What it means
A customs-ready catalog is a catalog where every SKU carries the customs fields a carrier, a broker, or a marketplace expects: HS code candidate, country of origin, customs description, weight, dimensions, declared value, and HS-aligned material or function facts. Use the CSV Catalog Checker to scan a Shopify or WooCommerce export for missing fields and weak descriptions. Most ecommerce catalogs have good titles but weak customs fields, which then creates carrier rejections, weak invoices, and bad duty estimates.
Why SKU-level cleanup matters
Cleaning at the family level is not enough. A T-shirt family can include cotton, polyester, and blended variants; a phone accessory family can include plastic, leather, and battery-powered variants. Each variant may need a different HS code candidate, a different origin, or a different customs description. SKU-level cleanup is what makes the rest of the workflow reliable.
Step-by-step workflow
1) Export the product CSV from Shopify, WooCommerce, Amazon, or the platform of record. 2) Open the CSV in a spreadsheet and identify the customs columns: HS code, country of origin, customs description, weight, dimensions, declared value, unit, and SKU. 3) Run the CSV Catalog Checker to flag missing fields and weak descriptions. 4) Sort by volume or revenue so the top 20 percent of SKUs are reviewed first. 5) For each high-volume SKU, generate an HS code candidate from the AI HS Code Finder with material, function, construction, and destination. 6) Write a customs description using the four-part pattern (article + function + material + condition). 7) Confirm country of origin separately from ship-from and warehouse country. 8) Update weight and dimensions for shipping accuracy. 9) Re-import the cleaned CSV into the platform. 10) Document each cleanup step in a short note attached to the SKU.
Field checklist for each SKU
SKU (stable identifier); product type (drives HS heading); material (chief material, secondary material, fiber content, coating); function (what the buyer uses it for); construction (knit vs woven, insulated vs non-insulated, powered vs passive); country of origin (separate from ship-from); candidate HS code (working candidate, never a final classification); customs description (four-part pattern); unit value and currency; weight; dimensions; quantity per pack.
How to prioritize SKUs
Prioritize by revenue first, then by volume, then by regulated or restricted status. The top 20 percent of SKUs by revenue typically account for the majority of customs risk. Regulated SKUs (cosmetics, food, supplements, batteries, electronics, children products) need a higher review bar even at lower revenue.
Handling variants that change material or function
A product family should not share one HS code across all variants. Variants that change material (cotton vs polyester), function (passive vs powered), origin (China vs Vietnam), or battery content (no battery vs lithium battery) usually need a different candidate. The CSV Catalog Checker can group variants by material and function so the cleanup respects that grouping.
When to ask a broker
Ask a licensed broker or trade specialist when a SKU is high value, regulated, ambiguous, or shipped in repeated volume. A one-time consultation or a binding ruling protects the importer during a post-entry audit. Methodology and Sources describe how TariffCatalog prepares the inputs for that conversation; it does not replace the professional review.
Re-running the workflow
The cleanup is not a one-time project. Run the workflow after every catalog change: new SKU added, new variant, supplier change, origin change, new bundle. Set a quarterly review for the full catalog and a monthly review for the top 20 percent of SKUs.
Common mistakes
Do not use the same HS code across every variant if material or function changes. Do not assume ship-from country equals country of origin. Do not paste a marketing title as the customs description. Do not leave weight or dimensions blank because the platform field is optional. Do not skip documenting the reason for each cleanup decision.
Source note
Use platform documentation to understand fields, then verify product classification, origin treatment, and document requirements with official customs sources before filing or shipping.