Help - Search

This section is designed to provide help and information pertaining to the search functions employed in Trade Data Online

It is organized as follows:

General Information

• Search Options
• Use of Search
• Terminology

Products (HS)

• Keyword and Code Search

• Steps for Performing a Keyword Search
• Steps for Performing a Code Search
• Use of Operators (Examples)
• About the Keyword Search Thesaurus

Browse List by Product

• Steps for Using the Browse List of Product Option

Industries (NAICS)

• Keyword and Code Search

• Steps for Performing a Keyword Search
• Steps for Performing a Code Search

Browse List by Industry

• Steps for Using the Browse List of Industries Option

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Search Options

Whether you are searching for particular products or for particular industries, the available options in Trade Data Online are generally similar.

• Keyword and Code Search Option: This allows you to find a product (or industry) by entering the associated numeric HS or NAICS code. Entering a keyword expression will also generate the same results because it is applied against a thesaurus of synonyms and terms relating to the product or industry name.
• Browse by Product or Industry Option: This allows you to find a product or industry by browsing through complete lists of products or industries so you can select the desired code(s). Both the Harmonized System and the North American Industry Classification System are organized hierarchically in sections and this option allows you to select both entire sections and/or "drilldown" to individual HS or NAICS codes within a section.

Use of Search

It should be remembered at all times that Trade Data Online is a site that offers only trade (and shipment-related) statistics and the following considerations pertain:

• There is no company information: This not a company database and entering a company name in a search box will not return information about the company. For company information, please consult sites such as Canadian Company Capabilities or the Canadian Importers Database.
• There is no geographic search: Geographical selections are made using the drill-down menus for selecting Trading Partners for a specific Trader. Thus, entering a country, province, state or continent name in the search box will not result in a geographic selection.
• There is no information on trade in services: Trade Data Online offers customs-based trade statistics for specific products or goods-producing industries. No information on trade in services is available on this site. For information pertaining to service industries, please consult sites such as Services 2000.
• There is No Brand Name Information: All product descriptions in Trade Data Online are generic and associated with the international Harmonized System. Thus, for example, a search for beer will yield results, but not searches for Brand X or Brand Y.

Terminology: Commodity - Product - Merchandise - Goods

The Harmonized System is used to classify the commodities that are traded. For all practical purposes, in Trade Data Online, the terms products, goods, commodities and merchandise are considered synonymous and are largely used interchangeably - although the term "product" is the one that was selected for use in the application interface.