Kickstarter campaigns are usually international. And when it comes to international shipping, customs clearance and brokerage are key parts of the process.

If you’re shipping Kickstarter orders internationally, make no bones about it – you’re in global trade. That means you need to understand customs to avoid delays, extra costs, and legal trouble.

This guide will help you handle customs clearance and brokerage for your campaign with minimal hassle. In it, we will cover:

• What goes into customs clearance
• Who pays for customs
• The 3 main strategies for handling customs
• Best practices for handling customs
• Finding the right customs broker

By the end of this article, you’ll know how to handle customs clearance and brokerage for your campaign. That way, you can focus on the fun part – raising funds and turning your ideas into physical products!

What is Customs Clearance?

Customs clearance is a process where customs authorities inspect and approve goods entering a country. It involves several steps, like checking documents, calculating duties, and inspecting goods.

The concept of customs clearance exists for a number of reasons, but the main two reasons are very simple. Countries don’t want to let unsafe or illegal goods get in through the borders. And they want to make sure they get their fair share of taxes.

If you are shipping internationally, you’ll hear certain terms come up again and again. Some key terms you will want to know include:

• Tariffs: Taxes imposed on imported goods.
• Harmonized System (HS) Codes: Numerical codes used to classify products for customs purposes.
• Import Duties: Taxes paid on imported goods based on their value, weight, or quantity.

Because customs, as a concept, exists primarily for taxation and safety, you need the right documents to get your goods over borders. Documentation is incredibly crucial for customs clearance.

Important documents include the commercial invoice, bill of lading, packing list, and certificate of origin. Making sure these documents are accurate and complete helps prevent delays and extra costs. Each country has different customs rules, so it’s important to know the specific requirements of the country you’re importing to.

Who Pays For Customs & When?

When it comes to Kickstarter campaigns, you often hear about customs through backer complaints. If you’ve followed enough campaigns, you’ve probably seen comments along the lines of “I thought this campaign had EU-friendly shipping! Why am I paying this extra bill?”

But customs fees are actually applied at two main points in the supply chain. Here’s how that works:

1. Initial Customs Fees During Import to Warehousing Country

For many Kickstarter creators, goods are manufactured abroad and shipped to a fulfillment center. Upon arrival in the warehousing country, customs fees are charged based on the value of the imported goods.

For example, when goods are shipped from China to the U.S., the creator pays customs duties upon entry into the U.S. These fees are determined by the value of the inventory and are necessary to legally bring goods into the country. This is the first point at which customs fees are applied.

This was always the case, even before the recently implemented tariffs. One of the key pieces that has changed in 2025 is the overall cost of the tariffs. This is why it’s a good idea to use a tool like SimplyDuty to calculate the estimated cost of all customs-related charges.

If you have backed a lot of campaigns but never run any, you might not know about this. That’s because the fees assessed here never go to the backers. If anyone pays them, it’s the creator.

2. Secondary Customs Fees During International Shipping to Customers

Once the rewards are stored in a warehouse, they are often shipped internationally to customers. At this point, customs fees can be applied again.

This second set of customs fees is charged by the destination country and is usually based on the value of the shipped goods. Exceptions to this rule include low-value shipments, domestic shipments, and shipments covered by free trade agreements.

If you, for example, ship a Kickstarter reward from the US to the UK, the recipient in the UK will probably need to pay a customs charge. In a lot of cases, what that comes down to is their local carrier – let’s say Royal Mail, for example’s sake – gives the recipient a bill. When that bill is paid, they get their reward.

There are ways to handle this that don’t require backers paying for customs. We’ll discuss that in the next section.

3 Strategies For Handling Kickstarter Customs

How you handle customs is important. Backers don’t like having to pay extra fees if they can avoid it. But sometimes, it just doesn’t make sense to go out of your way – as a creator – to account for all the customs regulations of all the countries in all the world.

So bearing that in mind, there are three strategies you can use to handle customs fees.

1. Making Backers Pay Customs Fees

One simple option is to have your customers pay the customs fees upon delivery. While this might sound unappealing, many international customers are used to this practice.

This approach is simple for the business but can irritate backers, especially if they are unaware of these additional charges. But just because it might cause some backers to grumble, that doesn’t mean you should write this off entirely. For many small campaigns, this may very well be the only practical way to handle customs.

If you do this, please make sure you communicate this policy clearly. This is the best way to avoid negative feedback.

2. Storing Inventory in Multiple Countries

Another strategy is to minimize international shipping and customs fees by storing inventory in multiple countries. Creators of highly successful campaigns can afford to maintain warehouses in key regions like the U.S., Europe, and Asia. That means they can provide domestic shipping within those areas.

To do this, the creator would split their freight shipments to multiple warehouses. So they would pay multiple bills to multiple countries to import bulk inventory. But individual backers in those countries or regions (like the EU) would not have bills on their individual orders.

The idea of paying multiple bills on multiple freight shipments might sound unappealing, but it’s worth noting that when you import bulk inventory into a country, you pay a tax on the manufacturing price. But when backers receive individual orders, they pay tax on the retail price. That’s a HUGE difference in most cases.

Taking this approach reduces the frequency of international shipments and the associated customs fees. However, it is often impractical for smaller businesses due to the high costs of managing multiple warehouses.

3. Using Delivery Duty Paid (DDP) Shipping

If you can’t justify having multiple warehouses, the next most customer-friendly option is to use Delivery Duty Paid (DDP) shipping. In doing that, the creator takes responsibility for paying all customs fees on behalf of the backer.

This method means that customers receive their packages without any additional charges. It improves the customer experience by eliminating surprises and making the purchase process smoother.

The key issue with this method is that creators have to pay for international shipping plus customs. Those fees can really add up to a huge total with enough backers. It’s great if you don’t have many international shipments to send, but it’s simply not reasonable if you have a large volume of orders going overseas.

Last but not least, please be aware that with higher 2025 tariff rates, DDP shipping may be significantly more expensive than it was a few years ago, especially for bulkier or high-value goods.

6 Best Practices for Customs Clearance

No matter which strategy you use for customs, there are some best practices that stay constant. Here are a few simple rules you can follow that will help you reduce the risk of things going wrong.

1. Do your paperwork correctly

Having accurate and complete documents is vital for customs clearance. To restate: important documents include the commercial invoice, bill of lading, packing list, and certificate of origin.

Make sure all documents are filled out correctly and include necessary details like product descriptions, HS codes, and declared values. Incorrect or incomplete paperwork can lead to delays, fines, or even shipment rejections.

Basically – dot your I’s and cross your T’s.

2. Follow import and export regulations

Every country has its own import and export rules. Get to know the specific requirements of the countries you’re shipping to and from. This means understanding restricted or banned items, packaging and labeling needs, and any special certifications required.

Complying with these regulations will make your life generally easier.

3. Don’t be afraid to hire a customs broker

Customs brokers are experts in navigating customs procedures. They can help prepare your documents, calculate duties and taxes, and make sure you follow all regulations.

Choosing an experienced customs broker can save time, reduce errors, and speed up the clearance process. Don’t be afraid to hire help if you need it!

4. Use technology and automation to cut down on grunt work

Using technology and automation can make customs clearance easier. Many modern customs solutions offer features like automated document preparation, real-time tracking, and integration with shipping platforms. These tools help reduce manual work, minimize errors, and give you better visibility into your shipments’ status.

5. Keep an eye on trade policy and tariffs news

Tariff changes, new trade agreements, and shifting customs regulations can directly impact your costs and timelines. Keeping an eye on policy changes as they happen can give you the chance you need to adapt early whether that means adjusting your pricing, changing suppliers, or altering your fulfillment plans.

Reliable sources include official customs websites, logistics news outlets, and updates from your customs or freight broker. A few minutes of research every month can save you from expensive surprises later.

6. When in doubt, communicate like you’re an open book

Clear communication with everyone involved in the customs process is crucial. This includes suppliers, freight forwarders, and customs brokers. Make sure everyone knows their responsibilities and deadlines.

If you have questions, ask them. If you think someone might need to know certain information, make sure they know it. Err on the side of over-communication.

Choosing the Right Customs Broker

You are able to book your own freight. And if you work with the post office and other carriers like UPS and FedEx, you can also send international shipments without too much trouble.

But if you’re worried about customs clearance or tariffs, it might be a good idea to hire a helping hand. Should you choose to do that, here are a few tips to make sure you find the right partner.

1. Find an experienced broker

Look for a broker who has lots of experience with shipments like yours. They should know the rules and needs of the countries you trade with. An experienced broker can offer area expertise and help you avoid common customs traps.

2. Learn about their services

A broker with a wide range of services can simplify your logistics. Besides customs clearance, many brokers offer freight forwarding, warehousing, and distribution. Choosing a broker that provides end-to-end solutions saves time and reduces the hassle of dealing with multiple service providers.

3. Review costs

Cost matters, but it shouldn’t be your only concern. Compare pricing from different brokers but also think about the value they offer. A cheaper broker might not give you the same level of service or expertise as a pricier one. Look for transparent pricing with no hidden fees.

4. Look at reviews

Check the broker’s reputation and customer reviews. Positive feedback and a good reputation usually mean reliable, high-quality service. Ask other businesses for references and search for online reviews to see how satisfied their customers are.

5. Check out their tech system

It’s important to find a person you like working with. But it’s also wise to make sure you like their software too, since you’ll probably work with that more than the actual person.

Look for brokers who offer online tracking, automated documentation, and integration with your systems. These features streamline the customs process and give you real-time shipment updates.

Final Thoughts

If you run a Kickstarter campaign, you will probably ship internationally. That means you will need to know how to handle customs clearance and brokerage.

Getting packages across country borders is intimidating and complex. But once you understand the logic and the reasoning behind the rules, it’s easier to deal with.

Before you launch your campaign, make a decision about how you plan to handle customs. Figure out who will pay for customs and figure out if you will be hiring help.

As intimidating as international shipping can be, don’t let it scare you away from launching the product of your dreams. This is just a logistical hurdle to clear along the way. You can do it, as have so many others before you!

Launching a successful Kickstarter campaign requires a ton of different skills.

Strategic planning. Marketing and promotion. Supply chain management. People skills. The list goes on!

In this guide, we’ve compiled a list of every single tip we can think of to help you increase your odds of Kickstarter success.

We’ll cover everything from setting realistic funding goals, to building a strong social media presence, to creating compelling campaign pages, and much more.

Pre-Launch Preparation

Most of your Kickstarter success is baked in long before you hit the launch button. It’s because of this that you need to focus on research, setting realistic goals, and building up an initial support base.

Below, you will find some specific tips on how you can do that.

#1: Choose the right platform (it might not be Kickstarter!)

Kickstarter is the biggest crowdfunding platform. But it’s not the only one.

Kickstarter is ideal for film, music, and games. So it’s great for those needing all-or-nothing funding to avoid insufficient capital.

Indiegogo performs well in the tech, fitness, and home products niches, plus it offers flexible funding. That is, you don’t have to reach 100% of your goal in order to raise capital.

Then there’s Gamefound, which is a growing alternative to Kickstarter for board game creators.

Make sure you choose the platform that best fits your project’s needs. That might very well be Kickstarter – but don’t just pick it because it’s the first name that comes to mind!

#2: Set a realistic funding goal

Set a goal too low and you won’t be able to fulfill your promises. Set a goal too high and you lower your chances of funding.

Calculate the minimum amount needed to create your product, considering all costs, including production, shipping, and marketing. Setting a realistic goal helps you attract more backers and also helps you deliver on your promises.

Once you figure out the minimum amount you need – don’t go too far beyond that. Stay in the Goldilocks zone.

#3: Research campaigns – both successful and unsuccessful

You need to understand what makes other campaigns successful. Go to Kickstarter and look at campaigns. Find successful and unsuccessful ones and learn as much as you can about why they have or haven’t succeeded.

There’s no reason to create plans completely from scratch. There’s also no reason to duplicate others’ mistakes!

Pay extra close attention to the campaigns that line up most with your niche.

#4: Line up your earliest backers

Build initial support by reaching out to friends, family, and contacts before launching. Early backers can help create momentum, attracting more support as a result.

Personal connections are often the first to pledge, so their support can be critical in the initial stages of your campaign.

Few people want to be Backer #1. But if Mom wants to put $100 in, you don’t have to deal with that problem.

#5: Create a pre-launch landing page

Collecting email addresses is one of the best ways to stay in touch with potential backers so you can start marketing early. Gathering emails means that you can tell a huge group of people when the campaign is live.

One way you can convince people to provide their email is to build a landing page. On the page, you can tease your project and encourage visitors to sign up for updates.

This is one of the most effective ways to build stream for projects before they launch.

#6: Build a strong social media presence

Social media helps you connect with potential backers, creating a community around your project before you launch. Share behind-the-scenes content, updates, and teasers to build excitement.

Think about the platforms where you are going to be most likely to find potential backers. Prioritize using platforms first instead of spreading yourself thin over too much channels.

#7: Set up email marketing

We touched on this in #5, but it’s so important that it bears repeating. Build an email list so you can notify potential backers about your launch and provide updates.

Regularly communicate with your subscribers, providing exclusive insights and early access to your campaign. This is traditional wisdom because, when combined with other smart marketing tactics, it can be very effective!

#8: Prepare press releases for media outreach

Get your project featured in relevant media and blogs. Draft compelling press releases and pitch them to bloggers, journalists, and influencers in your industry. Early media coverage can help build credibility and then attract more backers to your campaign, increasing your chances of success.

#9: Engage with the Kickstarter community

Join forums and groups to network and gather support. Participate in discussions, share your project updates, and seek feedback from experienced creators. When in doubt, look for Facebook groups, LinkedIn groups, and certain subreddits.

#10: Plan your logistics

Before you announce a launch date, make sure you have a plan for production, shipping, and fulfillment to avoid delays. You also need to do some detailed logistics planning to make sure you can deliver rewards on time, maintaining backer trust.

Consider partnering with reliable suppliers and shipping companies to streamline the process. Don’t forget to make a budget too!

Campaign Page Setup

Your campaign page needs to give people great reasons to back your project. That means have high-quality visuals, clear copywriting, and all the information backers need to feel like they can trust you.

Here are some tips on how you can make a campaign page for the ages.

#11: Create a captivating campaign video

Your campaign video is going to be one of the first things that people notice when they see your campaign. Make sure you use high-quality visuals and audio. Your video needs to have a strong narrative as well as a clear call to action.

You want to introduce your product, show people why they should back it, and tell them what to do next. It’s an easy way to increase the number of pledges you see. The vast majority of successful campaigns, after all, have videos!

#12: Design a visually appealing campaign page

Your campaign page needs to look beautiful. That means using lots of high-images and breaking up the sections of your page with easy-to-read headers for maximum skimmability.

Every bit of text you use needs to serve some function. You need to provide a lot of information, but not at the expense of good looks. Appealing pages lead to increased pledges!

When in doubt, look at what the most financially successful campaigns in your niche are doing.

#13: Write an excellent campaign page

Clearly explain your project, its benefits, and how backers’ funds will be used. People need to know exactly what they’re buying, why it’s great, and what makes it different from all the other products.

Every line of text you use needs to help potential backers understand your vision and the value of their support. Use straightforward language, because that’s the best way to keep your copy clear and avoid confusion.

#14: Make your unique selling proposition (USP) immediate and clear

Use an eye-catching headline and concise summary to grab attention. Clearly state what makes your project unique and why backers should support it. A strong USP can differentiate your campaign from others.

