- Export the product CSV from Shopify: Products → Export → choose UTF-8 CSV format.
- Open the CSV and locate or add the HS code column using the correct header name.
- For each SKU, collect chief material, function, construction, and destination market.
- Use the AI HS Code Finder to generate candidate codes from those facts.
- Enter candidate codes (6-digit international heading first) into the HS code column.
- Verify the full national code in the official tariff database for the destination market.
- Save and re-import the updated CSV into Shopify.
- Verify imported values and check that variants with different materials or functions have different candidates when appropriate.
Guide
How to Find and Fill HS Codes in a Shopify CSV Export
Step-by-step guide to locating the HS code column in a Shopify CSV export, adding candidate HS codes, and re-importing the updated catalog.
Answer Summary
Preparation checklist
An HS code column in a Shopify CSV export helps prepare product data for customs workflows.
Fill each SKU with a candidate HS code based on product facts, then verify the full national code in official tariff sources.
Do not copy a supplier code without checking whether it applies to the destination market.
Use this workflow
Required fields or decision table
Fields to prepare before the document draft
| Field or decision | What to prepare |
|---|---|
| HS code column in Shopify CSV | The column may appear as "HS Code," "HS," "HTS Code," "Tariff Code," or "HTS." Shopify uses this field to support duty calculation in applicable markets. Confirm the exact column header in the current Shopify export. |
| Finding the HS code column | Open the CSV in a spreadsheet. Search for "HS," "HTS," "tariff," or "code" in the column headers. Add a new column labeled to match Shopify's expected field name if none exists. |
| Collecting product facts for HS lookup | Before entering a code, note the chief material (cotton, plastic, steel), function (garment, accessory, tool), construction (knitted, woven, molded), and destination market (US, EU, UK) for each SKU. |
| Entering a candidate HS code | Use the HS Code Finder with the collected facts to generate candidates. Enter the 6-digit international heading first, then check the national extension for the destination market. |
| Verifying the full national code | Enter only a candidate in the CSV. Verify the full national code (usually 8-10 digits depending on market) in USITC HTS, EU TARIC, UK Trade Tariff, or the relevant destination tariff database before filing. |
Step-by-step preparation
How to prepare the draft
Ecommerce example
How this looks in a seller workflow
A Shopify seller has T-shirts, ceramic mugs, and USB cables in the catalog. The seller exports the CSV, adds an "HS Code" column, and fills candidates: 6109 for cotton T-shirts, 6912.00 for ceramic mugs, 8544.42 for USB cables. The seller verifies 6109 in USITC HTS and notes the US national extension adds digits for fiber content and gender. The updated CSV is re-imported with candidate codes.
Verification checklist
Review the draft before it travels with the shipment
Before a document draft is used, compare it against the order record, product catalog, carrier label, and any destination-specific instructions. The preparation checklist should confirm parties, shipment channel, item descriptions, value, currency, quantity, weight, origin, HS code candidate, and any package or reference fields.
What is required depends on shipment value, carrier, destination, and product facts, so a field that is optional in one postal or carrier workflow may be required in another. When a draft supports a repeated SKU, save the checked inputs with the product record so future shipments start from reviewed data.
Use the draft as a review artifact: it should make weak descriptions, missing origin, inconsistent values, and unsupported HS code candidates easy to spot before the parcel is handed to a postal operator, carrier, marketplace label flow, or freight team.
Common mistakes
What to avoid
- Using a supplier code without checking whether it applies to the destination market.
- Using one HS code across all variants when material or function differs.
- Entering a code without verifying the national extension in the destination tariff database.
- Skipping the destination market check and using only the international 6-digit heading.
- Using vague product descriptions to justify HS codes instead of material and function facts.
Editorial
Editorial review note
Written by the TariffCatalog Editorial Team for ecommerce document preparation workflows. The page is designed as a preparation checklist, not a filing outcome.
Maintained by Ryan Cole, with review focused on ecommerce catalog, document, and source-check workflow clarity.
Document requirements may be required differently by carrier, destination, shipment value, and product facts. Use the methodology, sources, and corrections pages to understand how the page is maintained.
Official source note
References to verify
Use official sources, carrier guidance, postal operator rules, and destination requirements to verify before filing or shipping.
USITC HTS
Use this official source when checking final classification, duty treatment, or customs requirements.
CBPUse this official source when checking final classification, duty treatment, or customs requirements.
EU TARICUse this official source when checking final classification, duty treatment, or customs requirements.
UK Trade TariffUse this official source when checking final classification, duty treatment, or customs requirements.
FAQ
Common questions
Where is the HS code column in a Shopify CSV export?
The HS code column may appear under "HS Code," "HS," "HTS Code," "Tariff Code," or "HTS" depending on Shopify version and market settings. Open the CSV and scan column headers for these terms. Add a column with the correct Shopify field name if none exists.
What product facts do I need before entering an HS code in Shopify?
Collect chief material (cotton, plastic, steel), function (garment, accessory, tool, electronics), construction (knitted, woven, molded, assembled), and destination market (US, EU, UK) for each SKU. These facts drive the candidate heading and national extension.
Can I use a supplier HS code directly in the Shopify CSV?
Treat a supplier code as a starting hint, not a verified answer. The supplier code may be an export tariff code, a different market's code, or a similar-but-different product's code. Always check the destination market tariff database before entering a code in the CSV.
How many digits should I enter in the HS code column?
Start with the 6-digit international HS heading as a candidate. Then check the national extension for the destination market: US HTS adds 2-4 digits, EU TARIC adds 4 digits, UK Trade Tariff adds 2 digits. Enter the candidate (6-digit international or known national) in the CSV and note the full verified code separately.
Should every product variant have its own HS code?
Often yes, when variants change material, function, or construction. A cotton T-shirt and a polyester T-shirt may need different code candidates. A USB cable and a USB charger definitely do. Enter the appropriate candidate per variant row in the CSV.
Do I need to verify HS codes before using them in the CSV?
Yes. The HS code in the CSV is a working candidate until verified in the official tariff database for the destination market. Enter a candidate, verify the full national code in USITC HTS, EU TARIC, UK Trade Tariff, or the relevant destination tariff source, then update the CSV with the verified code if it differs from the candidate.
Disclaimer
TariffCatalog provides informational tools and preparation workflows only. Verify final classification, rates, document requirements, and filing treatment with official sources or licensed professionals.