How to Use the Alternative HS Description Block for Shopify International Sellers

The Alternative HS Description Block is a new feature available for Shopify sellers using Ship&co. This extension allows sellers to provide more specific HS code descriptions on their product pages, which can be crucial for smooth customs clearance. This guide will walk you through how to install the feature and utilize it effectively.

Setting Up the Alternative HS Description Block

If the Ship&co app is installed on your Shopify Store, you can add the Alternative HS Description Block to any Shopify product page as follows:

1. Navigate to your desired product page within the Shopify admin.
2. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on "+ App Block".
3. Select "Ship&co Alternative HS Code Description Block" from the list.
   
   Then, In the Ship&co admin block:

• Enter the alternative description for the HS code in the provided field. This description does not replace the HS code number but rather the default description that might be too broad or vague.
• Click "Save" to apply the changes.

This alternative description will now be used in Ship&co’s system for any new orders containing the item, and will be selected and displayed by default under the product name on the Ship&co order page.

Handling Multiple Variants

If your product has multiple variants, you can apply a single HS code description to all variants or specify different descriptions for each:

1. Open the Shopify product admin page for the variant.
2. Click on "More Actions" at the top of the page.
3. Select "Ship&co Alternative HS Code Description".
4. Enter your alternative description and save as outlined above.

Use Case Examples

• Leather Bags: Specify the type of leather to avoid issues at customs.
• Kitchen Knives: Provide details about materials and blade length.

Use the alternative HS Description instead of the product name for shipments

To have the alternative HS description automatically used instead of the product name on shipment labels and invoices, go to the Ship&co "Settings" page >> "Commercial Invoice preferences" section, and select "Use Product Types instead of product name" for "International only", then save the settings.

How to bulk edit the Alternative HS Code Description

The alternative HS descriptions you enter are stored in a Shopify product metafield:

• Namespace: shipandco
• Key: alternative-hs-description

To edit many products at once, use Shopify's bulk editor. The metafield won't appear there until you create a definition for it, so start with Step 1.

Step 1: Create the metafield definition

1. In your Shopify admin, go to Settings → Metafields and metaobjects → Metafields → Products
2. At the top of the page, click View unstructured product metafields
   (this lists the metafields created by the apps installed on your store)
3. Find shipandco.alternative-hs-description and click Add definition
4. Enter a name (for example: "Alternative HS Code Description"), choose Single line text as the type, and save

Step 2: Bulk edit

1. Go to Products and select the products you want to edit
2. Click Edit products to open the bulk editor
3. Click Columns → Add fields
4. Search for the metafield name you created in Step 1 and add it as a column
5. Edit the values directly in the grid, then save

You can also update the same metafield through a CSV import or the Shopify API.

Whichever method you use, the data is the same metafield the Ship&co app reads, so your changes are reflected in the product page block and on your shipping labels and invoices.