TariffForge

Smart part sourcing tool predicts and dodges Mali import tariffs for instant savings.

Score: 7.5/10MLHard BuildReady to Spawn
Brand Colors

The Opportunity

Problem

Local mechanics and repair shops in Mali face inflated costs from import tariffs over 25% on auto spare parts, making vehicle repairs unaffordable for most customers.

Solution

Input vehicle/part needs, get optimized sourcing recommendations: local alternatives, tariff-minimal suppliers, or remanufactured options. Includes pricing forecasts, supplier ratings, and one-click orders. Cuts effective costs by 25%+ via data-driven decisions.

Target Audience

Local mechanics and repair shops in Mali serving everyday vehicle owners

Differentiator

AI tariff predictor trained on Mali customs data, integrated with local/global suppliers.

Brand Voice

professional

Features

Part Recommendation

must-have25h

Enter symptoms/model, get tariff-optimized options.

Tariff Predictor

must-have20h

Simulate duties based on volume/origin.

Supplier Directory

must-have12h

Curated Mali/local/international vendors with ratings.

Price Comparison

must-have15h

Real-time quotes across sources.

Order Placement

must-have18h

Direct purchase with tariff pre-calc.

Usage Analytics

nice-to-have10h

Track savings over time.

Bulk Order Planner

nice-to-have12h

Forecast for shop inventory.

Alert Subscriptions

nice-to-have8h

Notify on price drops.

Total Build Time: 120 hours

Database Schema

users

ColumnTypeNullable
iduuidNo
emailtextNo
subscription_tiertextYes

shops

ColumnTypeNullable
iduuidNo
user_iduuidNo
vehicles_servicedtext[]Yes

Relationships:

  • β€’ user_id -> users.id

searches

ColumnTypeNullable
iduuidNo
shop_iduuidNo
part_querytextNo
recommendationsjsonbYes

Relationships:

  • β€’ shop_id -> shops.id

suppliers

ColumnTypeNullable
iduuidNo
nametextNo
tariff_rateintNo
ratingfloatYes

API Endpoints

POST
/api/recommend

Get part recommendations

πŸ”’ Auth Required
POST
/api/tariff-sim

Simulate tariffs

πŸ”’ Auth Required
GET
/api/suppliers

List suppliers

POST
/api/orders

Place order

πŸ”’ Auth Required
GET
/api/analytics

Fetch savings data

πŸ”’ Auth Required

Tech Stack

Frontend
Next.js 14 + Tailwind + shadcn/ui
Backend
Next.js API routes
Database
Supabase Postgres
Auth
Supabase Auth
Payments
Stripe
Hosting
Vercel
Additional Tools
OpenAI API for recommendations

Build Timeline

Week 1: Auth and search core

30h
  • βœ“ Signup
  • βœ“ Basic recommender

Week 2: Tariff and suppliers

28h
  • βœ“ Predictor
  • βœ“ Directory

Week 3: Comparisons and orders

30h
  • βœ“ Price comp
  • βœ“ Order flow

Week 4: Dashboard and analytics

25h
  • βœ“ Shop dashboard
  • βœ“ Savings tracker

Week 5: Integrations and test

20h
  • βœ“ Stripe
  • βœ“ AI polish

Week 6: Nice-to-haves

15h
  • βœ“ Alerts
  • βœ“ Bulk planner

Week 7: Launch prep

10h
  • βœ“ SEO, landing
Total Timeline: 7 weeks β€’ 158 hours

Pricing Tiers

Free

$0/mo

No orders

  • βœ“5 searches/month
  • βœ“Basic recs

Pro

$35/mo
  • βœ“Unlimited searches
  • βœ“Full predictor
  • βœ“Order placement

Enterprise

$149/mo

Priority support

  • βœ“All Pro + API, custom vehicles

Revenue Projections

MonthUsersConversionMRRARR
Month 1602.5%$53$636
Month 64004%$560$6,720

Unit Economics

$18
CAC
$500
LTV
6%
Churn
82%
Margin
LTV:CAC Ratio: 27.8xExcellent!

Landing Page Copy

Forge Ahead of Mali Tariffs

Smart sourcing for mechanics: Predict, compare, save on every part.

Feature Highlights

βœ“AI recommendations
βœ“Tariff simulations
βœ“Supplier ratings
βœ“One-click orders

Social Proof (Placeholders)

"'Dodged 28% tariff easily.' - Bamako Garage"
"'Best tool for parts pricing.' - Mechanic Pro"

First Three Customers

Email 30 mechanics from Mali yellow pages; run targeted Facebook ads to 'Mali auto repair'; partner with 2 importer associations for intros.

Launch Channels

Product Huntr/SaaSHacker NewsMali business groups

SEO Keywords

Mali spare parts tariff calculatorauto parts price comparison Malicheapest car parts sourcing Maliimport duty predictor auto

Competitive Analysis

RockAuto

rockauto.com
Per part
Strength

Global catalog

Weakness

No tariff/Mali focus

Our Advantage

Local optimization and predictions

Customs.gov.ml

douanes.gouv.ml
Free info
Strength

Official rates

Weakness

No part integration

Our Advantage

Applied to real sourcing

🏰 Moat Strategy

Accumulating search data improves AI accuracy; exclusive supplier partnerships.

⏰ Why Now?

New Mali tariff hikes announced; EV/used imports surging part demand.

Risks & Mitigation

technicalmedium severity

AI accuracy

Mitigation

Fallback to manual data + user feedback

marketmedium severity

Supplier integration slow

Mitigation

Start with directory, add APIs later

financiallow severity

High AI costs

Mitigation

Cache results, tier limits

Validation Roadmap

pre-build7 days

Validate with 12 mechanics

Success: 80% find useful

mvp14 days

Test searches

Success: 50% repeat use

launch10 days

Ads campaign

Success: 200 users

Pivot Options

  • β†’General supplier CRM
  • β†’Vehicle diagnostic tool

Quick Stats

Build Time
158h
Target MRR (6 mo)
$1,200
Market Size
$45.0M
Features
8
Database Tables
4
API Endpoints
5