StickTax calculates cigar excise tax at checkout — per-stick rates, MSRP percentages, caps, and combos. The tax engine Avalara doesn't have.
Avalara, TaxJar, and TaxCloud calculate sales tax. They have no concept of per-stick excise rates, MSRP-based percentages, or per-stick caps. Cigar retailers are left guessing.
General providers apply flat percentages. Cigars need per-stick rates, MSRP calculations, and state-specific caps that don't exist in their systems.
A box of 20 needs per-stick tax on 20 sticks, not 1 unit. General providers don't know your box sizes. StickTax does.
Without correct excise calculations, you're either absorbing the tax yourself or overcharging customers. Neither is sustainable.
StickTax installs from the BigCommerce App Marketplace. Configure your rules once, and every checkout is handled automatically.
One-click install. StickTax syncs your product catalog automatically — SKUs, variants, prices. No CSV uploads, no manual mapping.
Configure excise tax per state — method, rate, caps, and which products it applies to. Set sales tax rates for states where you have nexus. All through a clean interface inside your BC control panel.
Tell StickTax how many sticks are in each box type. A "Box of 20" and a "Box of 10" need different per-stick calculations. Set it once, it remembers forever.
On every checkout, StickTax resolves the SKU, determines single vs. box, applies the correct state method, and returns the tax to BigCommerce. Customers see the correct tax line. You stay compliant.
States tax cigars differently. StickTax handles all four methods out of the box.
Fixed dollar amount per cigar. For boxes, multiplies by cigars per box automatically.
Percentage of the manufacturer's suggested retail price. Falls back to your retail price if MSRP isn't set.
MSRP percentage with a per-stick maximum. The most common method — used by Indiana, Florida, and others.
Both a fixed per-stick rate and a capped MSRP percentage combined. For states that really want their cut.
| Feature | Avalara / TaxJar | StickTax |
|---|---|---|
| Sales tax calculation | ✓ | ✓ |
| Per-stick excise rates | ✗ | ✓ |
| MSRP-based excise tax | ✗ | ✓ |
| Per-stick cap calculations | ✗ | ✓ |
| Box stick-count awareness | ✗ | ✓ |
| Single vs. box format detection | ✗ | ✓ |
| Merchant-controlled rules | ✗ | ✓ |
| Tax history & CSV export | Varies | ✓ |
| Price | $50–$500+/mo | $29/mo |
One plan. Every feature. Every state. Every tax method.
Install StickTax on your BigCommerce store.
14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.
Available on the BigCommerce App Marketplace