This is extremely important because Kickstarter is a noisy marketplace, and unless your USP is super clear, you’ll blend into the crowd.

#15: Add a detailed FAQ section

Address common questions and concerns to build trust. Cover topics like reward fulfillment, project timeline, and risks involved.

Pro tip: write your FAQ in advance so you can copy and paste it into your campaign page right after you go live.

#16: Take and use great product photos

Use images that show your product in use and resonate with your audience. High-quality photos can make your product more relatable and appealing, helping potential backers envision it in their own lives. Visual storytelling is a powerful tool to enhance your campaign.

Even if you’re on a shoestring budget – buy a few lamps and get some bright LED bulbs. This will dramatically improve your picture quality, even on an older model iPhone.

#17: Provide detailed product specifications

If your product is technical, make sure you provide all the information you can. The more specific you can be, the better.

When in doubt, make sure customers know how big the product is, how much it weighs, and what materials go into making it. This will help backers feel like they are making an informed purchase as a result.

#18: Share your journey and story

Personalize your campaign by sharing your background and the creation process. Let backers know who you are, why you created this project, and the challenges you’ve faced. This connection builds trust and makes your campaign more relatable and engaging.

People buy products. But they back creators.

Marketing and Promotion

If you launch your Kickstarter, but don’t tell anyone about it, you probably won’t fund. You need to have a killer marketing and promotion plan if you want to succeed on Kickstarter.

Because marketing is so important to success, we’ve compiled a list of marketing tactics that might work for you.

#19: Use Facebook and Instagram ads

Meta, which includes Facebook and Instagram, remains one of the best advertising systems in the world. It’s also one of the most approachable.

With Facebook and Instagram ads, you can target your audience and make sales while your campaign is live. Facebook’s robust targeting options allow you to reach specific demographics, increasing the likelihood of attracting backers who are interested in your project.

#20: Collaborate with influencers

Partner with relevant influencers to promote your campaign. Because the right influencers can reach a large audience and lend credibility to your project.

Choose influencers who align with your project’s niche and values. That way, you can be sure their followers are likely to be interested in your campaign, enhancing its visibility and appeal.

Influencers don’t necessarily have to be social media stars, mind you. They can also be TV and radio professionals, reviews with well-read blogs, or even local community organizers. The point is that you want to find people who know people.

#21: Use multiple marketing channels

Don’t rely on one marketing channel for success. Use social media, email marketing, and online ads to reach your target audience in as many places as possible.

Every marketing platform has unique benefits that can enhance your campaign’s visibility. A multi-channel approach will help you make sure you catch potential backers wherever they are online.

#22: Run pre-launch ads

You can use Facebook, Instagram, Google, and other ad platforms before you launch your campaign. As long as you have a landing page and a way to collect emails, it’s actually best practice to generate as many leads as you can before launching. That way, you can dramatically increase the odds of day 1 success.

#23: Engage in online communities

This is similar to the advice on engaging with the Kickstarter community.

Join forums and groups to network and gather support. Participate in discussions, share your project updates, and also seek feedback from experienced creators. When in doubt, look for Facebook groups, LinkedIn groups, and certain subreddits.

Reward Strategy

Your campaign is only as good as your rewards. That’s because rewards are what get people to take action in the first place!

With that in mind, here’s how you make sure your rewards are doing their fair share of the heavy lifting.

#24: Offer great rewards

This is a simple tip, but it’s so important. Make sure backers like your rewards before you launch your campaign. If you don’t get an enthusiastic response to your rewards, then you should probably delay your launch date until you do.

#25: Set strategic reward tiers

On Kickstarter, the structure of your reward tiers can make or break your campaign. Create tiers that not only offer tangible value but also enhance the Kickstarter experience.

Start with a low-entry “Thank You” tier that allows backers to show support without a significant financial commitment.

Then your mid-level tiers should offer the core product plus unique add-ons that aren’t available post-campaign.

For high-level tiers, consider offering limited edition items or experiences that tap into the exclusivity that Kickstarter backers often seek, like signed prototypes or an invitation to an exclusive launch event.

#26: Include early bird specials

Create a sense of urgency with limited-time offers. For example, you could provide early bird specials which incentivize backers to pledge early, helping build momentum for your campaign. This can help push you over the funding goal early on in the campaign.

#27: Provide exclusive rewards

Offer unique items or experiences that aren’t available outside of Kickstarter. Exclusive rewards add value and entice backers to support your campaign at higher levels. These can be limited edition products or special experiences related to your project. Exclusivity makes your campaign more attractive and can drive higher pledge amounts.

#28: Use bulk packages

Encourage larger pledges with discounted multi-unit rewards. Bulk packages provide better value and can increase the average pledge amount. As an added bonus, offering bulk options helps reach your funding goal faster by encouraging bigger pledges.

#29: Offer behind-the-scenes content

Engage backers with exclusive insights and updates. Share behind-the-scenes content that showcases your project’s development, challenges, and successes. Part of the appeal of Kickstarter and similar platforms is the chance to feel like you’re “in on something” early in its development – so take advantage of this!

Campaign Management

You can’t just launch your campaign at 9 in the evening. Nor can you launch it, forget about it, and check back in 30 days later. You need to be hands-on about how you manage your Kickstarter campaign.

Here are some tips on how you can do that effectively.

#30: Launch at the right time

Time your launch for maximum impact. Pick the right launch month, day of the week, and time of day. It needs to line up with your audience’s availability and interest.

When in doubt, Tuesday or Wednesday is a good day to launch. Choose a reasonable launch hour like 9, 10, or 11 in the morning eastern time. Don’t launch between mid-November and mid-January. And lastly, avoid major holidays.

#31: Engage with backers

Respond promptly to comments and messages to build a strong community. Answer questions, acknowledge feedback, and keep the conversations going. Remember: this is part of what makes Kickstarter appealing. Backers have a direct line to the people making the things they want!

#32: Provide regular updates

Keep backers informed about progress, challenges, and successes. Regular updates build trust and maintain interest. Share milestones, production updates, and any hurdles you’re overcoming.

In general, you should be sending a Kickstarter update at least once per week during the campaign. Then after the campaign, it’s a good idea to send an update at least once per month. More is often advisable, depending on your situation.

#33: Thank your backers

Show appreciation and acknowledge support throughout the campaign. Regularly thank your backers through updates, comments, and personal messages.

This advice may seem basic. But when gratitude is absent, it’s noticeable, not to mention off-putting.

#34: Address challenges transparently

Be honest about any issues and how you plan to resolve them. In fact, backers expect Kickstarter campaigns to be a little chaotic.

It’s for that reason that being open about unexpected challenges and even mistakes can go a long way toward keeping trust.

#35: Monitor and adjust your strategy

Stay flexible and make necessary changes to your campaign based on feedback and performance. Part of what makes Kickstarter such a good launch platform is that backers will be vocal about what they like and don’t like. That makes it easier to know when to pivot.

#36: Stay flexible with sourcing and fulfillment.

Recent U.S. tariff changes have made supply chains more volatile. As Mark Ainsworth, Digital PR and Marketing Director at Max Web Solutions, put it, “several of our clients who trade in the U.S. have been hit with higher landed costs due to the new tariffs.”

It’s smart to start thinking about sourcing flexibility, pricing cushions, and fulfillment partnerships early in the process — not after you fund.

Post-Campaign

Launching a campaign is fun. Funding successfully is even more fun.

But what do you do after the funds clear?

At that point, you’re on the hook to keep your promises. But there’s a lot that goes into that. Here is what you need to do next.

#37: Fulfill your promises

Yes, it’s obvious, but it’s necessary. Ship rewards on time and keep your promises.

This is harder to do than you think. Most Kickstarters ship late, so if you manage to ship yours out on time, you’ll make a good impression.

Do this well and it will help build your credibility, keep your backers happy, and lay the groundwork for future success.

#38: Continue engaging with your community

Keep backers updated even after the campaign ends. Regular communication helps maintain the community you built during the campaign.

Share updates on product development, future plans, and any new projects. That way, you can keep in touch with the people you worked so hard to find in the first place!

#39: Launch a dedicated website

Use the momentum to continue promoting your product and attract new customers. A dedicated website allows you to showcase your product, provide updates, and also sell directly to new customers.

Kickstarter campaigns draw a lot of attention. You can use the visibility and community from your campaign to kickstart your eCommerce operations too.

#40: Create a newsletter

If you’re spending money collecting email addresses, you shouldn’t just email them once and then let the leads slip through your fingers. Keep backers and potential customers informed about your journey and future projects with regular updates.

Newsletters are a classic form of ongoing communication that can help you build a loyal community over time. Plus, it keeps your audience invested in your success.

#41: Seek feedback

Use your Kickstarter surveys – as well as any direct message conversations you have going – as a chance to understand what worked and what can be improved.

Gathering feedback from backers will help you understand your campaign’s strengths and areas for improvement. Then you can use this information to help you launch even better campaigns in the future!

Additional Tips

Kickstarter, both as software and as a cultural entity, is pretty complex. Some of the tips and tricks on how to use it don’t fall into a neat category. But you still need to know them!

Here is all the advice we can think of that doesn’t neatly fit into one of the previous categories.

#42: Use Kicktraq

Kicktraq is a cool website that’s been around for almost as long as Kickstarter. You can type in any Kickstarter URL and check out its funding data and a bunch of other stats. When you research other campaigns, this can help you get a feel for how their funding process went. For example, did they fund quickly or steadily over the course of weeks?

#43: Set stretch goals

Stretch goals motivate backers to continue pledging even after the main goal is met. While not required, they’re considered a tradition on Kickstarter.

If you decide to set stretch goals, clearly communicate what additional funds will be used for, such as enhanced features or extra rewards, to maintain excitement and support. And, of course, make sure you can actually ship your stretch goals!

#44: Create a sense of urgency

To some extent, the time-limited nature of Kickstarter campaigns already creates a sense of urgency. If you want to dial it up a little more, consider offering limited-time offers like early birds or rewards with limited quantities. This can encourage backers to pledge earlier and help boost campaign momentum.

#45: Proofread meticulously

Typos are bad. Check your spelling and grammar. Make sure there are no mistakes.

Yes, this is an obvious tip, but it’s so important. Putting effort into quality control shows people you care.

#46: Use a professional editor

If you can swing it, consider hiring an editor to polish your campaign materials. A professional editor can enhance the clarity, coherence, and overall quality of your content. They’re also more likely to catch typos that you miss.

#47: Optimize for mobile

Kickstarter is a bit unusual in that it’s common for creators to put most of their content inside of images rather than plain text. This advice flies in the face of traditional advice when it comes to mobile usability.

However, what you can do is make sure you check your campaign page on your phone. All the text needs to be clear and legible. Ideally, it shouldn’t take forever to load as well, although your ability to influence that is somewhat limited by Kickstarter’s page editing software.

#48: Include testimonials

If you have endorsements from early supporters or industry experts, share them on your page. Like with any other kind of product launch, testimonials can build credibility and trust with potential backers.

Highlight positive feedback and quotes that emphasize the value and quality of your project, because that will make it more appealing to prospective backers.

#49: Highlight previous successes

If applicable, mention past successful projects to build credibility. Showing your track record of successful projects can reassure backers that you can and will deliver on time. Also highlight key achievements and positive outcomes from previous campaigns to instill confidence in your current project.

#50: Be authentic and personal

Let your personality shine through in your campaign materials. Authenticity helps build a connection with backers.

Share your passion, vision, and the story behind your project in a genuine way. Personal touches can make your campaign more relatable and engaging.

#51: Invest in basic equipment

Use tripods, microphones, and proper lighting for a professional video. High-quality videos enhance your campaign’s appeal. Basic equipment like a stable tripod, clear audio from a microphone, and good lighting can significantly improve the production value of your campaign video, making it more persuasive.

You would be surprised how inexpensive quality equipment is on Amazon and other online stores can be. A $50 microphone and $40 tripod and ring light can go a long way. And if that doesn’t work – check with your local library, as many now have on-site recording rooms.

Because of how easy it is to create quality videos these days, you don’t have an excuse not to!

#52: Follow up with surveys

Gather backer feedback to improve future campaigns. Surveys are an effective way to understand backers’ experiences and gather insights for improvement.

Use this feedback to refine your approach, address any issues, and enhance future projects. Engaging backers in this way also shows that you value their input.

#53: Maintain momentum post-campaign

Keep the excitement alive with continuous marketing and engagement. After your campaign ends, continue to promote your product and engage with your backers.

Use social media, email updates, and your website to keep your audience informed and involved. Sustained engagement helps build a loyal community and drives ongoing interest in your project.

Crowdfunding is not just a way to get one high-profile success. If you use it properly, you can set up a business for the long run.

Final Thoughts

It takes a lot of different skills to succeed on Kickstarter. This long list is evidence of that fact!

But don’t let the overwhelming size of this article scare you off the platform. Kickstarter is a proven way for upstart entrepreneurs to get noticed for a simple reason: because it’s a great place to try new ideas. Modern-day Kickstarter is a great place to build an audience, and lay the foundation for a lasting business.

Kickstarter success is not just about your launch day. It’s about everything you do leading up to it and everything you do after it. You don’t have to do everything perfectly – just focus on making something people want and being thoughtful in the way you get it to them!

Understanding the customs clearance process is extremely important if you want to import goods into the USA. The last thing you want is to have your goods impounded at the border.

Clearing customs involves strict regulations. If you don’t comply, you could face delays, penalties, and extra costs. But once you know the rules, importing can be smooth, efficient, and a real advantage for your business. This is especially true given the recent changes to U.S. tariff policy.

In this guide, we’ll break down the U.S. import process step-by-step so you can avoid costly mistakes.

Step-by-Step Guide to the Import Process

Importers must meet basic requirements set by Customs & Border Protection (CBP). That includes proper documentation, accurate classification of goods, and adherence to import regulations. Here is what you need to know in order to import goods.

Step 1: Obtain a Customs Bond

A customs bond is a financial guarantee to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) that you’ll follow regulations and pay duties, taxes, and fees. Without one, your goods can’t legally clear customs.

There are two types of bonds:

• Single-entry bond: Covers one shipment—ideal for occasional importers.
• Continuous bond: Covers all shipments over a year—better for frequent importers.

You can get a bond through a customs broker or surety company.

Step 2: Properly Classify Your Goods

Using the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS), classify each product accurately. Your classification determines the tariff rate and regulatory requirements.

For instance, if you are importing electronic gadgets, you need to find the specific HS Code that matches each item to determine the exact duty rate. Misclassifying items could result in paying higher tariffs or facing penalties. This can disrupt your business operations and increase costs.

Misclassification can lead to higher duties or penalties. If in doubt, work with a customs broker to verify codes before shipping.

As Chris Rivera, CPA and founder of The Ecommerce Accountants, warns: “Don’t just think in terms of product cost—think in terms of landed cost. Factor in duties, freight, customs fees, and delays.”

Accurate classification now avoids expensive mistakes later.

Step 3: Prepare and Submit Required Documentation

Essential documents for importing include the Bill of Lading, Commercial Invoice, and Packing List. These documents must be completed accurately and submitted to the CBP.

Double check to be sure all details are correct and consistent across documents to avoid processing delays. Submissions can be made electronically via the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) or manually, depending on the requirements.

Your documents have to be done right. Rushing through documentation is asking for a rough import process. As an example, if the Commercial Invoice lists 500 units of a product, the Packing List should also reflect this exact quantity. Any discrepancy can trigger delays and additional inspections, complicating the import process.

