We recently helped our client, The Balesky Experience, enhance their website by integrating the Edge Tariff plugin to enable international shipping.
Previously, their store only supported domestic orders, limiting their reach. Now, with this new integration, customers worldwide can purchase products with real-time, transparent shipping costs and taxes.
The Edge Tariff plugin automatically calculates international shipping rates, import duties, and applicable taxes based on the buyer’s location. This ensures that customers know the full cost of their purchase before checking out, eliminating any surprises.
In this post, we’ll walk through the practical steps we took to integrate international shipping to The Balesky Experience website and the benefits the store has seen since going live.
Ask yourself:
- How many international customers are you missing out on due to unclear or high shipping costs?
- How often do you hear complaints about unexpected shipping fees or taxes?
Whether you’re a business owner, an eCommerce manager, or part of a technical team, this guide will provide you with clear steps and actionable advice on expanding your online store’s reach to a global audience.
Bitcot helped The Balesky Experience make this shift, and we’re ready to help you do the same. Ready to scale globally? Let’s dive in.
What is the Edge Tariff Plugin?
Before diving into how we implemented international shipping for The Balesky Experience, let’s start with the basics: what exactly is the Edge Tariff plugin, and why is it such a valuable tool for eCommerce businesses?
The Edge Tariff plugin is a powerful eCommerce tool designed to simplify international shipping and pricing. It provides accurate, real-time calculations for shipping rates, import duties, and taxes based on each buyer’s location.
By doing this, it ensures that customers see the true total cost of their purchase before checkout; no hidden fees, no surprises at delivery.
At its core, the plugin acts as a smart bridge between your online store, shipping carriers, and global tax systems. When a customer selects a product, the Edge Tariff plugin instantly gathers live data from multiple sources to determine the correct shipping cost and tariff rates for that specific destination. This includes factors such as product type, weight, delivery method, and regional customs rules.
The plugin is compatible with major eCommerce platforms such as Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and Magento, allowing store owners to integrate it seamlessly without complicated setups. Once activated, it automatically detects the shopper’s country, applies relevant shipping rules, and updates prices dynamically during checkout.
In short, the Edge Tariff plugin ensures accuracy, transparency, and compliance for international transactions. It transforms global shipping from a manual, error-prone process into an automated, reliable system that benefits both customers and store owners.
| Feature | Traditional International Shipping | Edge Tariff Plugin |
| Rate Calculation | Often flat-rate or manually estimated | Automatically calculated in real time |
| Tax & Duty Handling | Requires manual lookup and entry | Auto-calculates based on the buyer’s location |
| Checkout Transparency | Hidden or unclear final costs | Displays full price (product + shipping + taxes) upfront |
| Integration | Needs third-party tools or custom code | Seamlessly integrates with Shopify, WooCommerce, and Magento |
| Error Risk | High: manual input can cause mistakes | Low: fully automated and data-driven |
| Customer Experience | Uncertain and inconsistent | Clear, trustworthy, and reliable |
Key Improvements & Features of the Edge Tariff Plugin
The integration of the Edge Tariff plugin into The Balesky Experience website brought several key improvements that have revolutionized the international shopping experience for their customers.
Here are the standout features that make this solution a game-changer:
Real-time Calculation of International Shipping Costs and Tariffs
The Edge Tariff plugin ensures that international shipping costs and tariffs are calculated in real time, based on the buyer’s location. This dynamic feature provides accurate shipping fees and import duties during checkout, eliminating the guesswork for customers and allowing them to make informed purchasing decisions.
Full Visibility of Duties and Taxes During Checkout
One of the most valuable features of the Edge Tariff plugin is the full visibility of import duties and taxes at checkout. Customers can see exactly what they will be charged, including all applicable fees, before completing their purchase. This transparency reduces cart abandonment and enhances trust with international customers.
