We go after landed cost to increase your gross margin.
Our services
Gross Margin Sprints
A hands-on project to raise Gross Margin at constant price by cutting landed cost. We review design and specs, set should-costs, renegotiate, test alt sourcing, and optimize the tariff path (HTS/origin/valuation, DDP vs FOB). You leave with an auditable calculator and a 90-day plan.
Key outputs (optional): GM calculator (mix-adjusted), tariff memo w/ citations, should-cost & negotiation ladder, alt-sourcing shortlist, packaging/CBM wins, 90-day implementation plan.
2-3 weeks
Should Cost Accelerator
Build a defensible “should pay” by process, material, and region. We expose deltas vs current quotes, set target prices, and provide a negotiation ladder (incl. MOQ/terms). Feeds value engineering and sourcing decisions.
Key outputs: Process-route cost model, target price by supplier/region, BOM cost drivers, VE opportunity list, MOQ/terms recommendations.
3-4 weeks
Product Teardowns & Competitive Analysis
Reverse-engineer your SKU and 3–5 comps to surface VE levers and cost gaps. We deliver a costed BOM, pack density improvements, and a tariff comparison across plausible HTS paths.
Key outputs: BOM + component costing, functional/feature benchmark, material & pack swaps, HTS/duty deltas, VE shortlist.
1-3 weeks
Tariff & HTS Health Check
Truth-test your classification, origin, and valuation for lawful duty reduction. We model scenarios (incl. First Sale), quantify duty/tax per unit, scan AD/CVD/UFLPA risk, and deliver a broker/counsel-ready memo with next steps.
Key outputs: HTS reclass scenarios, origin/valuation analysis, duty model, exclusions map, risk flags, broker/counsel handoff memo.
2 weeks
Supplier Due Diligence Kit
Standardize supplier selection & onboarding. Score vendors, audit factories, and contract cleanly with bilingual MSA/SOW + Code of Conduct. Includes forms and attorney handoff.
Key outputs: Scoring rubric, factory audit checklist, bilingual clause pack, onboarding forms, pass/fail guidance and red-flag notes.
1-2 weeks
PLM: Lifecycle & Reliability
Reduce returns and warranty reserve by engineering reliability. We design a test-to-failure program, build a field reliability loop, and define warranty/guarantee rules—feeding VE and should-cost.
Key outputs: Test matrix & thresholds, root-cause/DFM-DFR actions, retest plan, warranty policy rules, compliance touchpoints (CPSIA, FDA/food-contact, Prop 65, REACH/CE/UKCA as applicable).
2-4 weeks
Advisory Retainer
Keep savings compounding. Weekly working session + on-call reviews (quotes, HTS/origin/valuation, DDP offers), negotiation coaching, and broker/counsel coordination—with SLAs and a monthly scorecard.
Key outputs: Rapid reviews, decision memos, supplier escalations, KPI scorecard, roadmap refresh.
Ongoing
Every sprint is led by the founder. When a project requires it, we bring in vetted specialists and preferred partners (broker/counsel, testing labs, DDP providers, etc). No fixed overhead; the right people, only when needed.
Founder-led, specialist bench.
“Cost is engineered, not guessed.
At Margineers, we raise Gross Margin by attacking landed cost: product dev, supplier economics, tariff lawfulness and end to end lifecycle discipline. We log every change, route tariff decisions through broker/counsel, and never recommend gray-market tactics.
