[TIPS] What Separates Good Classifiers From Great Ones? (Podcast)

Start With the GRIs

Tariff classification rewards precision. GTC instructor Arthur O’Meara tells host Lalo Solorzano the General Rules of Interpretation are the foundation every classifier needs. These six rules govern how products move through the Harmonized System. Skipping past them leads to shortcuts that don’t hold up under scrutiny.

The Notes Change Everything

Section and chapter notes aren’t optional reading. Arthur explains that these notes define materials, set exclusions, and determine whether a product qualifies for a chapter. He points to gaskets as an example — swap the material from rubber to plastic, and the classification can shift entirely. Small details carry real consequences.