Using ACE for electronic submissions not only speeds up the process but also provides real-time tracking of your submission status. That makes it easier to manage.

Step 4: Determine Entry Type

There are different types of entry for imported goods: Formal Entry and Informal Entry. Formal Entry is required for goods valued over $2,500 or items subject to regulations and quotas. Informal Entry is for goods valued under $2,500, typically for personal or low-risk commercial items.

The type of entry depends on the value, nature, and use of the goods. Selecting the correct entry type will help you comply with customs regulations and avoid unnecessary delays or penalties during the import process.

For example, if you’re importing high-value electronics worth $10,000, you’ll need to file a Formal Entry. This requires additional documentation and adherence to more stringent regulations compared to importing a small batch of handcrafted goods worth $1,500, which would qualify for Informal Entry.

Step 5: Calculate and Pay Duties and Taxes

Duties and taxes are calculated based on the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) classification of your goods. Each classification has a corresponding duty rate. To calculate the duties, multiply the value of your goods by the applicable duty rate.

Let’s run through an example. If the duty rate for your imported textiles is 5% and the total value is $20,000, you’ll owe $1,000 in duties. Paying this amount promptly helps ensure your goods clear customs without delays.

Payments to the CBP can be made electronically through the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) or by other CBP-approved methods. If you use ACE, it will help you accurately calculate and pay duties and taxes. That way, your goods cruise across the border.

Important: As of 2025, U.S. tariffs on many Chinese goods have risen sharply, affecting electronics, textiles, and consumer goods. Double-check tariff rates when importing—especially for products from China and Southeast Asia.

Step 6: Arrange for Inspection and Release of Goods

CBP may inspect your goods to ensure compliance with regulations. If your shipment is selected for inspection, the CBP will notify you. Prepare by having all necessary documents ready and ensuring your goods are correctly labeled and packaged.

Inspections can be random or based on risk assessments. Cooperating fully with the inspection process and addressing any issues promptly can help expedite the release of your goods.

For example, if you’re importing food products, make sure all items are labeled with ingredients and expiration dates as required. If the CBP decides to inspect your shipment, having everything in order can prevent long delays.

Should any issues arise, promptly provide additional information. If there are discrepancies, correct them. This can help speed up the release of your goods.

9 Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

Customs clearance can be complicated. There are some mistakes that happen again and again for new and experienced importers alike.

Here are some common ones along with tips on how to avoid them.

#1: Incorrect Classification

Always double-check HTS codes. Misclassification can lead to fines and delays. Use CBP resources or consult a customs broker for accurate classification. For example, if you misclassify electronics as toys, you could face hefty fines and long delays while the error is corrected. Make sure you use the right code by cross-referencing CBP’s guidelines or seeking help from a broker.

#2: Incomplete Documentation

Make sure all forms are filled out accurately and completely. Missing or incorrect information can cause delays. Double-check documents before submission.

For instance, if your Commercial Invoice is missing the total value of goods or has incorrect quantities listed, your shipment could be held up at customs. Take the extra time to verify every detail on your forms.

#3: Ignoring CBP Notices

Respond promptly to any CBP communication. Failure to address notices can result in penalties or shipment holds.

If you receive a notice regarding additional documentation or clarification, respond quickly. Ignoring such notices can lead to your goods being held indefinitely or even seized.

#4: Improper Packaging

Use compliant and secure packaging. Non-compliant packaging can lead to inspection delays or damage claims.

As an example, if you’re shipping fragile items like glassware, using inadequate packaging can result in breakage, leading to claims and delayed processing. Make sure your packaging meets CBP standards and is robust enough to protect your goods.

#5: Failure to Pay Duties

Pay all required fees on time. Late payments can incur fines and delay the release of your goods.

If you fail to pay the calculated duties by the deadline, your goods will not be released until the payment is made. This could cause significant delays in your supply chain.

#6: Neglecting Inspection Procedures

Be prepared for potential inspections. Have all necessary documents and be ready to cooperate with CBP officers.

If your shipment is selected for inspection, having everything in order, like proper labeling and documentation, can expedite the process. Cooperation and readiness can make the inspection smooth and swift.

#7: Overlooking Entry Types

Choose the correct entry type for your goods. Incorrect selection can lead to processing delays and additional scrutiny.

For instance, if you incorrectly file a high-value shipment as an Informal Entry, you could face extra scrutiny and processing time. Understand the distinctions and file appropriately to avoid complications.

#8: Lack of Insurance

Protect your shipment with appropriate insurance. Insurance can cover potential losses or damages during transit. If your goods are lost or damaged during shipping, having insurance means you won’t bear the full financial brunt of the loss. It’s a small investment for peace of mind.

#9: Ignoring Import Restrictions

Make sure your goods comply with all import restrictions and regulations. Restricted items can be seized or returned.

For example, certain chemicals and pharmaceuticals require specific permits and adherence to strict regulations. Ignoring these can result in your goods being confiscated and heavy fines imposed.

Tips to Use Technology to Speed Up Customs Clearance

Smart use of technology can significantly streamline the customs clearance process. Various tools and software are available to simplify and automate different aspects of importing goods.

The Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) is an important platform provided by the CBP. It allows for electronic submission of documents, real-time tracking, and communication with customs officials.

Additionally, customs management software like Descartes and ONESOURCE Global Trade offer comprehensive solutions for managing compliance, documentation, and duty calculations.

Automated solutions provide lots of benefits, including reducing human error, speeding up document processing, and ensuring compliance with regulations.

These systems can alert you to missing or incorrect information, helping to avoid delays and penalties. For example, if you submit a document with an incorrect HTS code, the software can flag the error and prompt you to correct it before submission, preventing delays.

Real-time tracking allows you to monitor the status of your shipments and quickly address any issues that arise. Imagine being able to see exactly where your shipment is and knowing immediately if it’s stuck at a port, enabling you to take swift action to resolve any problems.

Where possible, avoid manual paperwork. Using the latest tech can keep your import processes efficient in terms of both time and money. Plus, you can cut down on the hassle. It’s worth the slight learning curve of using new software.

Final Thoughts

Understanding and following the customs clearance process is mission-critical for importing goods into the USA. Key steps include obtaining a customs bond, properly classifying goods, preparing documentation, determining entry types, calculating and paying duties, and arranging for inspections.

Attention to detail counts for a lot here. As long as you are thorough and careful, you can see your products through the import process and clear customs without unnecessary trouble.

Additional Resources

For more information, visit these resources:

• CBP Official Website
• SimplyDuty (good calculator for tariffs)
• Harmonized Tariff Schedule
• Automated Commercial Environment (ACE)
• National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America (NCBFAA)

If you followed the news in the post-pandemic season, you probably noticed that a lot of goods were in short supply. Everything from semiconductors to sausage, rental cars to lumber had been hard to come by. You could blame the pandemic for many of these shortages, sure, but the underlying issues were more complex. And one of those issues? Inventory management practices.

The 2010s were defined by lean supply chains. Everything was shipped just-in-time with little buffer for disruptions. This was really good for efficiency and profits, but really bad for handling unexpected events.

So with that in mind, we’re going to talk about what inventory management is and how you can do it well. By following these tips, you can reduce your risk of running out of stock when you need it. That means more money in your pocket, more happy customers, and a generally less stressful life as a business owner.

What is inventory management and why does it matter?

When you boil it down to the basics, inventory management is the process of tracking where products are, where they’re going, and when to order more. That’s really it!

Simple as the concept may seem, though, the practice is hard. You have to monitor a lot of moving parts while simultaneously predicting the future a la demand estimation. It looks easy until you have to do it.

But it’s worth building your skill set, because mastering inventory management best practices has many benefits for your business. We can think of four right here:

1. You’ll be less likely to run out of stock. That means your customers can keep shopping anytime they please.
2. You’ll be less likely to have too much stock. Holding onto excess inventory costs money in storage, not to mention the sunk cost of ordering too much in the first place. Good inventory management will keep you from over-ordering in the first place.
3. You’ll have higher profits. Good inventory management helps you know what to sell, which increases revenue, while also helping you keep costs in check.
4. You’ll benefit from better cash flow. If you get a sense of how much to spend and when to spend it, you won’t find yourself overcommitting large sums of money to buying more products when the timing is not good.

In short, inventory management helps you find a balance between two extremes. You don’t want to run out of items and you don’t want to hoard them, and this is the process by which you find the happy medium.

What are common inventory challenges that sellers run into?

To answer this question, I reached out to John Heberling, Senior Partnerships Manager at Kickfurther, an inventory financing firm. In response, he first mentioned the risk of ordering too much at once, stating that “direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands often struggle to balance stock when entering retail. A big purchase order sounds exciting, but without the capital to produce inventory for both retail and DTC channels, businesses risk losing revenue and growth opportunities.”

Heberling followed up by saying that “ordering too much of the wrong SKU leads to dead stock, tying up cash and adding storage costs.” To state another way, you simply don’t want to buy items – or variants of items – that won’t sell.

Other common and devastating issues mentioned by Heberling include “waiting too long to place an inventory order. [This] can destroy your bottom line—forcing you to pay for costly air freight or, even worse, leading to stockouts that cause missed sales.” He stresses that it’s particularly important to place timely orders in advance of busy seasons like the holidays.

There’s another new pressure too: unpredictable tariff costs. Chris Grippo, owner at The Shop Tinkerers, adds: “Costs are up across the board, especially for anything coming out of China. It’s forcing our clients to reevaluate sourcing, pricing, and margin strategy faster than we’d like.”

All this means that right now, doing business today, smart inventory management has never been more critical to success.

8 main types of inventory

The whole idea of inventory management is to keep track of where products and other materials are so that you have visibility into the day-to-day operations of your business. Yet not all inventory is the same, and in order to have meaningful conversations about it, you must categorize inventory into different types.

1. Raw materials. These are the materials that you use to create your products. Even if you are not the manufacturer of your products, it’s important to pay attention to the availability of raw materials.
2. Unfinished products. These are the products that you or your manufacturer are currently working on making, but that are not ready to sell.
3. Finished products. These are products that are ready to sell right now. They are often stored in a warehouse or fulfillment center such as our own.
4. In-transit goods. These are goods that are being transported somewhere else, such as finished goods en route to the warehouse or to the customer.
5. Cycle inventory. This is inventory which is bought from a manufacturer or other supplier and shipped directly to your customer. (This is the only kind of inventory present in dropshipping businesses.)
6. Buffer inventory. Also known as safety stock, this is the inventory that you keep around in case something bad happens that prevents you from getting the inventory you need.
7. Packing inventory. This is the inventory you keep for your packing supplies, such as finished packaging or even bubble wrap and mailers.
8. MRO inventory. This is inventory needed for maintenance, repair, and operations. This supports the production process, and is not what goes out to your customers.

9 tips for inventory management

1. Find good inventory management software

You can manage inventory by hand or in a spreadsheet, and that’s fine for a little while. It doesn’t scale well, though.

If you want to keep track of inventory while minimizing upkeep, look into inventory management software. Some good options include Orderhive, Zoho, and even Quickbooks.

2. Categorize your inventory by priority

Not all inventory is the same. It helps to categorize your inventory so that you can understand which inventory is moving and which inventory is making you money.

Experts typically suggest segregating your inventory into A, B and C groups. Items in the A group are higher-ticket items that you need fewer of. Items in the C category are lower-cost items that turn over quickly. The B group is what’s in between: items that are moderately priced and move out the door more slowly than C items but more quickly than A items. – 10 Essential Tips for Effective Inventory Management, Business News Daily

By prioritizing inventory using an A, B, C system, you’ll come to find that most of your profits will come from a relatively small amount of your stock. This is the Pareto principle (or 80/20 rule) at work. If you need to narrow down your focus in order to effectively manage your inventory, consider focusing on just the 20% of your inventory that brings the most money.

3. Keep track of all relevant data

Inventory management requires keeping track of a lot of different types of data. That includes SKUs, bar codes, countries of origin, product values, lot numbers, HS codes, and a lot more. Using your inventory software of choice, make sure that you are rigorous about tracking all the relevant data for each kind of item you carry.

It may also be a good idea to track information like the cost of the item, its seasonal sales patterns, and whether or not there are hard-to-come-by supplies that go into its manufacturing. Having data organized like this will help you find answers to unpredictable questions that may arise as your day-to-day business operations take place.

4. Monitor sales

Ultimately, every company wants and needs to make money. The best way to keep doing this is to observe which items are bringing in the most revenue.

But what do you look for when you monitor sales? A few things come to mind:

• How much is each type of item making?
• Are there seasonal patterns to sales?
• Do the sales for one item increase the sales for other items?
• Do you tend to sell more on specific days of the week or times of the day?

5. Get a feel for sales cycles

After enough sales monitoring, you will start to see how sales cycles work. You can then use this information to sell to customers when they are most likely to be buying. You can also use this information to make sure you have new stock ready to go for whenever the next round of sales is going to come in.

6. Be proactive about quality control

Customers expect your products to be good ones. If someone’s first experience with your brand involves a dud product, then they probably aren’t going to come back. If a regular customer has a bad experience, they might be a little too lenient, but only if it doesn’t happen again.

For every new batch of inventory you receive, it’s worth your time to test the merchandise. This is doubly true if something has changed recently that may affect the quality of the product. Better safe than sorry!

7. Make sure you have a good returns process

Returns are a part of life in retail. This is especially true in eCommerce where return rates can be 30% or higher. You need to make sure you have a good returns process.

Part of that returns process will involve figuring out what to do with the inventory when it is received once more. Some returns can be put back into inventory and resold, others need to be thrown away, and still others may need repair or refurbishment. No matter what the case is, make sure you have well-defined processes for inventory management when the returns inevitably come in.

8. Order your own restocks (at least at first)

Once you have a feel for your inventory cycles, you will also have a feel for when to restock. At first, order restocks on your own. Even the best software or account managers cannot always see all the variables that are necessary to know when to order more inventory. Once you determine the pattern in your decision to restock, then it’s time to delegate to someone else!

9. Conduct regular audits

No matter how good you are at tracking inventory, you will occasionally make mistakes. Sometimes, an item isn’t scanned on the way out. Other times, it’s stolen from your store or your warehouse. These things happen.

Every once in a while, be it annually or weekly, it’s worthwhile to audit your inventory and find out how much you truly have. Nothing is quite as uncomfortable as thinking you have 100 items in stock when you actually have none!

Final Thoughts

Good inventory management can keep your customers happy and your profits healthy. The basic idea is simple, to be sure, but when you apply these simple principles around forecasting, flexibility, and quality control, you can gain a major competitive advantage.

And in a world where tariff hikes and supply chain disruptions are more common, keeping tight control over your inventory isn’t just smart. It’s required.

Running a business can be tough because it’s hard to know how much you’re going to sell.

But running a Kickstarter can be even tougher, because not only do you not know how much you’re going to sell, but you don’t know how much you’re going to need to manufacture, at least before the campaign anyway.

In this video, we’re going to talk about how you can make a budget for your Kickstarter campaign. I’ll walk you through the process of making your budget on Excel with this special template we’ve made.

If you want to use what I’m using, you’re in luck! This Excel workbook is downloadable and is free. It’s just like what you see on screen.

Download the spreadsheet.

My name is Brandon, here on behalf of Fulfillrite. If you need help shipping your orders, go to fulfillrite.com and request a quote. We’ve shipped thousands of Kickstarters and we’re happy to help you ship yours. The quote doesn’t cost a thing, so if nothing else, you get some good information about pricing. Link in the description.

