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Dropshipping Landed Cost & Breakeven ROAS Calculator

Calculate total unit landed cost, payment processing, return dispute reserves, and minimum required Breakeven ROAS and maximum allowable CAC for e-commerce stores.

Product, Logistics & Payment Costs

Retail Selling Price ($)

Supplier Unit Cost ($)

Intl Shipping / Packet ($)

Return / Dispute Rate (%)

Payment Gateway Planning Preset

Shopify online rates range by plan. Verify the current processor, plan, country, card type, and cross-border surcharge.

Customs Tariff / Duty (%)

CBP states the US de minimis exemption is indefinitely suspended for all countries. Use the current HTS and origin-specific duty.

Ad Spend / Order (CAC $)

Fixed Customs, Postal, or Carrier Entry Fee per Order ($)

Projected Monthly Orders

Landed Cost & ROAS Targets

Enter your product supplier price, international shipping, and selling price, then click Calculate to view your landed cost and ROAS targets.

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Introduction

US cross-border dropshipping economics changed in 2026. The earlier version of this page said packages under the $800 Section 321 de minimis threshold entered duty-free. That is no longer current. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection e-commerce FAQ states that the de minimis exemption is indefinitely suspended for non-postal and postal shipments from all countries, and that a new mail informal entry process took effect July 24, 2026. Import cost now depends on the product's HTS classification, country of origin, applicable tariff measures, postal or carrier entry method, and processing fees. Payment fees are also plan-specific. Shopify's 2026 processing guide lists online Shopify Payments rates from 2.5% to 2.9% plus $0.30 depending on plan, with additional currency conversion considerations. The revised calculator keeps tariff, fixed import fee, processor percentage, and processor fixed fee editable.

What This Calculator Does

Enter selling price, supplier cost, international shipping, the current HTS duty or tariff percentage, fixed postal, carrier, or customs entry cost, payment processing rate, return and dispute rate, ad cost per order, and order volume. The calculator estimates landed cost, non-ad cost, maximum breakeven customer acquisition cost, breakeven ROAS, target 20% margin ROAS, unit profit, and monthly profit. It does not assume the prior $800 duty-free exemption still applies.

The Formula

Customs Cost = Supplier Cost x Entered Duty Rate + Entered Fixed Entry Fee | Landed Cost = Supplier Cost + International Shipping + Customs Cost | Processor Fee = Selling Price x Processor Rate + Fixed Processor Fee | Non-Ad Cost = Landed Cost + Processor Fee + Return Reserve | Maximum Breakeven CAC = Selling Price - Non-Ad Cost | Breakeven ROAS = Selling Price / Maximum Breakeven CAC

Duty is applied to the entered customs value assumption, while the fixed import field captures postal, carrier, broker, or informal entry charges. Actual customs value can include additions beyond supplier price, so replace the inputs with a current landed quote when available. The processor preset is only a planning example because Shopify rates vary by plan and international card or currency charges can apply.

Step-by-Step Example

Identify HTS code and origin

Do not enter zero solely because the parcel is below $800. CBP states that de minimis is indefinitely suspended for all countries.

Enter current import costs

For a $9.50 product, enter the applicable HTS duty percentage plus any postal, carrier, or entry fee quoted for the shipment method.

Verify payment processing

Choose the Shopify Basic US example only if 2.9% plus $0.30 matches the current plan and card mix.

Set the ad limit

The calculator subtracts all non-ad costs from selling price to find the highest customer acquisition cost that reaches breakeven.

Real-World Use Cases

Postal packet import planning

A merchant adds duty and the current postal informal entry fee after the July 24, 2026 process change.

Country-of-origin comparison

A buyer compares identical products sourced from different countries with different tariff treatment.

Shopify plan comparison

A store replaces the Basic-plan example with its actual 2.5%, 2.7%, or 2.9% online rate and cross-border charges.

Paid media scaling

A media buyer stops scaling when blended customer acquisition cost approaches the revised duty-inclusive breakeven limit.

Comparison

Cost input	August 19, 2026 treatment	Source to verify
US de minimis	Indefinitely suspended for all countries	CBP e-commerce FAQ
Mail informal entry	New process effective July 24, 2026	CBP and postal operator
HTS duty or tariff	Product and origin specific	HTS, CBP, broker
Shopify Payments online	2.5% to 2.9% plus $0.30 by plan	Current Shopify plan pricing
Cross-border or currency fee	May be additional	Processor and store country

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Assuming sub-$800 shipments remain duty-free. CBP states the exemption is indefinitely suspended for all countries.
Using supplier price as the complete customs value without checking valuation rules. Freight, assists, and other additions can affect entered value.
Ignoring postal or carrier entry fees. Duty percentage is not necessarily the only import charge.
Using one processor rate for every Shopify plan. Current online rates vary by plan and transaction characteristics.
Calculating ROAS before import costs. Duty and entry costs reduce the maximum sustainable ad spend.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the US $800 de minimis exemption still available on August 19, 2026?

CBP states that the exemption is indefinitely suspended for postal and non-postal shipments from all countries.

What happened on July 24, 2026?

CBP states that the new mail informal entry process took effect on that date.

What duty percentage should I enter?

Use the current rate for the product's HTS classification, country of origin, and applicable tariff measures. Do not use a generic percentage.

Are Shopify Payments fees always 2.9% plus $0.30?

No. Shopify's current 2026 guide states that online rates range from 2.5% to 2.9% plus $0.30 depending on plan. Other charges can apply.

Does the result include sales tax?

No. Marketplace facilitator rules, sales tax, VAT, income tax, and accounting treatment are outside the landed cost and ad calculation.

Accuracy and Disclaimer

Customs information was researched from official CBP guidance and payment information from current Shopify materials, verified August 19, 2026. Import duty, fees, and valuation are product, origin, carrier, and entry specific. Consult a licensed customs broker, carrier, postal operator, and tax professional before importing or setting prices.

Conclusion

Classify the product and origin before approving a price or ad budget. Obtain a current landed quote from the postal operator, carrier, broker, or supplier and reconcile actual duties after import. Then use the Product Landed Cost Calculator for broader freight allocation and the Break-Even Ad Spend Calculator for campaign planning.

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