2009 Foreign Trade Data Product Changes

Beginning with the January 2009 statistics scheduled for release in March 2009, the U.S. Census Bureau will modify the structure of several data products to accommodate changing technology and data user demand. Prices reflect new efficiencies in processing and costs associated with producing additional data products and data elements. The formats and/or pricing of the following products will change:

1. Merchandise Trade
2. Databanks
3. State Exports
4. Port Data
5. Concordance Masters

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• View Record Layouts & Download Sample Files
• View a list of all FTD data product prices.

Merchandise Trade (Exports, Imports, Annual History)

• All files will change from Dbase to ASCII format. New lookup software will be provided.

• Value, shipping weight, and charges (charges for imports only) by containerized vessel will be added. All other fields will remain the same.

• Revised data files in the same format with the same record layout will be provided with all purchases, available in June with the release of our annual revision.

• The 5-year history disc will no longer be provided with subscription. It will be available for purchase for $200.

• The new cost for merchandise trade subscriptions, beginning with January 2009 statistics are: $200 for an individual month, $800 for a quarterly subscription (4 months), and $2,400 for a monthly subscription (12 months).

Databank

• All databank products will be discontinued beginning with January 2009 statistics.

• The new merchandise trade ASCII detail data files contain all the fields currently in our databank, making the databank obsolete. Any current databank subscribers can subscribe to the merchandise trade product. See Merchandise Trade for details.

State Exports (State HS6, State NAICS, State Region)

• State 6-digit HS

• Year-to-date data fields will be added to the monthly files. The annual file will no longer be produced; annual data can be found in on the December database.

• Revised data files in the same format with the same record layout will be provided with all purchases, available in June with the release of our annual revision.

• The new cost for state 6-digit HS subscriptions, beginning with January 2009 statistics are: $400 for an individual month, $1,600 for a quarterly subscription (4 months), and $4,800 for a monthly subscription (12 months).

• State NAICS

• 3-digit NAICS quarterly and annual data files will be discontinued.

• 4-digit NAICS monthly data files will replace the quarterly and annual 3-digit NAICS Files. All files will include year-to-date data allowing users to compile quarterly and annual data as well as monthly.

• Revised data files in the same format with the same record layout will be provided with all purchases, available in June with the release of our annual revision.

• The new cost for state NAICS subscriptions, beginning with January 2009 statistics are: $200 for an individual month, $800 for a quarterly subscription (4 months), and $2,400 for a monthly subscription (12 months).

• State/Region

• Due to lack of demand this product is being discontinued as a standard data product.

Port Data (Port HS6 Exports, Port HS6 Imports)

• Year-to-date data fields will be added to the monthly files. The annual file will no longer be produced; annual data can be found in on the December database

• Revised data files in the same format with the same record layout will be provided with all purchases, available in June with the release of our annual revision.

• The new cost for port data subscriptions, beginning with January 2009 statistics are: $400 for an individual month, $1,600 for a quarterly subscription (4 months), and $4,800 for a monthly subscription (12 months).

Concordance Masters (Commodity, Geographic, Textile)

• The concordance files will be free of charge.

If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact the Data Dissemination Branch office on 1-800-549-0595 (option 4) or e-mail at ftd.data.dissemination@census.gov.