But enough self-promotion. Let’s make you a budget.

Making a Budget, pt. 1

On this Kickstarter budget, I’m not going to focus on startup costs or research and development, at least not that much. That’s because so much of the business expenses are incurred after the campaign funds and depend on the order volume to be fulfilled. Whether you ship 100 board games or 10,000, you’re going to pay the artist the same, spend the same amount in play-testing supplies, and so on.

So with that in mind, I’m going to show you how to use this spreadsheet.

First, go over to the right and enter in your core pledge amount – that’s the amount you think people are going to spend most frequently. Add in the percentage of extra units you want to order on top of what you need to ship to fulfill all campaign orders. You’ll see “order fulfillment average” in the same general section, but skip it for now.

Also over here, there is minimum order quantity, also called MOQ – that’s the minimum amount your manufacturer is willing to produce in a single run.

Now let’s look at these first two columns on the left, and I’ll walk you through this top to bottom.

At the top, you put in a hypothetical amount of funding you could raise. I’m starting fairly low here, at $10,000. Kickstarter and credit card fees will automatically calculate at 9%, which is a high estimate. Similarly, chargebacks will automatically calculate at 3%, which is also an unusually high estimate. Your net funding will automatically calculate as the Kickstarter funds you raise minus Kickstarter fees, credit card fees, and net funds. At 88%, this is starting you off with a conservative estimate.

In the next section, the amount of units you need to ship orders will automatically calculate based on the funds raised. Then Run Size will automatically calculate as the greater of either the units you need to ship + the extra units you want to ship OR the minimum order quantity.

Now if you’re shipping multiple items, add-ons, etc., that adds more nuance to this, but we’ll cover that later too, and that will build on this baseline budget.

Estimating Costs

Note: Worried about U.S. tariffs? Don’t worry, everything in this video is still valid. It’s just extra important to use tools like Freightos & SimplyDuty to help you calculate the cost of freight. It’s also a good idea to consider hiring a freight broker as well, instead of trying do things DIY.

Next you will need to enter the cost of manufacturing, freight, and customs for each quantity by hand. At this point, I’ll level with you – I can’t walk you through this in a short video. But here are some resources to help you get those numbers:

• Here’s a video on how to find a manufacturer. This will help you know where to start on that. Once you find a manufacturer you like, use the quotes they provide you in this budget.
• For freight costs, once you know how much your shipment will weigh and how large it will be, go to Freightos and run some freight quotes. This will at least give you a ballpark idea of what freight will cost. Here’s a video on how to do that.
• Lastly, calculating customs is really complex, but if you go to SimplyDuty, you might be able to get a serviceable quote that’s good enough for budgeting purposes. Enter in the kind of goods you’re shipping, value of the shipment, where the goods are coming from, and where they’re going, and you’ll get an estimate you can work with.

Just to help move things along, I’m going to enter a few stand-in values so I can keep showing you how this spreadsheet works.

Making a Budget, pt. 2

The last piece of manual entry here are your startup costs. That is, you just plug in what it costs to get your product Kickstarter-ready.

Once you do enter in those figures, though, your production cost will automatically be calculated by summing manufacturing, freight, and customs.

Then based on everything entered so far, you will see automatic calculations for:

•  The per-unit cost
•  Per-unit contribution margin (that is, how much each unit is putting back in your pocket)
• Campaign net revenue (how much your campaign makes minus what it costs to manufacture and ship)
• Gross profit (campaign net revenue minus your startup costs, not accounting for taxes)

OK, that’s it! You got through it!

Once you understand this basic concept, you can run a bunch of scenarios very quickly for different funding amounts. That makes this a really powerful tool for helping you imagine how different fundraising levels might impact your business.

Estimating Demand

Figuring out how much money you’re going to make is a lot more fun than figuring out how much you need to spend! But, of course, you don’t want to pull numbers out of nowhere. You need a system that’s going to give you at least a reasonably good idea of how much revenue you’re going to generate, because that’s likely to tell you how many orders you’re going to need to ship as well.

So, continuing along with the downloadable spreadsheet we’ve been working with, check out the Revenue Forecast tab. While you’re there, you’ll see two section – Simple Method and Advertiser Method. We’ll talk about the Simple Method for revenue estimation first.

First, as I zoom in on the Simple Method, I want to quickly give you a sense of where this data comes from and the assumptions that underlie it.

Marketers generally consider the size of your mailing list to be the best indication of how much funding you are going to raise. This is because a lot of Kickstarter creators push people to a mailing list in advance of the campaign because it’s one the most reliable ways to get people to the campaign page when it counts. Not only that, but anyone who is willing to hand over their email address is much more likely to buy than, say, a social media follower.

Email marketing is also good because the techniques you use to collect those emails – making landing pages, running ads, and so on – help answer one super-critical question.

Do people care enough to buy this thing?

That’s a huge question, and one that I honestly can’t answer for you in this video – or really, any ten-minute video. But as a marketer myself, I strongly encourage you to validate the market before you try to Kickstart a campaign. Or, put more simply, make sure the answer to that question is yes.

With that in mind, to use this revenue estimator, you will need to enter five things.

1. Mailing list size. That’s the number of people you expect to be receiving your emails on launch day.
2. Conversion rate. A certain percentage of email recipients on your list will back your campaign. Some people like to say 5%, but I think 4% is a safer, more conservative estimate. Enter what you think is appropriate here based on existing data, such as open and click rates.
3. Expected pledges from other sources. How many backers do you think will come from other marketing channels you have once you eliminate emails and Kickstarter itself? Be super conservative with this figure.
4. Average pledge. Enter in your core pledge amount here – the most common amount you expect people to enter.
5. Kickstarter bump ratio. Kickstarter itself pushes people to your campaign, usually to a degree proportional to the backers you bring on your own. With most people I work with, Kickstarter tends to account for about 40% of funds raised. But I entered in 30% by default to be safe. Enter what you think is appropriate here.

Then you will see, automatically calculated, a revenue forecast generated directly from these numbers, in terms of both number of backers and funding dollars. You’ll also see conservative and optimistic estimates which, respectively, assume you put in numbers that are a little too favorable and a little too unfavorable.

Keep in mind this is just a model – your campaign can raise far less than the conservative estimate or far more than the optimistic one. That’s why it’s important to have a budget that accounts for all kinds of scenarios and a risk assessment that helps you prevent the worst ones.

On the right, you’ll see a slightly different model assuming you plan on doing advertising between now and the launch of your campaign. It’s really similar to the model on the left, with three differences in inputs:

1. Enter your current mailing list size instead of what you expect to have on launch day.
2. Advertising budget. This is the amount you plan to spend on ads between now and launch.
3. Cost per lead. This is the amount it costs to collect an email address with ads.

This will result in a model that predicts the amount of backers you will have based on your ad budget and cost per lead. This is good if you’re working with an established method, such as the one emphasized by Launchboom, where you have a landing page that you drive people to through ads run on Facebook and similar platforms.

Final Thoughts

And there you have it! This spreadsheet will help you to create a rough budget for your Kickstarter. Be sure you fill it in with details that are very specific to your situation. We also strongly recommend you reach out to a tax professional as well, since that can really change the numbers you’ll be looking at in the future.

My name is Brandon, here on behalf of Fulfillrite. If you need help shipping your order s, go to fulfillrite.com and request a quote. We’ve shipped thousands of Kickstarters and we’re happy to help you ship yours. The quote doesn’t cost a thing, so if nothing else, you get some good information about pricing. Link in the description.

If you enjoyed this video, please take a moment to like and subscribe. Don’t forget to slap some postage on that bell so we can express ship new videos to you as soon as they drop. And last but not least, if you have any questions, leave a comment below. I will personally answer as many as I can.

Thanks for watching!

Bonus: Common Kickstarter Budgeting Mistakes To Avoid

Even with a solid Kickstarter budget, many creators run into financial trouble because of common mistakes. Bearing that in mind, here are some common mistakes that you can avoid. (This was not included in the original video.)

1. Underestimating Shipping Costs

One of the biggest mistakes Kickstarter creators make is not budgeting enough for shipping. International shipping, in particular, can be much more expensive than expected. Be sure to factor in packaging costs, dimensional weight pricing, and potential fulfillment fees.

2. Forgetting About Taxes

Many creators don’t realize that Kickstarter funds count as taxable income. Depending on your location, you may owe state, federal, or even VAT/GST taxes. It’s a good idea to consult with a tax professional to understand your potential tax liability before setting your funding goal.

3. Ignoring Manufacturing Lead Times

If your manufacturer takes longer than expected to produce your product, delays can cost you extra in storage fees, lost sales, or even refund requests from frustrated backers. Always add some buffer time to your manufacturing schedule.

4. Not Planning for Refunds and Chargebacks

Even successful campaigns face a small percentage of refund requests or chargebacks. Some backers may change their minds, while others might dispute charges with their credit card companies. Budgeting a small percentage—typically around 3%—for potential losses can prevent financial problems down the road.

5. Overordering Inventory

It’s tempting to order more inventory than you need in the hopes of future sales. However, if you miscalculate demand, you may end up with a bunch of unsold stock and extra storage costs to match. Always balance bulk order discounts with realistic demand forecasts.

Subscription boxes seem unstoppable now. But as recently as 2010, the business model barely existed. Rather, it was around 2011 when subscription boxes started to take off, with brands like BirchBox, Dollar Shave Club, and NatureBox becoming household names.

According to Market Research Future, the US subscription box industry was valued at $13.5 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow to $44.5 billion by 2032, which is more than triple!

Because subscription box businesses are so hot right now, a lot of people want to cash in. You might be one of them since you’re reading this article! So let’s talk about how you can start a subscription box business in 10 easy steps.

1. Understand the basics of subscription boxes.

As with any business, you need to thoroughly understand the market before you jump in. To help you do that, we’re going to go over the basics of the subscription box business model. This will help you determine whether it’s right for you.

What’s a Subscription Box?

Easyship said it best: “subscription boxes are recurring and physical deliveries of given products which are packaged with the aim of offering consumers additional value and a unique experience, added to the actual product contained within each box.”

Basically, subscription box buyers receive boxes full of unique and interesting products on a regular basis. Subscribers pay for a recurring subscription and receive boxes on a regular basis, usually every month. The boxes are full of physical items, many of which are surprises carefully curated to please the subscriber. Many subscription boxes show customers how much they saved on the retail value of the items contained within.

Last but not least, subscription boxes are almost always gorgeous. The packaging and the contents are often beautiful and made specifically for people to record unboxing videos.

Benefits of the Subscription Box Business Model

From a business perspective, there are a lot of benefits to the subscription box business model. But we wanted a first-hand perspective here, and for that, Ben Ajenoui, Marketing & Managing Director at the eCommerce platform, Opencart, was happy to oblige.

“Our move into subscription box services was driven by the growing demand for recurring revenue models in the retail space,” says Ajenoui. “Many of our users were asking for more streamlined ways to offer subscription-based products, and we saw an opportunity to support them.”

It’s no surprise that Opencart transitioned into the subscription box space when you consider the value of recurring revenue. The following five facts, taken together, make a really strong case for starting a subscription box business:

1. Since boxes are sold on a subscription basis, revenue is much more predictable than with most kinds of eCommerce.
2. Because subscriptions are recurring transactions, the average customer has a much higher lifetime value than other businesses.
3. It’s harder to win a subscriber than it is to win a buyer, but once you do, the odds of retention are much higher.
4. Subscription boxes are all about the unique experience, which gives companies great opportunities for branding.
5. Because subscription boxes are sent out around the same time of the month in large batches, this simplifies shipping and fulfillment.

Disadvantages of the Subscription Box Business Model

Of course, the subscription box model isn’t perfect. We can think of five negative considerations that you need to weigh in as well.

1. According to Pitchbook, the amount of venture capital going into subscription box startups has gone down in the last few years. This could be a sign that the subscription box boom is over. Alternatively, it could be a consequence of massively overhyped companies like Blue Apron going downhill, but not an indicator that the industry at large is failing. Make of it what you will.
2. To prepare subscription boxes to send, you need a lot of upfront capital to begin with.
3. Subscription boxes live and die on their ability to seem luxurious and unique. That means you need a strong understanding of the fundamentals of marketing and branding to succeed.
4. Because subscription boxes have become so popular, there is a lot of competition.
5. Much of the magic of subscription boxes stems from the novelty of the items in them. That means when the novelty wears off, so does the perceived value of the subscription box.

There are also some operational challenges to consider as well. Among them, Ajenoui lists “recurring billing, [setting up] flexible product options, and [implementing] advanced customer management tools.” Before getting into the subscription box business, it’s worth considering if your team has the operational chops to set all of this up.

2. Identify a real market need.

In order to build a successful business of any type, you need to identify real needs in the market and come up with a wait to meet them. Otherwise, people have no reason to want to buy from you at all!

This is especially true in the subscription box business model. The reason for this is because getting someone to sign up for a subscription is harder than getting them to sign up for a single purchase. That means your subscription box needs to be so compelling that it overcomes customers’ objections so that they do not hesitate to subscribe.

“Convenience, personalization, and the excitement of regular deliveries” rank high in terms of customer values, according to Ajenoui. As you work on the particulars of your subscription box model, it’s worth considering how these values intersect with the kind of products you sell.

3. Research your competition and find a unique niche.

Because the subscription box business is fairly crowded, you need to find a niche that stands out among similar subscriptions. Your customers have lots of different options, so you need to provide something popular in a way that no one else is. This is where market research is essential!

If you want to stand out among your competition, don’t try to create a new product entirely. It’s much easier to deliver better quality products than your competition than to completely forge your own path. One way that you can do this? Find good suppliers and form great relationships with them.

4. Figure out what to put in the subscription box.

At this point, you will want to figure out what your subscription box itself will be like. Subbly suggests considering the following factors:

• Pricing
• Number of items
• Type of products and their packaging
• Size of the box
• Design and aesthetic
• Engagement experience
• Written content and packing information

Naturally, this will be different for every industry and for each type of box. What you want to do here is figure out how to take several different items and figure out how you can tie them together and create a unique experience for the box opener.

5. Master the unboxing experience.

Much of the magic of subscription boxes comes from the feeling your subscribers will have when they are opening the box. There is a reason why many people take videos of themselves unboxing subscription boxes and post them online. There’s a reason people watch these videos, too – vicarious pleasure is a very real thing and it compels many new people to subscribe to your box!

So how do you actually do that? We have a few suggestions:

1. Use custom packaging so that when your box arrives in the mail, people are immediately excited about it.
2. Pack the boxes in such a way that not all items are seen at once. One way you can do this is by covering the contents with a thin sheet of cardboard and putting a small letter on top for people to read before opening the rest of the box.
3. Make sure the individual items themselves are bright and colorful and that their packaging really stands out, making a feast for your subscribers’ eyes.

6. Set up the supply chain.

Understanding the supply chain is one of the key success factors for subscription box businesses. You need to make sure the boxes are a reasonable size and weight, so you need to have all that information from your item suppliers in order to proceed. Hopefully, you will also receive a discount on the items themselves so that you have a healthy profit margin. You may need to tweak the items in the box in order to get them to fit or to get the price to be reasonable.

It’s also smart to look into sourcing products from multiple regions. Nearshoring or dual-sourcing, which means sourcing products from two different countries, can help you avoid unexpected cost spikes if tariffs increase or trade disruptions occur.