Simplified Global Shipping Setup with Minimal Manual Intervention
Setting up international shipping can be tricky and time-consuming, but the Edge Tariff plugin makes it much easier. It automatically calculates shipping rates and import duties based on the buyer’s location, reducing the need for manual work. For stores built on Shopify, working with a team that specializes in Shopify development ensures the plugin integrates smoothly and performs efficiently. This helps your store offer international shipping quickly and without errors.
Automatically Detects the Buyer’s Country and Adjusts Rates Accordingly
The plugin automatically detects the buyer’s location and adjusts the shipping rates and tariffs based on their country. This ensures that each international customer sees the correct shipping cost, regardless of their location, providing a seamless and personalized shopping experience.
Works Seamlessly Alongside Existing Domestic Shipping Options
The Edge Tariff plugin integrates effortlessly with The Balesky Experience’s existing domestic shipping setup. Customers can continue to enjoy domestic shipping options while also benefiting from the newly added international shipping features. This smooth integration helps maintain a consistent experience for all customers, whether they’re shopping locally or globally.
Benefits of the Edge Tariff Plugin for Users of International Shipping
Integrating the Edge Tariff plugin into The Balesky Experience website has brought several key advantages for international customers, enhancing their shopping experience and making it easier to purchase from anywhere in the world.
Here’s a closer look at the benefits users now enjoy:
Global Access for Customers Worldwide
With the Edge Tariff plugin, The Balesky Experience has expanded its reach to international customers. Previously, the store only supported domestic orders, but now, customers from any country can shop effortlessly on the website.
Whether you’re in Europe, Asia, or the Americas, international shoppers can browse products, add them to their cart, and place an order with just a few clicks. By offering global access, The Balesky Experience has opened doors to a wider market and increased its potential customer base.
Transparent Pricing Before Checkout
One of the biggest challenges for international shoppers is navigating hidden costs, such as shipping fees, import duties, and taxes. With the Edge Tariff plugin, customers now have a clear and transparent view of all costs before they proceed with payment.
The plugin automatically calculates the product price, shipping fees, import duties, and applicable taxes, and displays the total cost upfront. This transparency builds trust with international customers, as they know exactly what they’re paying for, minimizing any surprise costs when they reach the checkout.
Easy One-Step Checkout Process
The integration of Edge Tariff ensures a simplified, seamless checkout experience for both domestic and international customers. There’s no need for complex forms or confusing shipping options. International customers no longer have to worry about navigating separate forms or waiting for manual shipping rate calculations.
The plugin automatically detects the buyer’s location, adjusts shipping rates and taxes, and presents a clear, one-step checkout process. This smooth and efficient system reduces friction during the purchase, making it easier for customers to complete their orders quickly and with confidence.
Increased Trust and Convenience
For international shoppers, hidden charges upon delivery can create frustration and undermine trust. The Edge Tariff plugin eliminates this issue by providing full visibility of shipping costs, import duties, and taxes during checkout. Customers are no longer caught off guard by unexpected charges when their packages arrive.
Instead, they can complete their purchases knowing exactly what they’re paying for. This level of transparency not only improves the customer experience but also strengthens trust in The Balesky Experience brand. Shoppers are more likely to return for future purchases when they feel assured that they won’t face hidden fees or surprises.
Also Read: How to Build an Online Branded Merch Store: A Complete Guide
Benefits of the Edge Tariff Plugin for Store Owners in International Shipping
Integrating the Edge Tariff plugin into The Balesky Experience website didn’t just improve the customer experience; it also delivered powerful advantages for the store owners.
From expanding market reach to automating complex shipping processes, this integration has streamlined operations, improved accuracy, and opened new opportunities for global growth.
Expanded Market Reach
With the Edge Tariff plugin, The Balesky Experience can now sell products beyond domestic borders, reaching customers in multiple countries. This expansion has unlocked access to a wider audience and new revenue streams that were previously untapped.
By supporting international orders, the brand can now compete globally, grow its customer base, and establish a stronger presence in international markets, all without needing multiple regional storefronts. This approach is particularly valuable for businesses looking to build a scalable multi-vendor marketplace platform with global shipping capabilities.
