C.H. Robinson Unveils Tariff Tool to Help Shippers Manage Costs and Volatility
In today’s dynamic and often unpredictable global trade landscape, shippers are increasingly challenged by mounting cost pressures, fluctuating tariff regulations, and persistent geopolitical uncertainty. To meet these demands, global logistics leader C.H. Robinson has introduced its new U.S. Tariff Impact Analysis tool, a powerful self-serve solution designed to help U.S. importers assess and manage their duty exposure with precision—right down to the individual SKU level.
Built for a world where trade rules shift frequently and impact profit margins dramatically, the tool provides unprecedented transparency and control for businesses striving to stay competitive. It enables importers to make informed, proactive decisions in response to rapidly changing U.S. trade policy actions, from Section 301 and Section 232 tariffs to measures tied to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and recently introduced duties on fentanyl-related imports.
Meeting the Demands of a Turbulent Trade Environment
“In the current environment of global trade complexity and volatility, businesses can’t afford to rely solely on periodic reviews of duty exposure,” said Mike Short, President of Global Forwarding at C.H. Robinson. “They need real-time insights at their fingertips—tools that help them act fast, stay compliant, and reduce landed costs. Our U.S. Tariff Impact Analysis tool does exactly that.”
Recent months have seen a whirlwind of changes to U.S. tariff regimes, with new duties emerging and existing ones shifting in scope or rate. For importers, especially those with diverse product portfolios and global supplier networks, the impact of these changes can be profound. Traditional methods of analyzing tariff exposure often involve fragmented data, outdated spreadsheets, and siloed processes, all of which hinder rapid decision-making.
By integrating tariff impact visibility directly into its digital shipper platform, C.H. Robinson is giving its customers a fast, accurate, and self-service way to respond to these changes as they happen.
Core Capabilities of the U.S. Tariff Impact Analysis Tool
Available at no additional cost to C.H. Robinson’s U.S. customs brokerage customers, the U.S. Tariff Impact Analysis tool is designed to streamline the evaluation of tariff exposure and duty spend. Key features include:
- Self-serve access 24/7: Importers can access the tool at any time through C.H. Robinson’s global shipper platform, without the need for manual requests or third-party intermediaries.
- Daily policy refreshes: The tool is updated daily with the latest tariff changes and trade actions, ensuring that users have access to real-time data reflecting current policy decisions.
- SKU-level visibility: Shippers can track tariff exposure over time at the most granular level—by individual stock-keeping units (SKUs)—allowing for precise analysis and targeted cost-reduction strategies.
- Clarity on duty application: The tool displays not just the numeric codes of applicable tariffs, but also their full names, and flags instances where multiple duties have been applied to the same product.
This functionality allows businesses to take immediate action, whether that means rerouting freight, consolidating customs entries, or even evaluating new supplier options. For example, a large national retailer using the tool could identify which high-volume SKUs are disproportionately impacted by specific tariffs and then explore alternate sourcing locations with more favorable duty rates.
A Strategic Edge for U.S. Importers
The launch of this tool follows the release of new internal research from C.H. Robinson’s 2025 customer insights survey, which found that over one-third of shippers say they lack sufficient data to identify potential savings on tariffs and duties. This figure is three times higher than reported in the previous year’s study, underscoring the urgency of smarter, data-driven customs management.
As shippers face mounting expectations to contain costs and improve agility, the demand for self-service solutions has grown significantly. The U.S. Tariff Impact Analysis tool is part of C.H. Robinson’s broader strategy to equip customers with modern, user-friendly technologies that simplify complexity and improve supply chain resilience.
Part of a Broader Ecosystem of Digital Trade Solutions
The Tariff Impact Analysis tool is one element of a larger digital toolkit C.H. Robinson has been steadily building to support end-to-end trade visibility and cost optimization. These additional tools include:
- ACE Import Intelligence: Aggregates all U.S. import entry data—regardless of which broker filed it—to deliver a comprehensive view of duty spend across the organization.
- U.S. Customs Analytics: Offers detailed, SKU-level analysis of tariff and customs trends, helping businesses fine-tune their strategies to minimize unnecessary exposure.
- U.S. Sourcing Analysis: Compares current and alternative sourcing options based on duty impact, shipping costs, and supply chain factors to identify optimal trade-offs.
Together, these tools provide businesses with the data and analysis they need to move from reactive to proactive trade management. According to the same 2025 customer research, 50% of shippers are currently seeking to reevaluate or change their sourcing strategies, and a striking 83% say reducing costs across their supply chains is essential to their success this year.
“The combination of our trade technology tools gives importers the kind of comprehensive, real-time view of their operations that they’ve never had before,” said Short. “This empowers them not just to react to trade developments, but to get ahead of them.”
Supporting Smarter, More Resilient Global Supply Chains
In a time when geopolitical shifts and tariff policy changes can impact costs overnight, tools like C.H. Robinson’s Tariff Impact Analysis are becoming mission-critical for global shippers. The ability to identify cost-saving opportunities, maintain compliance, and adapt sourcing strategies quickly has evolved from a competitive advantage to a core requirement for survival.
Moreover, C.H. Robinson’s position as one of the world’s largest logistics platforms—with extensive customs brokerage expertise and multimodal freight solutions—enables the company to uniquely bridge the gap between digital insight and real-world execution.
“Our proprietary technology is backed by deep customs knowledge, the largest pool of U.S. customs data, and a network that spans every mode of transportation,” added Short. “We’re not just giving shippers data—we’re enabling them to take decisive, effective action. Whether it’s rerouting around new tariffs or building long-term sourcing resilience, we’re here to help them stay ahead in an increasingly complex world.”
As the global trade landscape continues to evolve, C.H. Robinson remains committed to helping its customers adapt with confidence. With tools like the U.S. Tariff Impact Analysis and a comprehensive suite of digital and physical logistics services, the company is redefining what it means to navigate uncertainty.
The stakes for importers have never been higher, and as tariffs become an increasingly prominent tool in foreign policy and economic negotiations, understanding and managing their impact is no longer optional—it’s imperative. By placing powerful self-serve analysis directly in the hands of shippers, C.H. Robinson is giving businesses the clarity, speed, and strategic insight they need to succeed in a world where the only constant is change.