Especially important to subscription box businesses is having good relationships with custom packaging providers such as Noissue or Arka. While custom packaging definitely costs more, remember that the experience is the selling point, not the items themselves which can all be purchased individually.

Lastly, you will want to work with a fulfillment company that you trust. Odds are, the items and packaging will arrive separately and in large quantities. While you can pack and ship your own items, companies like Fulfillrite can take care of that for you. In particular, preparing subscription boxes in advance would be considered a kitting project. As far as receiving the supplies themselves and then sending out the subscription boxes, both of those are very routine tasks that can be cost-efficiently handled by a fulfillment company on your behalf.

6.5. Watch out for increasing supply chain costs.

One more factor to plan for: rising supply chain costs. Tariffs on imported goods have increased unpredictably in recent years, and many subscription box companies are feeling the pinch.

“We’ve seen a noticeable uptick in landed product costs for our clients,” says Chris Rivera, CPA & Founder of The Ecommerce Accountants. “Especially those sourcing from China and Southeast Asia. Tariffs have compressed gross margins and forced many brands to rethink their sourcing and pricing strategies. This has been particularly disruptive for high-volume sellers in competitive niches where price sensitivity is high.”

“Tariff changes in 2025 have really pushed anyone shipping from China to rethink their numbers,” says Todd Stephenson, Co-Founder of Roof Quotes. “If you’re in that boat, it’s smart to talk with your suppliers and see if they can shift production to places like Vietnam or India. You can’t just sit back and hope things go back to normal, you have to plan like these tariffs are sticking around. That means adjusting your pricing and making sure your operations can handle higher costs.”

7. Start marketing your subscription box before launching the service.

Treat your subscription box service launch like you would any other product launch. You need to start marketing it long before you actually start shipping boxes. At a minimum, you need a good brand name, logo, and website. If you’re not sure where to start, you can always use Shopify.

Marketing for a service launch is more complicated than we can adequately discuss in a post like this, but we’ll give you a few tips here:

• Build your website with conversions in mind. Everything on your site needs to ultimately increase the odds that someone will subscribe to your service.
• Create a sense of urgency with special offers and landing pages. Getting new subscriptions is harder than retaining them!
• Remember the marketing funnel: first someone becomes aware you exist, then they become interested, they think about buying from you, then they ultimately choose to buy from you. Then after that, they choose whether or not to purchase from you again.
• Customize your boxes as much as possible.
• Build a mailing list.
• Start content marketing online, including guest blogging.
• Implement a referral program.
• Look into pay-per-click advertising on sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

If you want to research this subject in more depth, we stumbled across this fantastic guide that will show you how to market your subscription box!

When in doubt, consider the advice of Ajenoui. “The most effective strategy for acquiring subscribers has been offering a seamless, customizable experience.” Clearly, providing a good customer experience is not something that can be overlooked!

8. Figure out shipping and fulfillment.

We touched on this before, but it’s especially important. If you have 500 subscribers, that means someone will need to receive all your supplies and packaging, prepare the subscription boxes, apply postage, and then send them to your subscribers. You can do this yourself, but it makes a lot more sense to work with a fulfillment company since they specialize in handling large quantities of orders at once.

If you go through a fulfillment company, you don’t have to worry about assembling the boxes by hand. All you have to do is design the packaging, pick the items, and go find customers. Everything else can be taken care of for you, leaving you with a lot more time to find subscribers and make money!

9. Take feedback, make improvements, and retain customers.

As with any business, once you start shipping your first few subscription boxes, you will need to gather customer feedback. Customer retention is essential, so try to incorporate feedback as much as you can. Make improvements when they are recommended. In the long run, it will pay off!

When it comes to retention, Ajenoui advises offering “personalized engagement, exclusive offers, and flexible subscription management.” He later mentioned that “streamline your operations with a reliable platform is essential for scaling and long-term success.”

As you gather feedback, consider what questions you can ask to ensure that you are in line with Ajenoui’s thoughts on best practices.

10. Establish great customer service.

Customer retention is essential for a subscription-based model. That means that once you have started shipping boxes, you need to have excellent customer service in order to keep customers subscribed. Do anything and everything you can to keep customers happy. Be sure they can reach by phone, email, and – if you have the resources to adequately manage it – social media!

Final Thoughts

Subscription boxes provide customers with unique experiences and business owners with unique opportunities. If you can combine the ability to surprise and delight customers with pragmatic business expertise around matters like supply chain management, then this business model could work wonders for you. Just follow the tips above and you’ll be well on your way to success!

Manufacturing products — that’s just the beginning. You also need to fulfill orders, and that’s a whole other challenge. And in between, you probably need to book freight.

But how do you do that?

Believe it or not, freight today is more accessible than ever thanks to digital marketplaces. But it has also become more unpredictable since the COVID-19 pandemic. Geopolitical tensions, labor disputes, climate-related disruptions like droughts at the Panama Canal, and changes in U.S. tariff policies can and have all quickly impacted freight routes, rates, and timelines.

But even with all that said, the main reason why many business owners find freight shipping particularly scary is because it’s so unfamiliar. Thankfully, once you get past the headlines and complicated terms, booking freight is more straightforward than you would think.

Ultimately, booking freight for your eCommerce store or Kickstarter campaign comes down to four key decisions.

Here’s what you need to know.

1. Choose a freight broker or freight marketplace

There are two main ways to book freight: through a broker or a marketplace.

A freight brokerage firm will ask you a few questions and handle the rest, similar to how travel agents used to book vacations before online booking became common.

Similarly, freight marketplaces help you book shipments just like Expedia helps you book hotels. We recommend checking out Freightos.

No matter which marketplace you choose, the process is similar. You will need to provide details about your shipment, pickup and delivery locations, and customs information. Then, you’ll select a shipping option based on the quotes provided.

Note: When in doubt, we recommend using freight marketplaces to see freight quotes and working with freight brokers for the actual booking of freight. This is especially true considering the current pace of change around tariffs that is relevant as of the date on this post.

2. Determine the right shipping terms

When dealing with freight shipments, you’ll encounter incoterms. These are rules that define the responsibilities of the buyer and seller in freight shipping.

The four most common incoterms are EXW, FOB, DDU, and DDP. Here’s what they mean for you:

• EXW (Ex Works): The seller (your manufacturer) hands over responsibility for the goods once they’re manufactured. You need to arrange for someone to pick them up.
• FOB (Free On Board): The seller is responsible for getting goods onto a shipping vessel. You take over responsibility from there, including handling the import process and arranging local transportation once the goods leave the vessel.
• DDU (Delivery Duty Unpaid): The seller handles the entire freight process, except for customs, which you will pay.
• DDP (Delivery Duty Paid): The seller handles the entire process, so you have nothing to worry about.

If your manufacturer insists on EXW or FOB terms, it will affect when you need to book freight. Both brokers and marketplaces can handle any incoterms. Just confirm with your manufacturer which ones apply to you.

It’s also worth noting that more manufacturers now prefer DDP (Delivery Duty Paid) these days. This is because it serves to simplify logistics for their buyers, but often does so at a premium. Always ask for a full landed cost quote before agreeing to DDP terms.

3. Calculate customs costs

When importing goods from another country, you’ll likely need to pay customs fees, which fall into two main categories:

• Duties and tariffs.
• Safety exams.

For duties and tariffs, you’ll be charged a percentage based on the HS Code of the goods, the country of origin, and the destination country.

As the events of 2025 have shown, though, duties and tariffs can change quickly. Section 301 tariffs on Chinese goods, retaliatory tariffs, and shifts in free trade agreements can all impact costs. It’s critical to check updated tariff schedules before you book freight.

To estimate your costs, look up your HS Code using the GlobalPost HS Classification Tool. Then, use that code along with other relevant information to calculate your import duties and taxes.

Additionally, your goods might be randomly selected for customs inspection. This can involve X-rays, container openings, or direct inspections of the goods. If this happens, you’ll need to cover the exam costs, which vary based on the inspection method. (For example, I had a shipment of board games X-rayed in 2020, which cost around $600 USD.)

4. Choose transportation mode

Freight shipping can be done via four transportation modes: air, sea, rail, and road. Your shipment will likely use a combination of these, but the main leg will typically be by air or sea.

Sea shipping is much cheaper but significantly slower, often taking weeks or even months, especially from China to the US. Recent supply chain disruptions — such as those seen during the COVID-19 pandemic — have occasionally further extended these times.

Air shipping is much faster, with deliveries often made within a few days or weeks, but it is considerably more expensive.

If your items are perishable, air shipping is the only viable option. On the flip side, if environmental sustainability is your priority, sea shipping is likely the best choice.

Consult with your freight broker or compare multiple quotes on a freight marketplace to determine if the faster delivery is worth the extra cost.

Bearing all this in mind, freight booking is still very complex. Below, we’ve included some tips from a freight shipping expert to help you all the latest best practices.

5 Tips for Better International Freight Shipping

Please Note: The information in this section comes directly from Corinne Berzon at Freightos. Freightos is a freight marketplace, meaning it helps businesses book their own freight shipping.

What you read in this section was previously part of a guest post, which we’ve bundled into this post for your convenience.

Unpredictable freight rates, port congestion, and fluctuating demand have made freight rates less reliable.

This means that for any shipper, the flexibility to compare quotes and choose the right rate for each shipment can be a huge advantage. Here are 5 tips for getting better freight rates for your international shipments – even when the market is unpredictable:

1. Get multiple quotes

Getting rates from multiple freight forwarders lets you compare price, routing, and estimated transit time so that you can find the best quote for every shipment.

But make sure when you compare quotes that you are getting a detailed breakdown of what’s included in the price. Look out for these details when checking freight quotes from various freight forwarders to avoid surprises:

• Correct origin and destination details
• Main freight charges
• Custom clearance charges
• Warehouse and ground transportation charges
• Port charges and equipment fees
• Additional service fees

2. Try different shipping modes and lanes

Closures and congestion on the shipping lane you usually use can be costly and frustrating. One way to overcome volatility is to look at alternate routes and modes. Here are some examples of how flexibility can help you ship smoother:

• If you typically ship air, consider whether shipping a higher volume of goods by ocean might be more cost efficient.
• If you are shipping FCL but are struggling with long transit times, consider splitting shipments up. Switching to LCL or air cargo could help keep your inventory moving.
• If your regular shipping lane is bogged down by delays, consider shipping to alternate ports and use inland transport for delivery.

3. Double check your shipping details

International freight involves a lot of documentation and forms. Making sure these are accurate can prevent shipment delays and extra charges.

• Accurate measurements and labeling can make or break your profitability – about 20% of charges added after booking result from incorrect measurements.
• Proper licensing can prevent your shipments from being held up at customs, which costs both time and money in avoidable penalties.
• Communicate about requirements like special product handling, extra packaging, additional equipment support, or any non-standard service before shipping to avoid service disruptions, expensive accessorials, or extra charges.

4. Keep seasonality in mind

When you are getting freight quotes for your international shipments, keep in mind that freight costs fluctuate by season.

• Peak season for ocean shipping is usually August-October when businesses stock up on back-to-school and holiday inventory. During this time, prices can climb as capacity decreases.
• Lunar New Year in late January or early February shuts down most east Asian factories and manufacturers which can lead to a short period of congestion and elevated prices.

5. Use a freight marketplace

Getting multiple quotes from different forwarders can be time-consuming – and until fairly recently could only be done by reaching out to providers one by one. But freight is going digital, and now shippers can get quotes instantly from dozens of freight forwarders.

The power to compare multiple quotes can help save you time and money, plus by using an online freight marketplace, you also gain the flexibility to switch modes, lanes, or providers depending on specific shipping needs.

Marketplaces provide a number of additional benefits:

Market visibility

Marketplaces collect pricing and transit time data from lots of service providers so you can compare delivery times, prices, and service standards – and choose the best option for every shipment.

Transparency

By using a freight marketplace, you’ll get full transparency into what each quote includes. Since quotes are standardized, you won’t have to guess what services are included.

User reviews

Picking the right freight forwarder can be confusing, but hearing from other importers and exporters can make the decision easier. Marketplaces let you assess the performance of different logistics providers before committing.

Final Thoughts

Booking freight for your eCommerce store or Kickstarter campaign might seem overwhelming at first. But once you understand it, it’s a lot more manageable.

Freight is no longer just about moving products. It’s about managing uncertainty and the risks that come alongside it. Smart freight management gives your business the ability to adapt to delays, rising costs, and unexpected global events without missing a beat.

Remember, the goal is to ensure your products reach your customers efficiently and cost-effectively. Smart freight management is one more lever of power you have to make that happen.

Few things are as exciting as shipping your first eCommerce order. Turning your ideas into a physical product and sending it out to customers all over the world feels incredible!

But, shipping eCommerce orders can be tough. Many businesses hire fulfillment centers to help with this. Choosing the right fulfillment center can be overwhelming. Costs vary so much and it’s tough to understand why.

In this article, we’ll demystify the costs of using a fulfillment center for eCommerce. We’ll explain how fulfillment centers price their services and break down the various costs. Then we’ll show you how to estimate the total cost of order fulfillment using quotes and a simple spreadsheet.

How Fulfillment Centers Price Their Services

If you want to compare fulfillment center quotes, you have to understand the general fulfillment pricing model. No two fulfillment centers have identical pricing. In fact, it’s really hard to make an apples to apples comparison.

And even if you could do that, it would still take time to figure out the cost for your particular eCommerce business. There are lots of variables.

There is no one-size-fits-all estimate. Even online fulfillment center price calculators can only give ballpark figures. To understand how order fulfillment costs will look for your business, you have to request personalized quotes from each fulfillment center you are thinking about working with.

Each quote will be structured differently. So you’ll need to compare costs in a spreadsheet in order to understand who is actually offering the best deal.

But even with all the variables and differences between fulfillment centers, they all follow similar logic. Once you understand the logic, then you can understand the quotes.

How To Estimate The Cost of U.S. Tariffs for Ecommerce Fulfillment

Most of this blog post was written before the changes to U.S. trade policy, known as Reciprocal Tariffs. This guide is still up-to-date, but this section was added April 28, 2025.

To make a long story short, once your items are in the warehouse, you can use the information in this guide to figure out what it will cost to ship them out. But these days, getting your items into the warehouse is almost certainly going to be more expensive if you are manufacturing outside of the country.

If that is the case for you, we would like to suggest two tools.

First, use Freightos to figure out what it will cost to arrange the shipment of your items from your manufacturer to your fulfillment center of choice. Then, use SimplyDuty. It’s an excellent online calculator that can be used to calculate customs, duties, and tariffs.

With these tools combined, you’ll be able to back into how much it costs to import your items in bulk. Then, once your items are in the warehouse, you can use the rest of the information in this guide to forecast costs.

Basic Formula for Calculating Order Fulfillment Costs

Order fulfillment pricing can be understood with this formula:

Fulfillment Cost = Account & Storage Fees + ((Postage + Supplies + Pick and Pack Fee) * Packages Shipped) + Value-Added Services

Yes, that’s still pretty complex. Don’t worry, we’ll break this down in the next section!

Breaking Down the Costs

Understanding the individual parts of fulfillment costs will help you make better choices. So we’re going to break down the formula from the previous section part by part.

Account & Storage Fees

Account and storage fees are ongoing costs for keeping your inventory at a fulfillment center. Think of it like rent for your products’ storage space. These fees are usually billed monthly. They will change based on how much inventory you have, the amount of storage you need, and the fulfillment center’s policies.