Automated Accuracy
Before integrating the Edge Tariff plugin, calculating international shipping rates and tariffs required manual effort, leaving room for human error. Now, the process is completely automated. The plugin accurately calculates shipping fees, import duties, and taxes in real time based on each buyer’s location.
This automation not only ensures precision but also saves hours of manual work. Store owners can rely on consistent, error-free pricing while freeing up valuable time to focus on business strategy instead of logistics.
Improved User Experience
Transparency is essential for both customer satisfaction and business success. By showing clear, upfront pricing, including product cost, shipping, and taxes, the Edge Tariff plugin builds trust and credibility.
When customers know the total cost before payment, they’re far less likely to abandon their carts. This improved user experience translates directly into higher conversion rates, repeat purchases, and stronger brand loyalty, all key drivers for sustainable growth.
Operational Efficiency
Managing international shipping can often be a complicated and time-intensive task, especially when dealing with customs, taxes, and varied shipping rates. With the Edge Tariff plugin, much of this complexity is eliminated.
The system handles rate detection automatically and provides full pricing details upfront, minimizing confusion for both the customer and the support team. As a result, store owners see fewer customer service inquiries related to shipping costs or delivery surprises, making daily operations smoother and more efficient.
Business Growth and Global Visibility
By making it easier to sell globally, The Balesky Experience has strengthened its brand presence and improved its potential for long-term business growth. International shipping allows the brand to reach new audiences, build global awareness, and increase sales opportunities.
The transparent and automated approach powered by Edge Tariff gives the business a competitive advantage, positioning it as a trusted eCommerce destination for customers worldwide.
How to Integrate the Edge Tariff Plugin into Your eCommerce Store
Integrating the Edge Tariff plugin is a smart and efficient way to expand your eCommerce store globally. It automates complex shipping calculations, improves checkout transparency, and ensures smooth cross-border transactions.
Here’s the process we followed to help The Balesky Experience add international shipping, and how you can replicate it for your own store.
Step 1: Identify the Need for Global Expansion
Before beginning the integration, it’s important to confirm that your business is ready for international growth. Review your website analytics to see if there’s organic interest from visitors in other countries. Check your fulfillment partners’ ability to deliver globally and evaluate pricing strategies for international markets.
For The Balesky Experience, frequent overseas inquiries made it clear that expanding to international shipping would unlock new opportunities and strengthen their global presence.
Step 2: Choose the Right Plugin
Selecting the right shipping plugin sets the foundation for success. The Edge Tariff plugin was chosen for its ability to provide real-time shipping rate calculations, import duties, and tax estimates based on a buyer’s exact location. It also supports popular platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and Magento.
This flexibility ensures that stores can scale globally without needing multiple tools or complex manual configurations, making it ideal for businesses ready to sell worldwide.
Step 3: Install and Configure
Once you’ve selected the plugin, installation is quick and straightforward. Add the Edge Tariff extension through your eCommerce platform’s marketplace, then configure it to match your store’s shipping policies. Define your origin locations, set up supported carriers, and specify handling preferences.
During the setup for The Balesky Experience, we made sure the plugin worked seamlessly with their existing domestic shipping options, ensuring a consistent experience for both local and international buyers. Whether you’re working with WooCommerce development or other platforms, proper configuration is essential for smooth operation.
Step 4: Enable Real-Time Rate Calculation
After configuration, enable the real-time rate calculation feature within the plugin. This functionality automatically detects the buyer’s country, calculates shipping fees, import duties, and taxes instantly, and displays them during checkout. This step ensures that every customer sees accurate costs in real time, reducing confusion and preventing surprise charges at delivery.
For The Balesky Experience, this was key in creating a transparent and trustworthy checkout experience that boosted buyer confidence.
Step 5: Test Across Multiple Regions
Before making the integration live, thorough testing is essential. Conduct test transactions from various countries and currencies to ensure rates, taxes, and duties display correctly at checkout. Review how the plugin interacts with payment gateways and verify that shipping confirmations include accurate cost details.
