How to Display Tariffs on Your Shopify Store

Quick Answer

The best way to display tariffs on your Shopify store is by using an app that shows the fee as a separate line item at checkout. Clear labels and messaging make the fee easier to understand, while icons or images make it look official and trustworthy. Apps like Magical Product Fees make this simple to implement.

This article explains how to display tariff fees visually and clearly for your customers. To learn how to add surcharge functionality on Shopify, read this guide instead.

Detailed Answer

Tariffs can increase your product costs, especially for US merchants importing goods from countries like Canada or China. If you just raise your product prices without context, customers may not understand the added cost, and that can hurt trust and conversions.

A better approach is to show tariff fees clearly at checkout using a product fees app. This keeps your base prices clean while building transparency and trust with your customers.

Here are three ways to display tariff fees more effectively on your Shopify store:

1. Show the tariff as a separate line item to make the fee more transparent and easier to understand.
2. Label the fee with clear, customer-friendly language, e.g. “Import Surcharge (Tariff)”
3. Add an icon or visual label to reinforce that the fee is official and legitimate. See our recommended free icon sites.

Apps like Magical Product Fees let you do all of the above with minimal setup, giving you a professional way to handle tariffs without confusing your customers.

1. Display the fee as a separate line item

The best way to display a tariff on Shopify is as a separate line item at checkout. This approach:

• Makes it clear exactly what the customer is paying for
• Reinforces that the fee is legitimate and not arbitrarily added
• Helps prevent confusion or sticker shock at checkout

Shopify doesn’t have a built-in way to show product-specific fees as separate line items, so using an app is the most reliable option.

We recommend using Magical Product Fees, which lets you add and label fees like “Tariff Fee” per product, and optionally display icons or notes to make the charge more transparent.

2. Label the Fee Clearly Using Customer-Friendly Language

When adding a tariff fee to your Shopify store, your wording can shape how customers feel about the added cost. Aim for transparent, customer-friendly language. 

Here are some copy-and-paste phrases you can use:

• This fee helps offset increased import costs due to new U.S. tariffs.
  
• A tariff surcharge required on imported goods to comply with current trade regulations.
  
• This charge reflects U.S. tariffs on imported products from Canada, China, or Mexico.
  
• Added to cover recent cross-border tariff changes that affect our supply chain.
  
• This import fee allows us to maintain transparent pricing while complying with trade laws.

Avoid vague terms like “extra charge” or “handling fee.” These can make the fee sound discretionary or misleading.

Tip: Add a short description next to the fee explaining why it’s there. For example:

“This fee helps offset tariffs applied to imported goods.”

“This charge reflects U.S. tariffs on imported materials.”

Bonus Tip: Consider creating a dedicated page on your site that outlines your tariff policy. This gives customers an easy place to learn more if they have questions and gives staff a place to refer to when addressing customers concerns about tariffs.

3. Use Visual Labels to Reinforce the Message

When displaying tariff fees on Shopify, merchants should use icons or images next to clearly labelled fees to make them stand out and reinforce trust. A well-placed image can make the fee look official and standardized, while reducing the emotional sting of an unexpected cost.

Popular visual styles include:

• A customs document stamp
• A flag icon (like a small U.S. or Canada flag)
• An import/export crate icon
• A “verified” checkmark badge
• A balance scale to signal regulation

Here are three free images you can download and use right away. They’re all royalty-free and work great as small visual cues next to your tariff fees.

If you have another icon in mind, you can browse the two sites below:

1. UXWing is a large collection of clean, minimalist icons perfect for Shopify tariff product fees.
2. SVGRepo has a massive library of icons, and most can be downloaded as PNG files, which are fully supported by Shopify.

Both sites let you download for free with no credit card, subscription, or attribution required.

When choosing an icon, make sure the image is small, non-distracting, and ideally shown next to the label or fee text in your cart or product page.

With Magical Product Fees you can easily add an image to the associated fee so it displays at checkout. Below is an example of a store using the app.

Key Takeaway

Tariffs are a reality for many Shopify merchants, but how you present them makes all the difference. By using a tool like Magical Product Fees, you can display tariff fees clearly, label them properly, and reinforce trust with visuals. The result: fewer surprises at checkout, more informed customers, and a smoother path to conversion.