Account fees depend on the fulfillment center. Some charge a minimum amount per month for account maintenance, which might be waived if your order volume is high enough.

Storage costs are often based on cubic footage or the number of pallets stored. Bigger, bulky items cost more than smaller ones. Some fulfillment centers also charge extra for climate-controlled or special handling storage.

Pick & Pack Fees

Pick and pack fees cover the cost of workers getting each item from your inventory, packing them for shipment, and printing and attaching postage labels. In short, these are labor costs. This fee is applied to each order that gets processed.

If you ship many orders, these costs can add up fast. Many fulfillment centers have a pick and pack fee structure like this:

• Pick and pack fee: $2.50
• Per additional item: +$0.15

High-volume businesses might be able to negotiate a lower pick and pack rate.

Postage

Postage costs vary widely based on the size and weight of your items, where they are being shipped, and the speed of shipping. Fulfillment centers often get lower rates with major carriers like USPS, UPS, and FedEx.

Each fulfillment center has different deals. To know what it will cost to ship items, request rate sheets from your fulfillment centers of choice.

The location of your fulfillment center affects postage rates. Shipping to Europe from the US costs more than shipping within the European Union. Following the same logic, shipping from the US west coast to the east coast will cost more than shipping from, say, New York to New Jersey.

Supplies

Basic packaging supplies are usually included in the pick and pack fee. However, specific packaging needs like branded boxes or environmentally-friendly materials might cost extra. Ask for detailed information if you need specialized packaging.

Value-Added Services

Fulfillment centers offer more than just storage and shipping. They can do custom packaging, kitting, product inspections, and return processing. Prices for these services vary a lot, depending on what you need. Still, it’s important to be proactive and gather this information.

Estimating The Total Cost of Order Fulfillment

To figure out the total cost of order fulfillment, gather quotes from fulfillment centers and use a spreadsheet to compare costs. This method helps you decide which fulfillment center fits your needs and budget best.

Creating a spreadsheet for comparison

Start by listing the rows as Account & Storage, Pick & Pack, Postage, Supplies, and Value-Added Services. The columns should list your fulfillment centers of choice.

Begin by writing down your estimated order volume. This helps in making accurate calculations. For Account & Storage fees, plug in your best estimate based on the quotes received. Do the same for Value-Added Services. These might include special packaging, custom labeling, or return processing.

Next, enter the average pick & pack costs and supply costs per order. These are usually straightforward to calculate based on the quotes. If the fulfillment center charges $2.50 for the first item and $0.15 for each additional item, you can estimate these costs based on your average order size.

Postage is more complex because it varies by destination. To estimate this, calculate the weighted average of postage rates for different destinations. For example, if 60% of your orders ship domestically and 40% internationally, use these proportions to weight the respective postage costs. You might need to create a separate tab to organize these postage rates and their corresponding percentages.

By entering these values into your spreadsheet, you can see the total estimated cost for each fulfillment center. This side-by-side comparison will highlight which provider offers the best value for your specific needs.

Comparing costs

Once your spreadsheet is set up, use it to compare costs side by side for each provider. Pay close attention to any significant differences in fees, especially for services that are crucial to your business.

Remember that actual costs may vary based on factors like shipping destination, package weight, or size. Therefore, it’s wise to build in a buffer for unexpected costs. For instance, you might notice that one provider has lower pick & pack fees but higher storage costs.

Additionally, consider the reliability and reputation of the fulfillment centers. Sometimes paying a bit more for better service can save you headaches in the long run. Look at reviews and possibly even reach out to other businesses that use these services for their feedback.

The goal is not to pick the cheapest option. The goal is to pick a company with competitive prices and good service.

Ultimately, you will want to choose a fulfillment center that offers a reasonable cost and reliable service. This balance will hep you keep your operational costs low. But at the same time, you’ll still keep customers happy.

Hidden Costs to Watch Out For

Even after you compare fulfillment center quotes, unexpected costs can creep up. Many eCommerce businesses don’t realize these fees exist until they show up on their invoice.

But you do have power here. If you know about common hidden costs, you can ask the right questions upfront. This can help you avoid unexpected expenses and make a more accurate fulfillment budget. Always request a detailed breakdown of fees before choosing a fulfillment partner.

With that in mind, here are common costs that tend to fly under the radar during the initial quoting process.

1. Long-Term Storage Fees

If your products sit in a fulfillment center for too long, you may get hit with extra storage charges. Many providers charge higher rates for inventory that remains unsold beyond a certain period—usually 30 to 90 days. Be sure to ask about long-term storage policies before signing up.

2. Peak Season Surcharges

During busy shopping seasons like Q4, fulfillment centers often increase their rates. These peak season surcharges apply to pick and pack fees, storage, and even shipping costs. If your business relies on holiday sales, make sure to factor in these extra costs.

3. Special Handling Fees

Does your product require fragile handling, climate-controlled storage, or unique packaging? Many fulfillment centers charge extra for these services. If you sell breakable or perishable goods, make sure you understand the full cost of storage and handling.

4. Return Processing Fees

Handling returns is rarely free. Some fulfillment centers charge per returned package, while others charge a flat monthly fee for reverse logistics. If your return rate is high, these fees can add up quickly.

5. Labeling and Barcoding Costs

Some fulfillment centers require barcodes on all inventory, and if your products don’t arrive pre-labeled, they may charge you a labeling fee. These costs vary, so check if your provider includes barcode labeling in their pick and pack fees.

6. Kitting and Assembly Fees

If your orders require bundling multiple items together or special packaging before shipping, fulfillment centers may charge a kitting or assembly fee. This is common for subscription boxes or multi-piece product sets.

Final Thoughts

Estimating order fulfillment costs for your eCommerce business can be tricky. But understanding how fulfillment centers set prices and using a simple spreadsheet model can help you make a smart decision.

Customers expect smooth, hassle-free delivery. Provide it, and you set yourself up for long-term success. It’s worth investing the time and effort to get it right!

Frequently Asked Questions

What are fulfillment costs in eCommerce?

Fulfillment costs in eCommerce include all expenses related to storing, packing, and shipping products to customers. This usually covers account and storage fees, pick and pack fees, postage, supplies, and any extra services the fulfillment center offers.

How do you calculate fulfillment costs?

To calculate fulfillment costs, use the formula: Fulfillment Cost = Account & Storage Fees + ((Postage + Supplies + Pick and Pack Fee) * Packages Shipped) + Value-Added Services. Get quotes from fulfillment centers and use a spreadsheet to compare costs side by side.

What is a fulfillment fee?

A fulfillment fee is the charge incurred for processing an order. This includes picking items from storage, packing them securely, and attaching shipping labels. Fulfillment fees vary depending on the number of items per order and the complexity of the packaging required.

Can you imagine trying to organize international trade without a standard code system? That’s why Harmonized System Codes – HS codes, for short – exist: to standardize the classification of goods for international trade.

HS Codes were first introduced in 1988 by the World Customs Organization (WCO). Despite the technical sounding name, HS Codes have helped detangle a really complicated logistical problem.

Today, this system is more critical than ever. As of late, U.S. tariff policy has seen some major changes. Coming along with that are an increase in global trade disputes and large changes to free trade agreements (FTAs).

That means that even small changes in code classification can dramatically affect duty rates, compliance requirements, and, ultimately, your bottom line. Whether you’re importing electronics, textiles, or raw materials, the correct HS Code isn’t just a formality. More than ever, it can make or break your margins.

HS Codes help countries efficiently trade goods and calculate duties owed for imports and exports. In this guide, we’re going to talk about what you need to know about HS Codes in order to trade goods internationally.

Understanding HS Codes

As mentioned above, HS Codes are used globally to identify and categorize products for customs and trade purposes. But let’s break that down a bit further.

What Are HS Codes?

HS Codes are numerical codes used to classify products in international trade. Each code consists of six digits: the first two digits represent the product category. The next two indicate the subcategory. The final two further specify the product. This system makes it easy to have uniform classification across borders.

For example, 0101.21 classifies “live horses, purebred breeding animals.” No matter where you are, 0101.21 always means the same thing.

Many countries expand on the six-digit HS Code to create more detailed tariff codes. For example, the United States uses the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTSUS), which adds four more digits to specify duty rates and trade treatment in more detail.

How HS Codes Work in Global Trade

HS Codes standardize product classification worldwide. That way, countries can seamlessly trade with one another.

Accurate codes are essential for compliance with international trade regulations. Incorrect codes can lead to delays, fines, and even seizure of goods. Using the right codes helps businesses clear customs without a hassle.

This is so important in today’s more heavily tariffed world. Put plainly, improper classification can have even broader consequences. If your product falls under a newly tariffed category—due to Section 301 tariffs on Chinese goods, Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum, or retaliatory tariffs from other countries—you could face unexpected duties of 10% to 25% or more.

This is not something you’ll want to gloss over. Even minor misclassifications can significantly inflate your landed costs or expose your business to audits and penalties.

Using HS Codes for Goods Classification

To classify goods with HS Codes, follow these steps:

1. Identify the Product’s General Category Begin by identifying the general category your product falls into. For example, if you’re importing shoes, you’ll start by looking under categories related to footwear.
2. Find the Corresponding Chapter Use the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) to find the corresponding chapter for your product’s category. The first two digits of the HS Code represent this chapter. For instance, shoes might fall under chapter 64.
3. Narrow Down to the Specific Heading and Subheading Next, narrow down within that chapter to find the specific heading and subheading. The next four digits will provide more detail. For example, 6403.59 would be for “other footwear with outer soles of leather.”
4. Verify the Code in the HS Code Database Finally, verify the code using an HS Code database to ensure accuracy. You can use online HS Code search tools, consult with customs experts, and refer to the product’s specifications for precise classification. For example, websites like the WCO’s HS database or your national customs website can be invaluable resources. Some businesses also use duty calculators like SimplyDuty to preview how different classifications may affect final landed cost under different tariff schedules.

Accurate classification helps you comply with international trade regulations. And that can help you avoid costly errors in duties and taxes.

Impact on Tariffs and Taxes

Correct HS Code classification directly affects tariff rates and import taxes. Accurate codes ensure that the right duties are applied, preventing overpayment or underpayment.

Misclassification can lead to nasty financial surprises, such as unexpected tariffs or penalties. For example, classifying electronics as clothing can result in higher duties and fines, impacting the overall cost and profitability of imports.

Imagine accidentally classifying a high-end smartphone as a basic mobile device. The resulting tariff discrepancy could be substantial, leading to unexpected costs.

Legal and Compliance Considerations

Incorrect code usage can lead to legal issues, including fines, penalties, and shipment delays. To avoid these problems, stay compliant by:

• Regularly Updating HS Code Knowledge. Stay current with changes in HS codes, as they are periodically updated to reflect new products and trade patterns.
• Using Professional Resources and Tools for Classification. Use tools and services from customs brokers and trade consultants who specialize in HS code classification.
• Keeping Detailed Records. Keep detailed records of classifications and corresponding documents. For example, keeping a log of how each product was classified and the rationale behind it can be critical in case of an audit.

Again – can’t stress this enough – accurate code usage is very important for legal compliance and smooth customs clearance.

Advanced Uses of HS Codes

Beyond basic classification, HS Codes are valuable for in-depth trade analysis and optimizing logistics. You may be able to use this information to help your business in ways that go beyond just coordinating the movement of goods from one place to another.

Here are two common advanced use cases of HS codes:

#1: Trade Analysis and Market Research

Businesses use HS Codes to analyze trade patterns, identify market trends, and plan strategically. By examining trade data categorized by HS Codes, companies can assess demand, competition, and market potential.

Tools like the International Trade Centre’s Trade Map and the World Bank’s World Integrated Trade Solution (WITS) provide lots of detailed information. That information, in turn, can be used for strategic planning and market research. As you’d expect, the businesses that use this information can make more informed decisions.

For example, if a company wants to expand into a new market, analyzing trade data with HS Codes can reveal the demand and competition landscape, helping to shape their strategy.

#2: Optimizing Logistics and Supply Chain

HS Codes streamline logistics and supply chain operations by ensuring accurate documentation and compliance. HS Codes help logistics providers manage inventory efficiently and optimize shipping routes. That helps keep up overall supply chain efficiency and cut costs.

As an example, using the correct HS Codes can speed up customs processing. That means shipments move swiftly through ports and reach their destinations on time, ultimately saving money and improving customer satisfaction.

Final Thoughts

Understanding HS Codes is important if you want to be successful in international trade. These codes standardize product classification. If you know where to look, you’ll see these codes come up in a ton of different places, affecting tariffs and customs procedures, not to mention trade statistics.

Accurate classification on your end will prevent costly errors, guarantee compliance, and optimize logistics. Using HS codes properly, and really understanding what they mean, can streamline your import/export processes, reduce delays, and improve overall efficiency.

Further Resources

For more information on HS Codes, check out:

• World Customs Organization (WCO)
• Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS)
• International Trade Centre’s Trade Map
• World Integrated Trade Solution (WITS)

Frequently Asked Questions

How do U.S. tariffs affect my imports?

Tariffs are extra taxes placed on imported goods. If your product falls under a tariffed category, you’ll have to pay more to bring it into the U.S. The amount depends on the product’s HS Code and the current tariff rules.

What is the Section 301 tariff?

Section 301 tariffs are extra taxes the U.S. placed on certain goods from China. They affect thousands of products, from electronics to furniture. If your goods are listed, you’ll pay additional duties on top of the normal import taxes.

Can I get out of paying extra tariffs?

Sometimes. Certain products qualify for tariff exemptions or lower duty rates under programs like Section 301 Exclusions or Free Trade Agreements (FTAs). You’ll need to double-check your product’s HS Code and eligibility to see if you qualify.

How can I find out if new tariffs apply to my products?

You can check the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) website or consult with a customs broker. They can help you stay updated on changes to tariff schedules and trade agreements that might impact your goods.

What is the difference between HS Codes and Tariff Codes?

HS Codes are a global classification system used to categorize traded products. They are used worldwide to classify products for trade. Tariff codes, specific to each country, have extra digits beyond the standard six-digit code. These additional digits offer more detailed duty rates and statistical information.

How often are HS Codes updated?

The World Customs Organization updates the codes every five years to keep up with technology, trade practices, and new products. The next update is in 2027.

Can the same product have different HS Codes in different countries?

The first six digits are universal. However, countries can add more digits to further categorize products based on their specific requirements. This may result in variations in classification.

How do I find the correct HS Code for my product?

To find the right code for your product, check the official database from customs or trade authority in your area. You can also use online tools to find the code based on product descriptions.

What happens if I use the wrong HS Code?

Using the wrong code can cause problems with tariffs, leading to paying too much or too little. It can also cause delays in customs, fines, and legal issues. Proper classification is important for following rules and making customs go smoothly.

Getting your board game in stores isn’t just about making a great product—it’s about understanding how retailers think. At GAMA Expo 2025, a board game convention for industry folks in the know, I sat in on a panel called Things Retailers Wish Publishers Knew.

The panel featured Andrea Robertson of Rain City Games, Kylie Primus of Games Unlimited, and Courtney Hartley of Bonus Round Café.

Each panelist brought a different perspective—from traditional hobby stores to game cafés that focus on teaching and playing. What they all had in common: years of experience figuring out what sells, what sits on shelves, and what frustrates the people doing the selling.

In this post, we’ve pulled together 10 key takeaways from the conversation. If you’re a publisher looking to build strong retail relationships and actually move units, this is a must-read.

