Product Search

  • Keyword Search or Code Search
  • Browse List of Products

There are 2 methods for finding specific products: a keyword search where a descriptor is entered, or a code search where an HS code number is entered and the browse option where all the 6-digits HS codes and descriptions are listed by sections and chapters.

Search Results

In all cases, the result of a product search is a picklist of 6-digits HS codes. At this point, there are two options:

  • Generating a Report for the Selected (i.e. highlighted) Product.
  • "Drilling down" to display 10-digits HS codes (matching the Canadian Customs Tariff) which may offer a further breakdown.

In all cases, only one code can be selected at one time.

Keyword Search

The keyword search helps you find a specific product (and the numeric HS code associated with it) by typing one or more words.

Instructions:

  1. Enter one or more keywords in the search window.
  2. The search is not case sensitive and you are not required to enter accented characters.
  3. Multiple words must be separated by a space and the following operators can be used : AND NOT OR
  4. Click on the search button and a picklist of results will be displayed.
  5. If unsuccessful, try synonyms, alternate spelling or other combinations of related terms.

Keyword searching uses a built-in thesaurus. It is a string type of search which is not case sensitive. A limit of 500 returned codes

has been put in place to keep the response time manageable.

The search engine looks through every "character string" (contiguous set of letters) in the product (commodity) descriptions as well as through a list of synonyms and other associated terms that Industry Canada has added for use in Strategis in a built-in thesaurus.

About the Keyword Thesaurus

For instance, the word "bovine" is the term commonly used in the Harmonized System (HS) - the word "cow" has been added in the thesaurus as a keyword. Thus, if a search is carried out using the word "cow", commodity codes using the term "bovine" will also be returned.

The word "animal" has also been added to the thesaurus. A user wishing to find all the codes for "live animals" (entered in the window as "Live AND Animal") would thus pick up bovines (incl. cows), swine (incl.pigs) and equines (incl. horses) among others through inclusion of the latter term in the thesaurus. This allows retrieval of similar types commodities through use of more generic terms.

Spelling

As previously indicated, the search is not case sensitive, but is dependent on correct spelling.

In some cases, there may be differences between the British (or European) and the Canadian (or north American) spellings of a word (examples: "soya beans" and "soybeans", "fibres" and "fibers", "colour" and "color"). Also, some words may be hyphenated (examples: "man-made", "CD-ROMS", "non-alloy", "infra-red" (as opposed to "infrared")). While an attempt has been made to capture as many variations possible using the built-in thesaurus, you may need to try alternative spelling in some cases. Work on expanding and improving the thesaurus is ongoing.

Unsuccessful Keyword Searches

The most common reasons for unsuccessful keyword searches are:

  • Spelling errors
  • Entering a "company" name rather than a "product name" (e.g. Company ABC rather than Bicycles)
  • Entering the name for a "service" rather than a "product name" (e.g. Repair Services)
  • Entering a "brand name" rather than a generic "product name" (e.g. Brand X rather Beer)

Uses of "Operators"

You can search the commodity or industry descriptions using more than one word and with logical (boolean) operators such as "AND", "NOT" and "OR" spaced between your words. The keyword search also automatically consults the built-in thesaurus to help you narrow or broaden your search criteria as required.

Search on: "engines AND aircraft"

This will return only codes and descriptions related in some way to both these terms. The numerous types of engines not associated with aircrafts will not appear, although components of aircraft engines will be picked up.

Search on: "sandals OR slippers"

This will return codes and descriptions relating to both these terms. Other kind of footwear will be excluded by this more precise selection.

Search on: "suits NOT track"

This will return only codes and descriptions related to "suits", but will exclude "track suits" from the returned list.

Because the search is a string type of search, you might pick up items that do not seem related to your request. For instance, a search on "organ" will pick up that string of letters from words such "organic" and "inorganic" in the thesaurus and display a long list of organic and inorganic chemicals. Thus, if you are looking for say "pipe organs" or "church organs", these can be more precisely found by using "organ AND musical" as your entries in the keyword search box.

Do not include any "wildcard" operators

Wildcard operators are not supported in this search.

Code Search

The code search helps you find a specific product by typing one or more 6-digits numeric HS codes. This is useful only if you know specific numeric codes or have an idea of the code range.

Instructions

  1. Enter a valid code making sure the digits are NOT separated by dots.
  2. The code must have a maximum of 6 digits - to find a 10-digits code enter the first 6-digits, then "drilldown" from the "Search Results" screen.
  3. A range of codes may be entered using the " : " as an operator
    (Example: 8403 : 8406)
  4. A list of codes may also be specified using the " OR " operator
    (Example: 040310 OR 251010 OR 842511)
  5. Click on the Search button and a picklist of results will be displayed.
  6. If unsuccessful, verify the correctness of the code(s), or alternatively use the "Keyword Search" option.

Browsing the List of Products

This option allows you to find a specific product by browsing through a complete list of all the 6-digits HS product codes used in the database.

How the List Works

On the Product search screen, you will first get a screen showing the sections and chapters of the Harmonized System (HS) - the international commodity classification system used to keep track of imports and exports of various products.

By choosing a section or chapter (or in some cases a sub-chapter), you can get on the next screen a listing of all the products classified under the heading you chose. This is most useful to those for prefer browsing.

Choose one section or chapter to browse.


Note: Chapters 84, 85 and 94 of the HS are broken into sub-sections for easier access to the subject matter.

A Section usually regroups several chapters and appears in upper case in the list. (e.g. Live Animals and Animal Products regroups Chapters 1 to 5). Choosing this selection will yield a picklist of all the products (6-digit HS codes) in that section.

Clicking on a Specific Chapter (e.g. 01 Live Animals) will yield a picklist of just the 6-digit Harmonized System codes (i.e. products listed) in that chapter. In either case (section or chapter), you can then select individual products.

Finding 10-Digits HS Codes

To browse through a list of 10-digits HS codes (matching the Canadian Customs Tariff), first highlight the desired 6-digits HS code in the picklist, then click on the "Drilldown" button.

Can't Find a Specific Product?

We suggest you try the keyword search. The built-in thesaurus will help with its synonyms and associated terms.

Also be sure you are looking for "generic" terms and not for "Brand Names"!
Thus, for example, in Chapter 22 - Beverages, Spirits and Vinegar, you will find HS 220300 - Beer Made From Malt - but not any reference to "Brand X" or "Brand Y" of beer.

Not Sure You Have a Complete List?

Again, try the keyword search, as sometimes similar products are located in different chapters because of their construction or constituent materials.