Goods and services are classified according to a numerical system of international classification known as the International Schedule of Classes of Goods and Services. For instance, class 35 corresponds to "Advertising and Business" services and class 12 corresponds to "Vehicles; apparatus for locomotion by land, air, or water" goods. This classification is applicable to trademarks filed after September 1, 1973. For to this date, the US Classification System was used for categorization.

In addition to the classification of goods and services, trademark applicants must provide an identification and description of the services beyond the scope of the descriptions listed in the Intenational Classification of Goods and Services document. The USPTO Acceptable Identification of Goods and Services Manual and the Trademark Examiners Manual of Procedure (TMEP) are valuable is a valuable tools to help applicants identifying goods and sevices.


References:
[1] Stim, R. "Intellectual Property. Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights" West Legal Studies.
[2] Black's Law Dictionary 5th ed., (West Publishing, 1979).
[3] Acceptable Identification of Goods and Services Manual
[4] Trademark Examiners Manual of Procedure (TMEP)
[5] International Schedule of Classes of Goods and Services.

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