Getting your board game in stores successfully starts with listening.

1. Retailers Get More Email Than They Can Answer

Retailers get buried in emails—Kylie mentioned getting 64 solicitations in a single week. If they didn’t ask for it, chances are it’s going to spam or a filtered folder they might check once a week.

And even if it gets seen, many emails say the same thing or offer no clear next step. What retailers want is simple: clarity and action. Can they order now? Can they flag a reminder? Is there a direct link?

One retailer said, “If I can’t do something about this now, I’m not going to remember your game in November.”

Sending multiple emails about the same game without adding anything new can actually turn them off. So before you hit send, ask yourself: is there a clear reason for this email to exist? If not, it’s just adding to the noise.

Tip: If your email doesn’t give the retailer a clear action they can take, rewrite it so that it does.

2. Retailers Learn About New Games The Same Way Players Do

Solicitations are just one piece of the puzzle—and they’re not exactly as important as a corner piece in a traditional puzzle. You might be surprised to hear that retailers learn about new games the same way players do: conventions, staff picks, reviews, customer requests, and social media buzz.

A game that comes recommended by staff, gets demoed at a convention, and shows up in multiple places is much more likely to get on the radar. One retailer said they rely on a staff member who “watches pretty much every board game review podcast there is,” while another emphasized listening to customer chatter.

Going after multiple touchpoints matters. Being seen more than once builds interest and credibility. You can’t rely on one email to carry all the weight.

Tip: Think like a marketer—frequency builds familiarity. One email won’t do it.

3. Packaging Needs To Be Practical

If your box doesn’t tell the story, the game won’t sell. Retailers want customers to pick up the game and immediately understand what it is and whether it’s for them.

That means a strong back-of-box layout with visuals of what the game looks like on the table—one retailer said they’d flip a box over and be forced to pull up BoardGameGeek just to explain what it is. That’s a lost sale waiting to happen.

“Can your demo team sell the game using just the back of the box?” one panelist asked. If not, something’s missing. The sides of the box matter too—many stores shelve spine-out, not face-out. If the game name isn’t visible, it gets ignored.

Non-standard box sizes also create headaches. “If it doesn’t fit on the shelf, it goes on top… and no one sees it.”

Tip: Ask your demo team to try selling the game only using the box. If they can’t, fix the box.

4. Release Timing: Avoid the Holiday Black Hole

If your game hits shelves between mid-October and mid-January, it’s likely to be ignored. Retailers are swamped—managing inventory, restocks, holiday traffic, and end-of-year admin.

“Anything we get during that window is probably never going to be seen,” said one panelist. That doesn’t mean the game won’t sell at all—but retailers won’t have the time to learn, demo, or actively promote it. Exceptions are titles they’ve already preordered or expansions to games with a strong existing presence.

For everything else, timing is critical. Want to make a push for the holidays? Hit retailers in September or early October with a short list of your top games to stock. Make it easy to pick, easy to order, and ideally, easy to sell.

Tip: September and early October are ideal for pitching holiday titles. Send a clear list of your top 3 SKUs—make their job easier.

5. Direct Sales: Some Do It, Many Don’t

Some retailers will order directly from your website. Others won’t touch direct ordering at all. The reasons vary—time, logistics, staffing, and habit. “I love ordering direct,” one panelist said, “but a lot of stores are too small or too busy to manage it.”

Offering direct ordering is still worth doing—but don’t assume all retailers will use it. You need to offer multiple paths: distribution, direct sales, preorder portals, bundles, whatever works. Just avoid bundle structures that force a 1:1 ratio of base games to expansions—that causes inventory headaches.

And never assume what “every retailer” will or won’t do. As one panelist put it, “Retail is not homogenous. If someone tells you no store will ever do X, ignore that advice.”

Tip: Offer multiple options for ordering. Even if only a few stores use them, those few may be your champions.

6. Be Smart About Expansions

Retailers are cautious with expansions—especially for games they haven’t sold before. If the base game has a proven track record or an active local fanbase, bringing in expansions makes sense. But if the game is new to the store, most retailers will only take a chance on the core box.

One panelist explained they’ll sometimes bring in expansions at a 2:1 or 3:1 ratio to base games—but only when demand is already there. Packaging matters too. If the expansion comes in a blister pack or small format that has to hang far away from the base game, it might not sell at all. Ideally, the expansion should shelve next to the original—clean, simple, and obvious.

Tip: Don’t bundle expansions in ways that force retailers to sell them with the base game. Give them flexibility.

7. Know Your Pricing Sweet Spots

If you’re pricing a game for retail, the consensus was that $40 is a magic number. That’s the average ticket price in many stores, and it’s what customers are most comfortable spending on a casual visit.

Games around $70 are still viable but need to justify the cost—retailers will hesitate unless they already believe in the title. And once you cross into triple-digit pricing, the sales drop significantly.

Games at $100+ need to be special to move. Meanwhile, sub-$20 games fall into impulse-buy territory, especially if they’re easy to demo or explain.

Licensing complicates this: if adding an IP pushes a $35 game up to $50, you’ll lose customers who like the brand but not enough to pay a premium.

Tip: Price smart. IPs that inflate cost too much can tank sales, even if the game’s good.

8. Respect the Game Café

Game cafés aren’t just places to play—they’re powerful sales channels. A demo copy in a café might get played dozens or even hundreds of times. That kind of exposure builds familiarity and turns casual players into buyers.

But publishers often overlook cafés or saddle them with case minimums to access demo copies. That’s a mistake. One panelist explained that cafés act as long-tail ambassadors, especially for evergreen titles.

They don’t want free product—they want a fair way to buy demos without hoops. And they need them at the same time as the sellable inventory, not weeks later. If you wait, they’ll open a sellable copy themselves. That’s one fewer game on the shelf, just because you didn’t ship things together.

Tip: Let cafés buy demos at a discount with no hoops. It pays off long-term.

9. Promos & Marketing Materials: Tread Carefully

Promos can help—but only if they’re handled right. If a publisher advertises a promo item and the store doesn’t have it, customers may walk away. “Do you have the promo?” is a question that can cost a sale. And if the retailer didn’t even know a promo existed, that sale’s gone.

Materials matter too. Posters are hit or miss. Many cafés and premium stores want clean aesthetics—bold or poorly designed posters won’t go on the wall. What works better? Coasters, clever leave-behinds, and materials that feel native to the space.

Café owner, Courtney Hartley, suggested dual-purpose materials: evergreen on one side, new product on the other. Don’t just print and ship stuff—think about where it’s going and whether it will actually get used.

Tip: Make promos store-friendly, and offer marketing materials that actually suit the store type.

10. Final Advice: Just Talk to Retailers

There’s no substitute for a real relationship. GAMA panels are great, but one-on-one conversations are better.

Want to know how your packaging lands? Ask.

Want to see if your bundle structure works? Ask.

Some publishers do this well—reaching out to trusted stores for a private Zoom or quick call with their team. Those sessions are invaluable. Just be respectful of time.

Cold calls won’t get you far, and walking in unannounced during peak hours is a sure way to get ignored. Build relationships early, and keep them going between shows. It’s worth it.

Tip: Pick 3–5 retailers to build real rapport with. Zoom calls go a long way.

Final Thoughts

Retail is messy, inconsistent, and deeply human. No two stores run the same way, and no one approach works for every buyer. That’s not a flaw—it’s the reality of selling games through people instead of algorithms.

If you want to succeed in retail, you need more than a great game. You need to think like a partner. Make things easier, not harder. Stay curious. Listen more than you pitch.

And remember that retailers aren’t gatekeepers—they’re allies. Their feedback isn’t just critique — it’s insight into what actually moves units in the real world.

Running a small business can be a disorienting, confusing experience, regardless of how much experience you have. It’s tough to know where to turn for timely and useful information, reliable data, and time-saving software.

That’s why in this week’s post, we’re going to share some of our favorite helpful websites for small business owners. They range from government agencies such as the Small Business Administration to informative blogs like The Balance Small Business to software like Trello.

32 Helpful Websites Small Business Owners Should Bookmark

1. BizFilings

Looking to start your business for the first time? The paperwork can be intimidating, especially if you’re not familiar with the process. BizFilings can help streamline the process of getting set up.

This site helps you fill out the forms needed to create a sole proprietorship, partnership, LLC, or other type of business. It doesn’t stop there, though. It will also help you choose the right type of business.

2. SCORE

SCORE is a network of expert business mentors who work on a volunteer basis. They’ve been around since 1964, have mentored over 11 million entrepreneurs, and are a resource partner of the Small Business Administration (SBA).

According to their website, they provide the following services:

• Mentoring with experienced entrepreneurs.
• Webinars and courses on demand on subjects such as marketing and finance.
• A library of online resources which includes blogs, templates, guides, checklists, and more.
• Local events to allow entrepreneurs to meet up.

3. Small Business Administration

Created in 1953, the Small Business Administration (SBA) was established to help small businesses succeed. Like SCORE, the SBA offers a number of different services including:

• Free business counseling
• Guaranteed business loans
• Home and business disaster loans
• Access to bidding opportunities for federal contracts

4. Bureau of Labor Statistics

If you need statistics on the economy or a certain industry, one of the first places you should check is the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). This government agency provides statistics on pricing, employment/unemployment, compensation, working conditions, and productivity.

You are likely familiar with some of their work, which includes, just for starters:

• Consumer Price Index
• Unemployment Rate
• Consumer Expenditure Survey

5. HubSpot

HubSpot is best known for being a customer relationship management software, akin to a free version of Salesforce. However, arguably the best thing that this company has done for small businesses is found on the Resources section of their website.

Suffice it to say, if you can think of any problem that small businesses face, HubSpot has written a very detailed article about it. Examples at the time of writing include:

• How to Write a Blog Post: A Step-by-Step Guide [+Free Blog Post Templates]
• The Social Media Content Calendar Template Every Marketer Needs [Free Template]
• How to Create a Sales Plan: Template + Examples

6. The Balance Small Business

Similar to HubSpot, the Balance Small Business has written about nearly every issue you can imagine a small business owner running into. Examples from their blog at the time of writing this post include:

• 5 Ways CEOs Can Encourage Employees to Bring Their Whole Selves to Work
• 63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024
• Reduce Your Business Expenses With This $30 Microsoft Office Alternative

7. Entrepreneur

Of all the major magazines and papers dedicated to business and finance, Entrepreneur is the one best tailored for small business owners and entrepreneurs. While HubSpot and The Balance Small Business are better for long-form, specific instructional guides, Entrepreneur provides more timely news information.

8. Google Trends

We mentioned this in our marketing research video.

Google Trends may be my favorite way to conduct market research. The basic idea is simple: Google keeps count of what people search, as well as when they search and where they search from. In practice, this means that you can plug in all kinds of words to see if people are interested enough to Google them.

9. Legal Zoom

If you need to create simple, routine legal documents, Legal Zoom is a good resource to remember. One of their most well-known services include business formation documents, but they also handle wills/trusts, and intellectual property filings.

10. Shake Law

Along the same lines as Legal Zoom and BizFiling, Shake Law provides simple, plain English legal agreements that can be filled out on mobile devices. According to its Wikipedia page, it contains a number of stock contract templates on subjects such as:

• Freelancing/independent contractor agreements
• Non-disclosure agreements
• Buying and selling
• Rental of goods
• Personal loans

11. Trello

If you’ve never used Trello before, it can be difficult to explain exactly why it’s so useful. In short, Trello is a digital kanban board. If you’re not familiar with the concept, it’s simple: tasks are written on sticky notes and put into columns such as “to-do”, “doing”, and “done.”

Trello lets businesses easily organize tasks by allowing businesses to create an infinite number of these boards. Individual tasks can be assigned to users with due dates. You can also store notes and checklists within each task as well.

This is really just scratching the surface, too. Trello power-ups add a lot of functionality to boards. Best of all, Trello is free up to a point, though many of its most complex features require a monthly plan.

12. Salesforce

Salesforce is the most popular customer relationship management (CRM) platform. If you’re not familiar with the concept, it can be difficult to explain. Suffice it to say, a CRM can help you coordinate your marketing, sales, and service around clients or customers and their unique needs.

Relationship marketing is really difficult to do well, but it’s one of the most important tools that marketers – especially small business marketers – have at their disposal. Salesforce can help you track all the information you need to maintain productive and positive business relationships.

13. Shopify

Shopify is one of the most popular ways for small businesses to start a store. The basic idea is that Shopify makes it very easy to set up a good-looking, well-run store.

We’ve talked a lot about how to use Shopify in our other articles, listed in our eCommerce growth tips guide.

14. Wix

If you need to set up a website, but not necessarily a store, Wix is great option. One of the best parts about Wix is that you have nearly complete freedom to make any kind of website you want with their drag-and-drop editor.

15. Freightos

We’ve talked about how to use Freightos before in a prior post. To reiterate what we said earlier:

One of the most disorienting parts of running a business is freight shipping. Oftentimes, you have to have your items manufactured in another country, or at least another part of the country. As recently as 10 years ago, getting goods from point A to Point B would have involved calling a freight broker. That’s just not the case anymore.

Freightos is a freight shipping marketplace. Basically, in the same way that Kayak helps you book flights, hotels, and rental cars, Freightos helps you book shipping by air, sea, road, and rail.

This is especially useful now, as new tariffs and trade policy shifts have made international freight pricing more volatile and harder to predict. Freightos gives small businesses transparency and flexibility to get through those fluctuations.

16. Payability

If you’re used to waiting weeks or months before getting payouts, Payability is a good website to keep in mind. Many businesses have trouble with cash flow, often having an insufficient amount of cash on hand to handle long stretches of expenses without revenue.

Payability can help smooth out cash flow problems by making your money available to you nearly immediately. They charge a modest fee of 0.5-1% for doing so, which can be worth the expense during an intense cash crunch.

This can be particularly helpful when global supply chain delays or new import tariffs increase inventory costs and strain your usual payout cycle.

17. Trustpilot

If you need to evaluate the quality of vendors you’ve never worked with before, Trustpilot is one of the best places to check. It’s no secret that online reviews are easy to game at this point, but Trustpilot does a better job of resisting that than most other sites.

Trustpilot creates a proprietary TrustScore for companies, which incentives companies to have a large number of recent reviews. Companies without a lot of reviews or with nothing but old reviews will not rank as highly as companies with recent, positive reviews.

Customers can see where reviews came from and they can also see why reviews were flagged. This gives you a chance to see if companies are trying to suppress bad reviews. On the flipside, Trustpilot gives businesses a good opportunity to plead their case and try to have bad reviews removed. Overall, it’s a remarkably fair system.

18. Slack

Slack is a simple chat room software that companies can use for free, with some paid features. It’s a good way to connect people across long distances. While the concept is nothing new, Slack is particularly popular because of its simplicity, ability to easily share files, and ability to integrate with other popular software.

19. Dropbox

Dropbox is a cloud storage app that allows you to keep all your work documents in one place. For business, they charge $15 per user per month for 5 TB of storage space. If you need more than that, you can have unlimited space for $25 per user per month.

20. QuickBooks Online

Small business accounting can be a big pain, but QuickBooks makes it easier. Their online app allows you to track expenses, create and send invoices, manage payroll, and run reports. Most accountants will work with the system too, so it’s easy to get a professional’s help if you use QuickBooks.

21. Better Business Bureau

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) has been around for over 100 years, and for good reason. The BBB grades businesses on a scale from A+ to F based on their trustworthiness. Like Trustpilot, it can be a good way to screen vendors for the quality of their service when you don’t have much info to go on otherwise.

