# How to Add an HS Code for Shopify Products

> Where the HS code field lives on a Shopify product, the exact clicks for each of the four methods, and how to pick one for the size of your catalog.

Canonical: https://origova.com/how-to-add-hs-codes-in-shopify

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# How to add an HS code for Shopify products

_By [Spencer Flaherty](https://origova.com/about), founder of Origova_

The HS code for Shopify products is set **per variant**, inside the **Customs information** subsection of the Shipping card — collapsed by default, which is why most merchants never find it. There are three documented ways to fill it in and a fourth via CSV. The right one depends entirely on how many products you have. Here are the exact paths.

> **Where does your catalog stand?** — Origova scans every variant for missing or malformed HS codes, country of origin and weight — free, at any catalog size. [Run the free scan](https://apps.shopify.com/origova)

## Method 1: on the product page

1. From the Shopify admin, go to **Products**.
2. Open the product.
3. Scroll to the **Shipping** section.
4. Click **Country of origin** and choose the country or region where the product was made.
5. In **Harmonized System (HS) code**, enter the code.
6. Save.

Best for: new products as you add them, and stores under roughly 50 SKUs. Both customs fields sit in the same place, so do them together — a label needs both.

## Method 2: the bulk editor

1. Go to **Products**.
2. Select the products you want to edit.
3. Click **Bulk edit**.
4. Click **Columns** and add **Harmonized system code**.
5. Type values into the grid and save.

Best for: a known list of products, up to a few hundred. The limitation is in step 2 — you have to already know which products to select, and Shopify gives you no way to filter by "HS code is empty".

There is a second, more capable bulk editor worth knowing about. **Products > Inventory >** select variants **> Edit variants > Columns** opens the _inventory_ bulk editor, where Shopify documents **Harmonized system code**, **Country of origin** and **Weight** as editable variant properties — all three customs fields in one grid. The same "you must already know what to select" limit applies, and variants set not to track quantity don't appear on the Inventory page at all.

## Method 3: the inventory CSV

Products > Inventory > **Export** produces a file with an `HS Code` column and a `COO` column for country of origin. Fill them in, then Products > Inventory > **Import** to write them back.

> **Not the product CSV** — Shopify's product CSV has no HS code column — its shipping-related columns are Requires shipping, Weight value (grams), Weight unit for display and Fulfillment service. Use the inventory export instead. More detail in [Shopify product CSV and HS codes](/shopify-product-csv-hs-code).

## Method 4: at label purchase

Shopify also lets you supply a code while buying a shipping label. It unblocks the parcel in front of you and changes nothing about the catalogue, so the next order for the same product asks again. Treat it as triage, not a fix.

## Which method for which store

_Pick by catalogue size and by whether you know what is missing_

| Catalogue | You know what is missing | You do not |
|---|---|---|
| Under 50 variants | Product page | Skim the product list by hand |
| 50-500 variants | Bulk editor | Export inventory CSV, filter for blanks |
| 500-5,000 variants | Inventory CSV | Audit tool, then CSV or bulk editor |
| 5,000+ variants | CSV or app with grouping | Audit tool first — manual review is not realistic |

## Getting the code right, not just entered

Entering a code is the easy half. Two rules that prevent the common failures:

- **Six digits minimum, even number of digits.** Four digits or five digits is the malformation behind the ["Harmonized code is invalid"](/harmonized-code-is-invalid) error.
- **Classify by what the product is, not what it is for.** A silicone phone case and a leather one are different headings. Grouping by store collection produces confidently wrong data.

Look codes up at the [official HTS](https://hts.usitc.gov). For products where the classification is genuinely arguable — and there are more of those than most sellers expect — a licensed customs broker is worth the hour.

## The short version

Product page for a few, bulk editor for a known list, inventory CSV for a lot. The hard part is not entering codes; it is finding out which of your variants do not have one. See [finding products missing HS codes](/find-products-missing-hs-codes-shopify).

> **Not customs advice** — Origova scans and bulk-fixes the customs data in your Shopify catalog. It does not replace a licensed customs broker and it does not make the final classification decision for you. Classification depends on the product's material, use, composition and origin. Verify classifications with the [HTS](https://hts.usitc.gov), [CBP rulings](https://rulings.cbp.gov), or a licensed customs broker.

## Finding the HS code for Shopify products you didn't classify

Entering the code is the easy half. Deciding _which_ code is the half no app should do for you, and Origova does not — it checks that a code is present and structurally valid (6–10 digits), never that it is the correct classification for your goods.

For US imports, the authoritative source is the [Harmonized Tariff Schedule](https://hts.usitc.gov); past agency decisions on similar goods are searchable in [CBP's rulings database](https://rulings.cbp.gov). For genuinely ambiguous goods, that is a licensed customs broker's question. Our category walk-throughs cover the common cases: [clothing and apparel](https://origova.com/hs-code-for-clothing-shopify), [jewelry](https://origova.com/hs-code-for-jewelry-shopify), [cosmetics and skincare](https://origova.com/hs-code-for-cosmetics-skincare-shopify), [footwear](https://origova.com/shoes-hs-code) and [toys](https://origova.com/toys-hs-code).

## Frequently asked questions

### Where is the HS code field in Shopify?

From the Shopify admin, go to Products, open a product, and scroll to the Shipping section. It holds a Country of origin dropdown and a Harmonized System (HS) code field.

### How do I add HS codes to many products at once?

Shopify documents the bulk editor: Products, select the items, click Bulk edit, then Columns, then add Harmonized system code. For larger jobs the inventory CSV carries an HS Code column.

### How many digits should a Shopify HS code be?

At least six. The first six digits are the international part of the Harmonized System; countries add their own digits after that. Shopify's InventoryItem stores a six-digit HS code and can hold country-specific codes separately.

### Do I need an HS code for every variant?

Yes, if the variants ship internationally. The field lives on the inventory item, so each variant carries its own value -- a 6-size, 8-colour product is 48 records.

### What happens if I skip HS codes?

Shopify says duty calculations fall back to the product's description and category, which it describes as less accurate, and warns that inaccurate information may result in extra duties charged to the customer on delivery. Carriers may also reject or delay the shipment.

### Where is the HS code for Shopify products stored?

On the variant’s inventory item, not on the product record — which is why the standard product CSV has no HS code column and why a GraphQL mutation has to set it through the inventory item. In the admin it appears under Shipping > Customs information, per variant.

### Does every Shopify product need an HS code?

Every physical product you ship across a border does. Digital products, services and gift cards do not — mark them as not requiring shipping and they drop out of the check entirely. If Shopify is asking for a code on a domestic order, [that has a separate cause](https://origova.com/hs-code-required-domestic-order-shopify).

Sources for this page: [Shopify: Adding HS codes to your products](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/international/shipping/hs-codes) · [Shopify: Inventory CSV](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/products/inventory/setup/inventory-csv) · [Shopify: Adjusting inventory quantities in bulk](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/products/inventory/adjusting-inventory/bulk-editing-inventory) · [Shopify: Duties and taxes for markets](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/markets/customizations/duties-and-taxes) · [USITC HTS](https://hts.usitc.gov)

Related: [What is an HS code?](https://origova.com/what-is-an-hs-code) · [Bulk-add HS codes, 5 ways](https://origova.com/bulk-edit-hs-codes-shopify) · [Shopify product CSV and HS codes](https://origova.com/shopify-product-csv-hs-code) · [Shopify HS code app](https://origova.com/shopify-hs-code-app)