User Guide

Everything you need to configure and operate StickTax on your BigCommerce store.

Last updated: April 2026 · v1.0

Overview

StickTax is a BigCommerce app that calculates cigar excise tax and state sales tax at checkout. It replaces the manual guesswork of cigar-specific tax calculations with an automated engine that runs on every checkout.

General tax providers like Avalara and TaxJar handle sales tax well, but they don't support cigar-specific excise tax methods: per-stick flat rates, MSRP-based percentages, per-stick caps, or combinations of these. StickTax was built specifically for this gap.

What StickTax does

Calculates cigar excise tax using the correct method for each state (per-stick, MSRP percentage, capped, or combo)
Calculates state sales tax based on your configured rates
Distinguishes between singles and boxes, applying the correct stick count for box variants
Syncs your BigCommerce product catalog automatically
Logs every tax calculation for reporting and export

What StickTax does not do

StickTax does not provide tax advice or regulatory guidance
StickTax does not automatically update rates when tax laws change — you configure and maintain your own rules
StickTax does not handle tax filing or remittance — it calculates and collects at checkout
StickTax does not modify your products, inventory, or store settings beyond the tax provider connection

Your responsibility: StickTax provides the calculation engine. You provide the rates. It is your responsibility to ensure your configured rates match current state regulations. We strongly recommend consulting a qualified tax professional.

Requirements

A BigCommerce store (any plan)
Products configured with variants for singles and boxes (standard BigCommerce setup)
Product pricing set to exclusive of tax in BigCommerce settings
Products assigned to the Default Tax Class (not "Non-taxable")

No code changes required. StickTax works with your existing BigCommerce catalog. You don't need to modify your theme, add custom fields, or change your product structure.

Installation

For step-by-step installation instructions, see the Installation Guide. Here's a summary:

Install StickTax from the BigCommerce App Marketplace. Authorize the requested permissions.

Open StickTax from Apps → My Apps in your BigCommerce control panel.

Sync your catalog, configure your state tax rules, and set up profile classes for your box sizes.

StickTax begins calculating tax at checkout as soon as you have at least one active excise or sales tax rule and a synced catalog.

First-Time Setup Checklist

After installation, complete these steps in order:

Sync your catalog — Go to the Products tab and click "Sync Catalog." This pulls all your products and variants from BigCommerce.
Create profile classes — Go to Profile Classes and add entries for each box size you sell (e.g. "Box of 20", "Box of 24"). This tells StickTax how many sticks are in each box.
Assign classes to box variants — Go back to Products and assign the correct profile class to each box variant using the dropdown in the Class column.
Set MSRP values — For any state using MSRP-based excise tax, enter the MSRP for each variant in the Products tab. If you don't set one, StickTax uses your retail price as a fallback.
Configure excise tax rules — Go to Excise Tax Rules. For each state where you ship, activate the rule, select the correct method, and enter the rates.
Configure sales tax rules — Go to Sales Tax. For each state where you have nexus, activate the rule and enter the rate.
Test checkout — Open your storefront in an incognito window, add a product to cart, and checkout with a shipping address in a state you configured. Verify the tax lines appear.

Excise Tax Rules

The Excise Tax Rules tab is the core of StickTax. This is where you tell StickTax how each state taxes cigars.

All 50 states plus DC are pre-populated when you install. Each row has the following fields:

Field	Description
Active	Checkbox. Only active rules calculate tax at checkout. Leave unchecked for states where you don't ship or don't owe excise tax.
Method	The excise tax calculation method this state uses. See Tax Methods Explained below.
Per Stick	Dollar amount per individual cigar. Used by the `per_stick` and `combo` methods.
MSRP %	Percentage of MSRP. Enter as a whole number (e.g. 30 for 30%). Used by `pct_msrp`, `pct_msrp_capped`, and `combo` methods.
Cap / Stick	Maximum tax per stick in dollars. Used by `pct_msrp_capped` and `combo` methods. If the MSRP percentage exceeds this cap, the cap is applied instead.
Applies To	Which product formats this rule applies to: All (singles and boxes), Singles Only, or Boxes Only.

