Trade guides
Practical guides for importing, tariffs and landed cost
Importing is a sequence of decisions — classify, cost the duty, add freight, build the landed cost, protect the margin. These guides walk that sequence in plain language and point you to the right calculator at each step.
Start here
The five steps of an import decision, in order. Each one links to the tool that does the work.
HS / HTS classification
The classification decides the duty line, so it comes first. These help you narrow it down and confirm it.
Tariffs & import duty
How origin, destination, valuation basis and additional measures combine to set the duty you pay.
Landed cost
The all-in cost you should price against, not the supplier sticker price.
Freight & shipping
Carriers bill on volume and chargeable weight — get those inputs right before you cost a route.
Sourcing & margin
Once the landed cost is known, protect the margin and compare suppliers on true cost.
Who this is for
- First-time importers learning the sequence
- Ecommerce sellers pricing imported products
- Sourcing and procurement teams comparing options
- Anyone who wants the method, not just a number
What you need
- A product to classify and cost
- Its country of origin and destination
- Supplier pricing and quantity
- A freight quote or shipment dimensions
- Your target selling price or margin
How it works
- 1
Classify
Find the HS/HTS code that sets the duty line for your product.
- 2
Cost the duty
Apply the base rate and any additional tariff on the right customs value.
- 3
Add freight
Turn dimensions and weight into a freight figure for the shipment.
- 4
Build landed cost
Combine goods, freight, duty and tax into a per-unit cost.
- 5
Protect margin
Set the selling price your landed cost needs to hit.
Worked example
How the guides connect
Each stage feeds the next; the guides mirror this order.
- Step 1
- HS / HTS classification
- Step 2
- Tariff & duty
- Step 3
- Freight inputs
- Step 4
- Landed cost per unit
- Step 5
- Margin & selling price
A guide never invents a rate or classification. It explains the method and links to the tool and the official source you must verify against.
Common mistakes
- Pricing before the landed cost is known
- Treating classification as a formality
- Skipping freight because a supplier quoted a low unit price
- Assuming a rate found online is current for your line
- Setting margin on purchase cost instead of landed cost
What UtilityPilot calculates
- Every figure links to a deterministic calculator
- Duty, landed cost, freight and margin end to end
- Assumptions are always shown, never hidden
- No rate or classification is invented
What you must verify
- The correct classification for your product
- Current duty and tax rates at the official source
- Freight quotes for the actual route and dates
- Whether a trade preference applies to your origin
Official sources to verify
- World Customs Organization
International · The Harmonized System nomenclature that the first six digits of every code share worldwide.
- USITC Harmonized Tariff Schedule
United States · The official US HTS: full national tariff lines and general duty rates.
- European Commission TARIC
European Union · EU integrated tariff: duty rates, measures and trade-defence duties by CN code.
- UK Trade Tariff
United Kingdom · UK commodity codes, duty rates, VAT and preferential rates.
- Singapore Customs
Singapore · Dutiable goods, GST on imports and classification enquiries.
- Australian Border Force — Working Tariff
Australia · Australian tariff classification, duty rates and FTA preferences.
UtilityPilot links to these authorities so you can confirm a figure at its source. It does not publish live tariff rates or reproduce these databases. Source list last updated 4 September 2026.