanes on Relocately
Interested in getting started with import lanes? Our platform makes it simple, but you don’t have to do it alone.
At Relocately, we have a team of experts ready to help you identify the best import lanes for your business. Whether you’re just exploring the idea or ready to take action, we’ll guide you through the setup, help you choose the right filters, and make sure the lanes you activate align with your goals.
If you’d like tailored advice or want to see what’s possible for your region, you can book a meeting with us. We’ll walk you through the process, recommend high-potential routes, and ensure you’re set up to start receiving relevant import leads right away.
Let us help you unlock the full value of import lanes and grow your business strategically.
The One Thing to Remember
Here’s the most important takeaway:
Import lanes are a golden opportunity for international moving companies.
They allow you to reach customers already moving to your country, people who need your help, often urgently, and are actively looking for partners like you. By adding import lanes to your strategy, you can unlock more leads, reduce competition, and expand into new markets without changing how you operate. It’s the easiest, most scalable way to grow your moving business, without reinventing your team, your tools, or your process.
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