22. Wave

Wave is a free accounting software that helps small businesses track their money. It’s great for managing invoices, expenses, and payments all in one place. Even better, it doesn’t require a lot of accounting knowledge to use.

23. Canva

Canva is a design tool that makes it easy to create professional-looking graphics. You can use it to design logos, social media posts, or even brochures. It’s user-friendly, with tons of free templates to get you started.

24. Klaviyo

Klaviyo helps small businesses create email marketing campaigns. Whether you’re sending newsletters or special offers, it’s simple to build and track emails. They also offer helpful tools like automated follow-ups and audience segmentation.

25. Fiverr

Fiverr is a marketplace where you can hire freelancers for small tasks. From graphic design to writing, you can find someone to do almost anything. Best of all, you set the price and timeline, so it’s flexible for any budget.

26. Moz

Moz is an SEO tool that helps small businesses rank higher on search engines like Google. It offers keyword research, site audits, and backlink analysis. With Moz, you can improve your website’s visibility and bring in more customers.

27. Trinet

Trinet is an all-in-one HR software for small businesses. It helps manage things like payroll, benefits, and employee records. If you’re looking to simplify HR, this tool can save you time and reduce paperwork.

28. Gusto

Gusto makes payroll and benefits easy for small businesses. It handles taxes, paychecks, and even direct deposits. With Gusto, you can make sure your employees get paid on time, while staying compliant with tax laws.

29. Hootsuite

Hootsuite helps you manage multiple social media accounts in one place. You can schedule posts, track performance, and respond to messages. For small businesses, it’s a time-saver that keeps your social media organized.

30. Upwork

Upwork is another platform where you can hire freelancers for all kinds of jobs. Whether you need a writer, developer, or virtual assistant, you can find them here. It’s perfect for outsourcing work without hiring full-time staff.

31. Square

Square lets small businesses accept payments easily, both online and in person. Their point-of-sale system is user-friendly and works on mobile devices. It’s a great option for shops, restaurants, or anyone needing simple payment solutions.

32. SimplyDuty

Tariffs, import duties, and taxes can eat into your margins fast. Even more so if you’re not calculating them correctly. That’s where SimplyDuty comes in.

SimplyDuty is a landed cost calculator that helps you figure out the full cost of importing goods, including customs duties, taxes, and shipping. It supports over 140 countries and integrates with Shopify, WooCommerce, and other platforms to automate duty calculation at checkout.

As recent changes in U.S. trade policy continue to affect import costs, SimplyDuty is a must-have for eCommerce businesses that source or sell internationally.

Final Thoughts

We hope that you find this list of websites helpful in your small business journey! Notice any good websites we left off? Reach out on social media and let us know – we’d love to take your feedback and make this post even better!

Is the economy in a recession right now? It depends on who you ask and has proven to be a surprisingly contentious question.

And, of course, recent tariff changes and shifts in U.S. trade policy have started up a whole new wave of speculation. It’s really tough to know what they economic impacts will be. Recession? Inflation? Both at the same time? It’s anyone’s guess.

But no matter what, you can prepare for the maybe-happening, maybe-not-happening recession by focusing on recession-proof products. Weirdly, some items just seem to sell more when the economy is bad. It’s a good idea to keep some of them stocked in your eCommerce store.

This might sound too good to be true, but it’s not.  Some products just happen to sell well, or even better, when the economy is bad. And we can prove that statement with real data from the recessions of 2001, 2008, and 2020.

We all know the economy swings up and down wildly. No one knows why the market does what it does. What we do know is that recessions will happen from time to time. It’s inevitable.

Trying to guess when a recession is going to happen is a fool’s errand. A much better idea? Always have room in your inventory for products that sell well in a recession. That way, when one comes, you’re ready!

So with that in mind, we’re going to talk about 16 recession-proof products that will keep money rolling in even when the economy isn’t doing so hot.

What makes a product recession-proof according to economists?

Scroll down a bit more if you are in a hurry to get to the list.

Otherwise, pay attention, because when you understand why certain products do better when the economy sours, you’ll be able to improvise. And that’s much more useful than following a list!

Think about the kind of companies that perform well in recessions. Utility companies do well. Tobacco, alcohol, fast food, and soft drinks do well. Consumer staple companies like Kimberly-Clark, Colgate-Palmolive, Procter & Gamble, and Johnson & Johnson do well.

In short, necessities and vices don’t suffer when recessions come. This may sound like bad news since many consumer products sold online are luxuries purchased with discretionary income. But it’s not: and there’s a simple principle at work behind the changes in consumer behavior during a recession.

Cheaper products perform better in a recession.

I know. I know. But it’s worth saying because it helps us understand some important second-order effects.

Think about it: if you sell something inexpensive, such as Hershey’s Kiss chocolates, you might benefit from the economic downturn. A Big Mac is a lot cheaper than dinner night at a fancy sit-down restaurant. Camping is cheaper than a lavish vacation. Repairing a car is cheaper than buying a new one.

And I think it’s important that note that this is even more critical now. Recent tariffs will probably raise the price floor on many imported goods, making inexpensive domestic or substitute products more attractive.

In a Harvard Business Review article from 2023, M. Berk Talay, professor at University of Massachusetts Lowell, made the following statement. “A recession might be the ideal time to launch your product no matter what it is.”

Keep that in mind if you feel overwhelmed by the risks of running a business with the DOW is down.

What makes a product recession-proof according to business owners?

Of course, what we described above is a bit academic. It may also help to consider the anecdotes of founders who have been previously impacted by recessions as well.

“Essentially, recession-proof products can be any item that people need to survive in its most literal sense,” says Nate Banks, Founder of Crazy Compression, which sells compression socks. “No, this does not include streaming services or food delivery apps. Recession-proof products are consumer staples like food, hygiene, household, and personal care products. Pet necessities like pet food and cat litter are also considered recession-proof. These are things that people quite literally can’t live without. They are not luxury or entertainment items that people can easily forego during economic downturns.”

Brandon Hartman, Founder of Beyblades enthusiast website, BeyWarehouse, has a different take. “I classify recession-proof products into two broad categories. The first one is more obvious; it’s composed of non-negotiables that will always find a market no matter the state of the economy.” The examples he goes on to cite are strikingly similar to Banks’ prior statement.

Hartman goes on to state that “the second category is composed of highly-niched products whose success depends on dedicated fanbases and curated communities. These consumers tend to continue patronizing these products regardless of the state of the economy.”

These founders’ statements seem to also suggest again that recessions open up new opportunities. You just have to know where to look.

16 Recession-Proof Products You Can Sell Online

We’d now like to share some ideas for recession-proof products that you might consider investing in during, or before, a recession. Here are sixteen ideas to get your wheels turning.

1. Consumer staples

There are some items that you need no matter what the stock market is doing. Your customers will always need detergent, toothpaste, napkins, tissues, bottled water, and canned goods no matter what.

That’s why these items are called consumer staples and they come in six categories: beverages, food and staples retailing, food products, household products, personal products, and tobacco.

Because consumers’ need for these products doesn’t fluctuate, businesses that sell them will continue to see stable revenue, and perhaps even some steady growth.

2. Camping gear

Lavish vacations to distant lands are not as attractive during recessions. Yet the need to “get away from it all” doesn’t go away when the economy is bad. If anything, that escapist urge grows!

The data backs me up here too. In an article written by US News in 2009, Coleman posted higher sales of tents, coolers, stoves, sleeping bags, and fishing gear. The same article notes that fishing and camping permits went up by 10% between 2008 and 2009 and that canning jars and Rawlings sporting goods posted 12% higher revenue in 2009 than 2007.

In the 2020 recession, we saw something similar happening as well. People Googled “camping” more in 2020 than at any point in the last five years. Makes sense, too, with all the travel restrictions put in place for the COVID-19 pandemic!

3. Automotive parts

No matter what the S&P 500 says, people still need to go to work, the store, and the doctor. And for many people in the US, that requires a working vehicle. When times are good, people are more likely to buy new cars. But what about when times are bad?

People keep their used cars for longer. When your 401(k) gets clobbered and your pay gets cut, the idea of buying a brand new Lexus is off the table. But repairing your 2006 Honda Civic becomes much more attractive!

During recessions, people are a lot less likely to treat their beloved cars and trucks as disposable, which is good news for mechanics and part manufacturers. And if imported cars become more expensive with the new tariff policies implemented by the U.S., this will likely prove even more true.

And sure, it may not be realistic for you to sell alternators, batteries, and transmissions. But you can always sell the little air freshening trees that hang on rearview mirrors, or in-car trash bags to hold crushed soda cans and discarded snack bags.

4. Coffee and tea

I probably consumed a quart of coffee writing this post and another while editing the video up at the top. I am, after all, one of the 64% of American adults who currently consume coffee every day.

People love caffeine, and that’s why, much like tobacco and alcohol, caffeinated beverages do not suffer as much from the economic pressures of a recession!

Fortunately, with coffee and tea, there is a lot of room to differentiate your product from others. Just take a look at Amazon or Etsy and appreciate for a moment all the different coffee and tea flavors that creative people have been able to come up with over the years!

5. Tupperware

People don’t eat out as much during recessions. They prefer to make food at home instead. But you still need a way to store leftovers! That’s where tupperware comes in.

Tupperware was one of the big winners during the global financial crisis in 2008 and 2009. And of course, during the pandemic recession when eating out was considered to be dangerous for your health, tupperware sold like hotcakes.

6. Candy

When the economy tanks, it’s really stressful. Job prospects are grim and hours are long. Many workers in high-stress situations find themselves reaching for the candy bowl, filled to the brim with sugary sweets and cheap chocolates.

It’s for this reason that candy is a juggernaut of recession survival. Cadbury’s profits went up by 30% in 2008 and Nestle’s went up by 11% at the same time. This is not just some freak incident either. Chocolate sales grew by 12% in 2020 as well as people turned to comfort foods.

7. Cosmetics

The desire to look good doesn’t go away when the economy takes a dive. However, instead of extreme makeovers, expensive haircuts, and new wardrobes, women look to cheaper options. For that reason, cosmetics companies have a surprisingly easy time surviving recessions. Even nail salons did pretty well in 2009 (though not 2020 for obvious reasons).

It may seem paradoxical that people still buy luxury goods such as cosmetics in a crisis, but the tendency has been studied over the course of several recessions. There’s even a name for it: lipstick effect. “Instead of buying expensive fur coats, people will buy expensive lipstick.”

8. Pet care products

People love their pets! And when the S&P 500 decides to aim for the zero mark, people spend more time at home with them. So naturally, to relieve some of their stress, people want to pamper their pets!

The demand for pet products continued to grow through both the 2001 and 2008-2009 recessions according to MarketWatch. Then according to another article by Supermarket News, the pet industry broke $100 billion in 2020, posting a 6.7% increase over 2019.

So what can you sell? Shopify recommends you sell pet bowls, toys, and beds, pet treats, grooming supplies, and even adorable pet apparel! Even rising costs due to trade policy changes aren’t likely to dent this trend. Pet owners continue to prioritize spending on their companions.

9. Movies, TV, and video games

A night on the town is expensive. A night indoors is not! People still need entertainment when the economy is bad, perhaps even more so than when the economy is good.  During recessions, cheap entertainment – movies, TV, video games, and other similar products – see a jump in demand.

This was the case during the 2001 and 2008-2009 recessions. It was especially the case during the 2020 recession since stay-at-home orders naturally pushed people to movies, TV, and video games.

10. Clothing

People still wear clothes during recessions. Shirts will be undone by stray fabrics and all shoes eventually have their soles ground down to dust if used enough. If you sell clothing during an economic downturn, you are likely to be insulated from the worst impacts.

On the cheap end, clothes function like a consumer staple. People need them, so they’ll buy them. On the more expensive end, nicer clothes are one of the more affordable luxuries. As such, nice clothes benefit from the lipstick effect, just like candy and cosmetics.

11. Baby products

When you’re a parent, you have to take care of your child no matter what. For that reason, baby products – clothing, diapers, formula, and so on – continue to outperform the market as a whole. This is also true for daycare/childcare services, whose work increases when the economy turns sour and parents return to the workplace. (With the exception of the pandemic-driven 2020 recession, of course!)

If I could sum up the economic outlook of kid products in one statistic, it would be this: spending on children’s nonfiction books grew 66% in 2020.

12. Food and drink

Food and drink continue to be essentials during economic downturns. You may think that consumers turn to rice, potatoes, and tap water when money is tight, but this isn’t always this case! Many times, luxury food and drink products perform well for a few reasons:

• People need comfort (like with candy).
• Luxury goods still have some demand (like cosmetics).
• Fancy food and drink products are still cheaper than dining out.

That’s surprisingly good news for business owners who specialize in trendy products like organic flaxseed, hemp, and chia kombucha.

13. Kitchenware

You know how people don’t eat out as much during recessions. Well, even cooking from home isn’t a free activity. You have to buy the food, of course, but you will need supplies too. That’s why kitchenware tends to perform pretty well during recessions.

In particular, mason jars, silicone molds and spatulas, spiralizers, skillets, flatware, and oven mitts all sell well online and do well in recessions.

14. Sports and fitness products

Gym memberships are expensive. That’s why it’s hard to justify maintaining one during a recession like 2001 or 2008-2009, let alone a pandemic-driven one like 2020.

But people still want to stay fit, so they end up keeping their routines going at home. When recessions strike, that opens up lots of market opportunities in the fitness sector. You can sell resistance bands, exercise balls, yoga mats, sports apparel, and more online. That way people can maintain their active lifestyle while still pinching pennies!

15. Home renovation and repair supplies

During the 2008 financial meltdown, a lot of people did not want to buy houses for obvious reasons. But people still wanted to improve their surroundings, which led many people to remodel their homes even during 2008 according to industry experts.

And, of course, during the 2020 recession, many people started renovating their homes since they were stuck there all the time!

Today, rising material costs from tariffs and supply chain issues also encourage smaller, DIY-friendly projects over major renovations. This is to say nothing of upper middle class homeowners who may prefer to invest in their own home rather than a volatile market.

Now bear in mind that not every renovation involves adding a new roof, breaking down walls, or adding granite countertops to the kitchen. A lot of home renovation is cheap and involves products that can be easily sold online.

To name a few: artwork, pillows, lamps, small furniture, bedding, curtains, and general home decor. This is a fairly easy sector to break into, and you can even dropship some of these items.

16. Highly niche products

It’s enormously difficult to get a hardcore fan of something to leave their money in their wallet, even if their wallet is a bit lighter than usual.

Brandon Hartman, Founder of BeyWarehouse, says that “our main offering [of Beyblade toys] is one such example. During the pandemic, we experienced slight but nonetheless unexpected growth in sales even as the economy ground to a halt and eCommerce reeled from the supply chain crisis.”

This is consistent with his overall belief that highly-niched products tend to do well even during recessions because of their large fanbases and communities.

Final Thoughts

Even if the economy is terrible, you can still launch products and succeed. If the economy tanks tomorrow and you’re selling a lot of different items, you might even find some doing better than you’d expect.

It’s important to understand the dynamic behind all this. Necessities are still necessities even if the unemployment rate is high. “Little luxuries” will still be in demand when “big luxuries” are not affordable. And hardcore fans will keep buying niche products, even when they have less cash to spare.

We hope this list inspires you to make your business a little more resilient against recessions!