Customs Duty Calculator

SKILL.md

---
name: customs-duty-calculator
description: Estimate import duties, tariffs, and landed costs for cross-border ecommerce shipments by HS code and destination.
---

# Customs Duty Calculator

Cross-border ecommerce sellers frequently face unexpected costs when shipping products internationally. Import duties, tariffs, value-added taxes, and various customs surcharges can erode profit margins if not properly estimated before pricing products for foreign markets. This skill helps ecommerce operators estimate the full landed cost of their products by calculating applicable duties and taxes based on Harmonized System (HS) codes, product values, shipping costs, and destination country regulations.

## Use when

- A cross-border seller asks "how much duty will I pay shipping my product to Germany?" or wants to estimate import fees before entering a new international market
- An ecommerce operator needs to calculate landed costs including duties, VAT, and customs processing fees to set profitable international prices on their store
- A Shopee, Lazada, or TikTok Shop seller expanding from Southeast Asia to Europe or North America needs to understand tariff implications for their specific product categories
- A sourcing manager importing goods from China, Vietnam, or India wants to compare total landed costs across different supplier countries to optimize procurement decisions

## What this skill does

This skill walks the user through a structured landed-cost estimation process. It identifies the correct HS code classification for the product, looks up the applicable Most Favored Nation (MFN) duty rate or preferential trade agreement rate for the destination country, calculates ad valorem or specific duties, adds destination-country VAT or GST, and factors in customs processing fees and broker charges. The output provides a comprehensive cost breakdown that sellers can use to set international prices, evaluate market entry feasibility, and compare sourcing alternatives. It also flags potential free trade agreement benefits and de minimis thresholds that could reduce or eliminate duties.

## Inputs required

- **Product description** (required): A clear description of the product being shipped, including material composition and intended use — for example, "women's cotton t-shirt, 100% cotton, knitted, retail value USD 12 each"
- **HS code** (optional but recommended): The 6-digit or 8-digit Harmonized System code for the product; if not provided, the skill will suggest likely classifications based on the product description
- **Origin country** (required): The country where the product is manufactured or shipped from, such as "China" or "Vietnam"
- **Destination country** (required): The target import country, such as "United States," "Germany," or "United Kingdom"
- **Declared value per unit** (required): The commercial value of each unit in USD or the seller's base currency
- **Shipping cost per unit** (optional): Freight and insurance cost per unit; if provided, it will be included in the customs value calculation (CIF basis) for countries that use CIF valuation
- **Quantity per shipment** (optional): Number of units per shipment to calculate total duty liability and identify de minimis threshold eligibility

## Output format

The output is structured into five clearly labeled sections. First, an HS Code Classification section confirming the code used and any assumptions made about product categorization. Second, a Duty Calculation section showing the duty type (ad valorem percentage or specific rate), the customs valuation basis (FOB or CIF), and the calculated duty amount per unit and per shipment. Third, a Tax Calculation section covering destination-country VAT, GST, or sales tax applied on top of the customs value plus duty. Fourth, an Additional Fees section listing estimated customs brokerage fees, merchandise processing fees (for US imports), or similar country-specific surcharges. Fifth, a Total Landed Cost Summary table showing the original product cost, duty, taxes, shipping, and fees with a final per-unit landed cost and the effective duty-plus-tax rate as a percentage of product value.

## Scope

- Designed for: ecommerce operators, cross-border sellers, sourcing managers, and brand teams expanding internationally
- Platform context: platform-agnostic — applicable to Amazon, Shopee, Lazada, TikTok Shop, Shopify, and direct-to-consumer stores
- Language: English

## Limitations

- Duty rates are estimated based on publicly available tariff schedules and may not reflect recent trade policy changes, temporary tariff suspensions, or anti-dumping duties on specific products
- Does not replace consultation with a licensed customs broker for high-value or regulated shipments
- Cannot access real-time customs databases; estimates should be verified against official government tariff lookup tools before making binding pricing commitments