Click Save on each row after making changes. The button turns amber when you have unsaved changes and shows a green checkmark when saved.

Tip: You only need to configure states where you actually ship cigars and owe excise tax. Leaving a state inactive means StickTax returns $0 excise tax for that state — checkout still works normally.

Tax Methods Explained

States tax cigars using four methods. StickTax supports all of them.

Per Stick

A fixed dollar amount per cigar. The simplest method.

Formula	Example
per_stick_rate × stick_count	$0.60/stick × 5 singles = $3.00 tax

For box variants, StickTax multiplies by the number of cigars in the box. A "Box of 20" at $0.60/stick = $12.00 tax.

Percentage of MSRP

A percentage of the manufacturer's suggested retail price, multiplied by quantity.

Formula	Example
msrp_pct × MSRP × quantity	21.25% × $12.00 × 1 = $2.55 tax

Percentage of MSRP with Cap

Same as MSRP percentage, but with a maximum tax per stick. This is the most common method — used by states like Indiana and New York.

Formula	Example
min(msrp_pct × MSRP, cap_per_stick) × stick_count	min(24% × $12.00, $0.72) × 1 = $0.72 tax (capped)

Without the cap: 24% × $12.00 = $2.88. With the $0.72 cap: tax is $0.72. The cap protects against high tax on premium cigars.

Combo

Both a per-stick rate and a capped MSRP percentage, added together.

Formula	Example
per_stick + pct_msrp_capped	$0.10/stick + min(20% × $12.00, $0.50) = $0.10 + $0.50 = $0.60 tax

How box variants are handled

For all methods that use a per-stick calculation, StickTax needs to know how many sticks are in the box. This is determined by the profile class assigned to the variant. If a box variant has a profile class of "Box of 20", StickTax multiplies the per-stick tax by 20.

If no profile class is assigned, StickTax defaults to 20 cigars per box.

MSRP fallback

For MSRP-based methods, StickTax uses the MSRP value you set on each variant. If you haven't set an MSRP, it falls back to the BigCommerce retail price. For accurate calculations, we recommend setting MSRP explicitly.

Sales Tax Rules

The Sales Tax tab lets you configure state sales tax rates for states where you have nexus.

Field	Description
Active	Checkbox. Enable for states where you collect sales tax.
Rate	Sales tax percentage. Enter as a whole number (e.g. 7 for 7%).

Sales tax is calculated as: item_price × quantity × rate.

Already using another sales tax provider? If you're using Avalara or TaxJar for sales tax and only need StickTax for excise tax, leave all sales tax rules inactive. StickTax will only calculate excise tax.

Catalog Sync

StickTax syncs your BigCommerce product catalog to know what you sell, what the SKUs are, and which variants are singles vs. boxes.

How to sync

Go to the Products tab.
Click Sync Catalog.
StickTax pulls all products and variants from your BigCommerce store via the API.

What gets synced

Product name
Variant SKU
Variant label (option values like "Toro / Box of 20")
Retail price
Active/inactive status

Format detection

StickTax automatically detects whether each variant is a single, box, or bundle by reading the variant label:

Labels containing "box" or "pack" → box
Labels containing "bundle" → bundle
Labels containing "single" or "each" → single
No clear indicator → defaults to single

When to re-sync

After adding new products to your BigCommerce store
After changing product prices
After modifying variant labels or SKUs
Periodically to ensure the catalog is current

Sync does not delete. If you remove a product from BigCommerce, it remains in StickTax's variant list until it naturally falls out of use. It won't affect tax calculations — if a SKU no longer exists in the synced data, StickTax simply can't match it and returns $0 tax for that item.

Profile Classes

Profile classes tell StickTax how many cigars are in each box type. This is essential for accurate per-stick tax calculations on box variants.

