# LCIE - Landed Cost Intelligence Engine (https://agent.alpine-rcic.com)

> Upload a purchase order, invoice or a Shopify / Amazon Seller Central / ERP export and get HS codes, import duty, 2026 Section 301 country duties, VAT/GST, excise flags and the true landed cost per unit for the US, UK, EU and Australia - every rate read from the official tariff, with sources.

LCIE is a product of Alpine Trade Concerns (founded 2006), Green G(P)4 Global Operations.

## What LCIE does
- LCIE (Landed Cost Intelligence Engine) is an AI agent by Alpine Trade Concerns (founded 2006), built by a customs broker with 20+ years in HS classification and global supply chain.
- It classifies each purchase-order line to a declarable national tariff code (US HTS, UK Trade Tariff, EU Combined Nomenclature/TARIC, Australian Working Tariff), choosing only from the official tariff list.
- Duty, VAT/GST and preferences are read from official sources (USITC, HMRC, the EU tariff via HMRC Northern Ireland, Australian Border Force), with the source and date on every line.
- For the US it applies the July 2026 Section 301 country duties (e.g. Vietnam and China 12.5%), the China Section 301 lists, Section 232, MPF and HMF, including exemptions.
- Each line gets a taxes and special-measures review (reduced VAT/GST, excise, levies) and a Conditions list: documents needed to claim savings (e.g. proof of origin) and obligatory requirements (e.g. certificates, prior notice).
- For each line it shows the MFN (standard) rate and any preferential rate available for the origin under a free trade agreement or GSP/DCTS-type scheme, where the official tariff lists one, together with the proof of origin needed to claim it.
- It flags duty reliefs to check for the product: Tariff Concession Orders in Australia; end-use, inward processing, returned goods relief, quotas and suspensions in the UK and EU; Chapter 98 provisions, Section 301 exclusions, drawback and Foreign-Trade Zones in the US.
- It reads PDFs, pasted text and CSV exports from Shopify, Amazon Seller Central and ERP systems (NetSuite, Odoo, QuickBooks, SAP Business One); ERP integration is available as a service.

## Plans
- Free trial: USD 0 - 1 purchase order
- Monthly: USD 49 - 10 purchase orders per month
- 3 months: USD 499 - Unlimited purchase orders for 3 months (fair use)

## Frequently asked questions
### How do I calculate the landed cost of an import?
Landed cost = goods value + freight + insurance + customs duty + additional duties (for the US, Chapter 99 such as Section 301) + VAT/GST where it is a cost + fees (US MPF and HMF) + brokerage and inland freight. LCIE calculates each layer per PO line from the official tariff and shows the cost per unit.

### What tariff applies to goods from Vietnam or China imported into the US in 2026?
Since 24 July 2026 a Section 301 country duty applies to goods from 60 economies on top of the normal duty: 12.5% for Vietnam and China (10% for some countries, with caps for the EU, Japan, Korea, Switzerland and Taiwan). Chinese goods on the older Section 301 lists pay that list duty as well. Some products are exempt. LCIE applies the right heading and exemption per line.

### Can I calculate import duty for my Amazon FBA or Shopify products?
Yes. Upload your Shopify product export or an Amazon Seller Central report as CSV (or a supplier PO/invoice). LCIE reads titles, SKUs, quantities, cost and origin, classifies each product and returns duty, taxes and landed cost per unit. Customs duty is based on the purchase cost, so if a file only contains selling prices LCIE asks you to replace them with your cost.

### Does LCIE work with NetSuite, Odoo, QuickBooks or SAP Business One?
LCIE reads CSV and PDF exports from these ERPs today, and every calculated line is available as structured data (codes, duties, taxes, conditions) for import back into the ERP. Direct ERP integration is offered as a service.

### How does LCIE choose the HS code?
It applies the General Interpretative Rules and the official section and chapter notes, compares competing headings, tests measurable conditions (pack size, sugar or fat content, material) against the PO, checks published customs rulings, and picks a code only from the official national tariff list. When a decisive fact is missing it asks you a question; hard cases get a second, senior review.

### Is the VAT or GST on my import a cost?
Import VAT/GST is usually reclaimable for registered businesses, so LCIE shows the landed cost both with and without it. It also flags reduced or zero rates (for example many foods) and excise duties such as alcohol, tobacco or the German coffee tax.

### Which countries does LCIE cover?
Imports into the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union (by member state for VAT) and Australia, from any origin.

### What is the difference between the MFN rate and an FTA rate?
The MFN (most-favoured-nation) rate is the standard duty a country charges imports from WTO members. An FTA or GSP-type preferential rate is lower, often zero, but only applies if the goods meet the rules of origin and you hold valid proof of origin. LCIE shows both per line where the official tariff lists a preference, and the saving you would get.

### How do I claim a preferential (FTA or GSP) duty rate?
The goods must originate under the agreement's rules of origin, and you must hold the right proof: for example a statement on origin on the invoice (EU, with REX registration for GSP origins), an origin declaration (UK trade agreements and DCTS), a certification of origin (US FTAs such as USMCA), or a certificate or declaration of origin (Australian FTAs). LCIE lists the document per line under Conditions.

### Which duty exemptions and reliefs exist in the US, UK, EU and Australia?
Common ones: US - free trade agreements, Chapter 98 (e.g. American goods returned, goods repaired abroad), duty drawback, Foreign-Trade Zones and active Section 301 exclusions; UK and EU - preferential agreements and GSP/DCTS, end-use relief, inward processing, returned goods relief, tariff quotas and suspensions; Australia - Tariff Concession Orders (TCOs, often Free), FTA rates and by-law concessions. LCIE flags the ones worth checking for each product.

### Tariffs keep changing - how do I keep my landed cost current?
Rates move with trade policy (for example the end of IEEPA tariffs in February 2026 and the Section 301 country duties from July 2026). LCIE reads duty from the official tariff each time a PO is run and shows the source and retrieval date on every line, so a re-run reflects the current rules.

### Is LCIE customs or legal advice?
No. LCIE is a planning and estimation tool. Final classification and duty are decided by the customs authority; have entries reviewed by a licensed customs broker. Questions about a report are answered free at support@alpine-rcic.com; paid consultancy at sales@alpine-rcic.com.

## Links
- Agent: https://agent.alpine-rcic.com
- Company and guides: https://alpine-rcic.com
- Free help with a report: support@alpine-rcic.com
- Paid consultancy: sales@alpine-rcic.com

Title: LCIE Landed Cost & HS Code Calculator - Import Duty for US, UK, EU & Australia (2026 Tariffs)
Last updated: 2026-10-09