Documentation
Get the most out of LC Pilot
Most users get their first useful answer in under 90 seconds. This guide is here for the moments when something is unclear or you want to dig deeper.
Quick start
Your first calculation in 4 steps
- 1
Open the calculator
Go to lcpilot.com/calculator. No signup required for the first 10 calculations a month.
- 2
Enter the product
Paste an AliExpress URL (we'll auto-fill price, country, and classify the HS code) OR describe the product in plain English (“Bluetooth earbuds from China”). The AI will return the most likely Harmonized Tariff Schedule code with confidence scores.
- 3
Set the supplier and selling price
Pick the country of origin (where the product was made, NOT where it ships from — these differ for transshipment products). Set your target selling price. Default quantity is 100 units, which gives you formal-entry MPF math; reduce for smaller orders.
- 4
Read the breakdown
The result panel shows your MFN duty + Section 301 + Section 122 + Section 232 (if applicable) + AD/CVD (if applicable) + MPF + HMF + marketplace fees, totaled into a true per-unit landed cost and gross margin %. The Tariff Score™ summarizes how good a sourcing decision this is in one number.
Shopify users
Installing on a Shopify store
LC Pilot is a public Shopify app. After installation it sits inside your Shopify admin under Apps → LC Pilot and can read your product catalog, classify HS codes automatically, and import AliExpress products as drafts with the true landed cost written directly into Shopify's cost per item field — so your margin math is accurate from day one.
For products already in your catalog, LC Pilot shows you each one's true landed cost (after 2026 US tariffs, marketplace fees, and shipping) inside the embedded admin so you can update Shopify's cost-per-item field with the accurate number. Automatic writeback for existing catalog products is on the roadmap.
Required Shopify scopes: read_products, write_products, read_inventory, write_inventory. We do NOT read customer or order data.
Billing: handled via Shopify's native Billing API (not Stripe). Charges appear on your Shopify invoice. You approve each charge from inside the Shopify admin.
Uninstalling: click Uninstall in the Shopify admin. We delete your access tokens immediately and purge your store data within 7 days per GDPR and Shopify Protected Data rules.
Common questions
FAQ
Where do your tariff rates come from?
Three official sources: USITC HTS REST API for MFN duty rates, Federal Register for Section 301 / 122 / 232 publications, and CBP rate tables for MPF / HMF. The AI only classifies HS codes; it never generates duty rates.
How often do you update the tariff data?
We monitor the Federal Register daily for tariff changes. When a relevant rate changes, we update our local rate tables and (for users on Starter+) recalculate every saved product's margin via Margin Watch.
What's the difference between supplier country and country of origin?
Supplier country is where you BUY from. Country of origin is where the product was MADE. They differ when a supplier transships through a third country (e.g., Chinese goods routed through Vietnam to dodge Section 301). CBP cares about the origin, not the supplier — and Section 301 follows the origin. LC Pilot lets you split the two when they differ.
Can I trust an AI HS code classification for a customs filing?
No. Our AI suggestion is a research tool — it returns the most likely HS codes with confidence scores, validated against the live USITC HTS database. For a binding ruling on a specific shipment, only a licensed customs broker can issue that. Use LC Pilot to scope your sourcing decisions; use a broker for filing.
What is AD/CVD and why does it matter?
Antidumping (AD) and Countervailing (CVD) duties are additional duties imposed by the US Commerce Department on specific product+country combinations where there's been dumping or government subsidization. Rates can range from a few percent to over 200%. Try our free AD/CVD checker to see if your product is exposed.
My calculation shows a different number than my customs broker quoted. Why?
Possible causes: (1) your broker is using a different HS classification — verify against ours; (2) AD/CVD is in play and our database is missing the order — the broker has access to the full Commerce database; (3) FTA preferential rates apply (USMCA, KORUS, etc.) and we can't confirm origin documentation; (4) shipment- specific fees (broker fees, ISF, bond) that aren't tariffs at all. Trust the broker for the actual filing.
What plans are available?
Free (10 calcs/month, no card), Starter ($19/mo, +country comparison), Pro ($49/mo, +bulk CSV + Margin Watch + Shopify sync), Business ($99/mo, unlimited everything + team seats). 7-day free trial on Starter, 14-day on Pro/ Business. See full pricing →
Do you have an API?
Public API is on the Business tier, marked “Coming soon” while we finalize the spec. If your use case needs programmatic access, hit reply to your billing email — we accept Business-tier annual customers into the private beta.
Need a human?
Support
We respond to every email within 24 business hours. Hit support@lcpilot.com with screenshots if anything is unclear, broken, or seems wrong. Subject lines like “HS code wrong for [product]” or “Shopify sync stuck” help us triage faster.