Creating a profile class

Go to the Profile Classes tab.
Enter a name (e.g. "Box of 20") and the number of cigars per box (e.g. 20).
Click Add.

Common profile classes

Name	Cigars Per Box
Box of 10	10
Box of 20	20
Box of 24	24
Box of 25	25
Bundle of 10	10
Bundle of 20	20

Assigning classes to variants

After creating profile classes, go to the Products tab. Box and bundle variants will show a dropdown in the Class column. Select the appropriate class for each variant.

What if I don't assign a class? StickTax defaults to 20 cigars per box for any box variant without a class assignment. If your boxes contain a different number of cigars, the tax calculation will be incorrect. Always assign classes to box variants.

MSRP Configuration

For states that use MSRP-based excise tax methods (pct_msrp, pct_msrp_capped, combo), StickTax needs to know the MSRP for each product.

Setting MSRP

Go to the Products tab.
Find the variant and enter the MSRP value in the MSRP column.
The value saves automatically when you tab out or click elsewhere.

MSRP fallback behavior

If you don't set an MSRP for a variant, StickTax falls back to the BigCommerce retail price. This is usually close enough for most calculations, but for maximum accuracy we recommend setting MSRP explicitly — especially for products where your retail price differs significantly from MSRP.

MSRP for boxes

Set the MSRP to the full box MSRP, not the per-stick MSRP. StickTax handles the per-stick math internally using the cigars-per-box value from the assigned profile class.

How Checkout Works

Here's what happens behind the scenes on every checkout:

A customer enters their shipping address at checkout. BigCommerce sends a tax estimate request to StickTax with the items in the cart and the shipping state.

StickTax identifies your store by the authentication credentials registered during installation.

StickTax resolves each item's SKU from the cart to find the matching variant in your synced catalog, determining whether it's a single or box and what the MSRP is.

StickTax looks up your excise tax rule and sales tax rule for the shipping state.

For box variants, StickTax looks up the profile class to get the cigars-per-box count.

StickTax calculates excise tax and sales tax for each item and returns the amounts to BigCommerce.

The customer sees the tax lines in their order total. When the order is completed, BigCommerce sends a commit notification and StickTax logs the tax amounts for your records.

This entire process happens in under 2 seconds. BigCommerce calls StickTax multiple times during a single checkout (after address entry, after shipping method selection, etc.) — each call returns updated tax amounts.

Safety first: If anything goes wrong during a tax calculation — a missing SKU, a database error, a timeout — StickTax returns $0 tax rather than blocking the checkout. Your customer's purchase is never interrupted.

Tax History & Export

The Tax History tab shows every tax calculation committed by BigCommerce after order completion.

What's logged

Field	Description
Order	BigCommerce order ID
State	Shipping state (2-letter code)
Excise Tax	Cigar excise tax amount
Sales Tax	State sales tax amount
Total Tax	Combined excise + sales tax
Date	Order date

Exporting to CSV

Click the Export CSV button to download the full tax history as a CSV file. This file is formatted for easy import into accounting software or for sharing with your tax accountant.

Settings

The Settings tab shows your store information, subscription status, and administrative actions.

Store information

Displays your store name, store hash, plan status, trial end date (if applicable), and installation date.

Manage Subscription

Opens the Stripe customer portal where you can update your payment method, view invoices, or cancel your subscription.

Re-register Tax Connection

If BigCommerce loses the tax provider connection (rare), click this button to re-register StickTax's credentials with your store. This does not affect your rules or data.

Troubleshooting

Tax not showing at checkout

Check that the state has an active rule. Go to Excise Tax Rules and verify the state is checked as Active with a method and rates configured.
Check that your catalog is synced. If the product's SKU isn't in StickTax's catalog, it can't match the item and returns $0 tax. Go to Products and re-sync.
Check the product's tax class in BigCommerce. If a product is set to "Non-taxable" or has tax_exempt: true, StickTax correctly returns $0. Change the product to "Default Tax Class" in BigCommerce.
Check that prices are exclusive of tax. In BigCommerce → Settings → Tax, ensure your prices are set to "Prices entered are exclusive of tax."
Enter a complete shipping address. StickTax needs the state code from the shipping address. If the customer hasn't entered their full address yet, BigCommerce may not send the state to StickTax.
Verify the tax connection is active. Go to BigCommerce → Settings → Tax and confirm StickTax shows as the active tax provider for United States. If not, go to StickTax Settings and click "Re-register Tax Connection."

