Product classification

Product classification or product taxonomy is a type of economic taxonomy which organizes products for a variety of purposes. However, not only products can be referred to in a standardized way but also sales practices in form of the “Incoterms” and industries can be classified into categories.¹

Some standard product classifications include:

• CPA — Classification of Products by Activity, a product nomenclature that was used in the European Economic Community and now in use in the EU, a European version of the CPC
  • CPA 1996²
  • CPA 2002
  • CPA 2008³
  • CPA 2.1⁴
• CPC — Central Product Classification, a United Nations standard classification for products
• ETIM, the ETIM Technical Information Model
• Global Classification and Harmonized Schedule Numbers for customs classification
• HS — Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System
• SITC — Standard International Trade Classification
• Trade in Services
• UNSPSC, the United Nations Standard Products and Services Code
• IEC Common Data Dictionary (IEC CDD), a product classification and product description based on international standards and defined by the International Electrotechnical Commission
• eCl@ss, a global and ISO/IEC-conform system for classification and description of products and services, maintained by the non-governmental eCl@ss e.V. association