Welcome to USA Trade Online!
With USA Trade Online, you can access trade data by creating and downloading customizable
reports.
In this tutorial, we will provide an overview of USA Trade Online navigation and introduce
the data available.
If you are a first-time user, you will need to create an account on usatrade.census.gov
before getting started.
From the homepage, navigate to the "Subscribers Sign-In" section and click "Sign-up Now."
Then, complete the form as directed and follow the instructions in the confirmation e-mail.
Once you have completed the sign-in process, return to the USA Trade Online home page.
From the home page, you can access the data and find useful information in the tabs below.
Under "Trade Resources," you can find information on commodity classification and trade regulations.
Under the next tab you will find the Census Bureau data release schedule for the current
year.
USA Trade Online is updated on a monthly basis on the same day that new data is released.
The final tab contains a user guide - a useful resource for new users - and a FAQs page.
Now, we will explore the data available in USA Trade Online.
Navigate back to the sign-in section and select "Access Data."
Before creating a report, you must choose a data set on the "Data Source Selection"
page.
USA Trade Online offers export and import data by U.S. district, state, and port, and
according to two classification systems: North American Industry Classification System, or
NAICS, and the Harmonized System, or HS.
The Harmonized System is an internationally-standardized classification system administered by the
World Customs Organization.
It provides highly detailed, product-level classification.
NAICS is a classification system used by North American Free Trade Agreement partners: the
United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Under NAICS, commodities are grouped by industry characteristics.
Both NAICS and the Harmonized System are considered hierarchical coding systems.
For the Harmonized System, a 2-Digit code represents the broadest category.
Commodities are also classified at the 4, 6, and 10-digit level, where the 10-digit
level offers the highest level of detail.
Similarly, for the NAICS the 2-digit level represents the broadest industry category.
Products are also classified at the 3, 4, 5, and 6-digit level, where the 6-digit level
offers the most detail.
The primary difference between NAICS and the Harmonized System is the level of product
detail.
Here's an example: Let's say you want to find data on auto exports.
NAICS can provide information on broad industry trends, such as the total value of motor vehicle
exports.
The Harmonized System allows you to drill down even further, providing a break-out of
auto exports based on specific characteristics, including size and engine type.
You can find a more detailed explanation of each classification system on our website,
census.gov/trade.
For more information on the contents of each dataset, simply hover over the question mark
icon to the right of each heading.
For users who want a high-level "snapshot" of U.S. international trade, use the "Quick
Reports" section at the bottom of the page to view "Top Trading Partners" and total trade.
Now you're familiarized with the data available in USA Trade Online and the site navigation.
In the next tutorial, we will create a customized report with export trade data.