Our team ran multiple regional test orders for The Balesky Experience to ensure a flawless experience across borders, resulting in smooth performance from launch day onward.
Step 6: Launch and Monitor
Once testing is complete, launch your international shipping feature and start tracking performance. Announce the update through your website, newsletters, and social media to attract international shoppers. Monitor metrics such as cart abandonment, conversion rates, and global traffic to measure results.
In The Balesky Experience project, the store saw immediate traction in overseas orders and a strong increase in international engagement shortly after launch.
Step 7: Maintain and Optimize
After launch, maintain consistent performance by reviewing the system regularly. The Edge Tariff plugin updates automatically with global tariff changes, but it’s wise to audit configurations quarterly. Analyze user feedback and shipping data to fine-tune pricing strategies, checkout flow, and carrier options.
For The Balesky Experience, continuous optimization ensured accurate rates and a consistently reliable shopping experience for global customers.
Partner with Bitcot to Add International Shipping to Your eCommerce Store
Expanding into international markets can seem complex, but with the right partner, it becomes a smooth and strategic process.
At Bitcot, we specialize in helping eCommerce brands integrate the Edge Tariff plugin to simplify global shipping, ensure transparent pricing, and deliver an exceptional customer experience. Just as we did for The Balesky Experience, we can help your store grow beyond borders with confidence and efficiency.
Here’s how Bitcot helps your business go global:
- End-to-End Integration Support: From installation to launch, Bitcot manages the complete technical setup of the Edge Tariff plugin. Our developers ensure seamless compatibility with your existing eCommerce platform, whether you use Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, or Magento, so you can start processing international orders quickly and reliably.
- Customized Shipping Solutions: Every business operates differently, which is why we customize the integration to fit your unique shipping structure. Bitcot tailors the configuration to balance domestic and international rates, duties, and taxes, ensuring a cohesive checkout experience for all customers. Our expertise in BigCommerce development allows us to handle diverse platform requirements with precision.
- Focus on Transparency and Trust: Bitcot helps you create a transparent shopping experience that builds customer confidence. With real-time visibility of shipping rates, import duties, and taxes, buyers know the exact cost of their orders before checkout, reducing cart abandonment and improving satisfaction.
- Ongoing Support and Optimization: Our partnership doesn’t end with deployment. Bitcot provides continuous maintenance, system updates, and performance checks to ensure that your international shipping stays accurate and efficient. As tariffs and tax regulations change, we keep your setup aligned with the latest standards.
- Scalable Global Growth: Adding international shipping is not just a feature; it’s a growth strategy. Bitcot empowers your store to expand into new markets, increase brand visibility, and reach customers around the world. With our technical expertise and the Edge Tariff plugin, you’re ready to scale confidently.
Global expansion starts with the right foundation. Partner with Bitcot today to integrate international shipping into your eCommerce store and make your products accessible to customers everywhere.
Final Thoughts
Expanding your online store to reach a global audience might seem like a big leap, but with the right tools and the right partner, it’s absolutely achievable.
What once felt complicated, calculating tariffs, managing shipping rates, and handling taxes, is now simpler than ever, thanks to solutions like the Edge Tariff plugin.
This integration transforms The Balesky Experience from a domestic-focused store into a globally accessible eCommerce brand. It enhances customer satisfaction, increases international reach, and simplifies backend operations. The change positions the brand as a premium, globally trusted marketplace that delivers transparency, reliability, and a seamless shopping experience worldwide.
The journey with The Balesky Experience showed just how much impact the right integration can make. By automating shipping calculations and offering total price transparency, they didn’t just improve logistics; they built stronger trust with customers around the world.
And that’s what great eCommerce is all about: creating a seamless, stress-free experience that keeps people coming back.
If you’ve been thinking about expanding your store internationally or upgrading your shipping experience, there’s never been a better time to start. Bitcot can help you get there with smart integrations, global-ready features, and custom eCommerce development services designed to fit your business perfectly.
Let’s make your store borderless.
Get in touch with our team and take the next step toward growing your eCommerce brand on a global scale.
