Tariff Feature (beta)

What is the Tariff Feature?

BackerKit’s new tariff feature allows creators to add a tariff line item to a backer's cart. The amount charged is determined by your specific “tariff profile” setup. Tariff profiles can be created for specific SKUs or all SKUs, and you can set a specific tariff percentage based on region or country groupings. Each tariff percentage is multiplied by a configurable “customs value” set for each SKU. Multiple tariff profiles can be created to handle complex shipping scenarios.

Common Use Cases

Example 1:

A creator manufactures their game in China and swag items in Mexico, fulfilling from the US. They would set up two separate tariff profiles:

• Game SKU Tariff Profile:
  • Customs value = Production cost.
  • Region = All countries.
  • Percentage = xx%.
• Swag SKU Tariff Profile:
  • Customs value = Production cost.
  • Region = All countries.
  • Percentage = yy%.

Example 2:

A creator manufactures their game in China, fulfilling internationally from an international fulfillment center, and domestically (US) from a US fulfillment center:

• Game SKU Tariff Profile:
  • Customs value = Production cost.
  • Region = US only.
  • Percentage = zz%.

What Does It Do When Enabled?

When enabled, the tariff charges:

• Appear in the backer’s cart as a separate line item on confirm and review pages.
• Appear on the admin backer detail page as a separate line item.
• Appear in a dedicated "Tariffs" section under "Taxes" in your admin sidebar (upcoming feature).
• Appear as a separate line item on the add-ons page (upcoming feature).
• Are included in exports alongside taxes (upcoming feature).
• Allow creators to add a short description to explain tariff charges, shown via a "?" hover next to the tariff line item in the cart (upcoming feature).

What to Consider

• Clearly communicate to your backers about tariff charges in advance.
• Charge tariffs close to importing products to avoid needing refunds or adjustments if rates change.
• BackerKit team members are not tariff experts; creators must independently determine appropriate tariff percentages and applicability.
• Depending on your project's current state, further assistance may be required in notifying and charging backers.

How to Enable

Before enabling this feature for your project, we need to ensure it’s a good fit and aligns with your goals. Contact “hello@backerkit.com” and provide your project URL(s) to get started.