Tax amount seems wrong

Check the MSRP value. If you're using an MSRP-based method and haven't set the MSRP, StickTax uses the retail price as a fallback. Verify the MSRP in the Products tab.
Check the profile class. For box variants, verify the correct profile class is assigned. A box of 24 assigned to a "Box of 20" class will calculate tax on 20 sticks instead of 24.
Check the method and rates. Open the Excise Tax Rules tab and verify the method, percentage, and cap values match the current state regulations.
Check the "Applies To" setting. If set to "Singles Only", box variants won't get excise tax (and vice versa). Most states should be set to "All."

Sync not working

Ensure your store has at least one product with variants.
Try syncing again — temporary API timeouts can cause a sync to fail.
If sync continues to fail, contact support@sticktax.com.

"Cancelled" plan but I'm still subscribed

If your plan shows as cancelled but you believe you have an active subscription, click "Manage Subscription" to view your Stripe billing status. If there's a mismatch, contact support.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to disable my existing tax provider to use StickTax?

StickTax replaces your BigCommerce tax provider for cigar products. If you're currently using a basic tax rate or another provider, you'll switch to StickTax in your BigCommerce tax settings. StickTax handles both excise tax and sales tax, so you shouldn't need two providers.

What happens if I don't set MSRP values?

StickTax falls back to your BigCommerce retail price. This is usually close enough, but for maximum accuracy — especially if your retail prices differ from MSRP — set them explicitly in the Products tab.

What happens when my free trial ends?

If you don't subscribe to a paid plan, StickTax stops calculating tax at checkout. It returns $0 on all estimates. Your checkout still works — customers just won't see tax lines. Your rules and data are preserved, so subscribing later picks up right where you left off.

What if StickTax goes down?

StickTax is designed to fail gracefully. If our servers are unreachable or encounter an error, BigCommerce receives $0 tax for that checkout. Your customer's purchase is never blocked or delayed. You may need to manually adjust tax on orders placed during an outage.

Can I use StickTax for only excise tax and another provider for sales tax?

BigCommerce only allows one tax provider at a time. However, you can leave all StickTax sales tax rules inactive and only configure excise tax rules. In this configuration, StickTax only adds excise tax to the checkout. The limitation is that sales tax won't be calculated by any provider. If you need both but want sales tax from another source, contact us to discuss options.

Does StickTax work with non-cigar products?

StickTax calculates tax on all items in the cart. For non-cigar products (accessories, humidors, etc.), set them to "Non-taxable" tax class in BigCommerce if you don't want excise tax applied to them. Sales tax will still apply if you have active sales tax rules.

How often should I sync my catalog?

Sync after adding new products or changing prices. If your catalog doesn't change often, once a week or once a month is fine. StickTax cannot calculate tax on products it hasn't seen — if a new product appears in a checkout before you sync, it gets $0 tax.

Can I test StickTax without affecting real orders?

Yes. Use your BigCommerce sandbox store or place a test order on your live store and void it afterward. Tax calculations appear in StickTax's history once the order is committed.

Are tax rates pre-filled?

No. All 51 state rules are created during installation, but rates are set to $0 and inactive by default. You must configure the rates yourself for each state you ship to. This is intentional — tax laws change, and we don't want to ship outdated rates.

Can I export tax data for my accountant?

Yes. The Tax History tab has an "Export CSV" button that downloads all committed tax records. The CSV includes order ID, state, excise tax amount, sales tax amount, and date.

Glossary

Term	Definition
Excise tax	A tax levied on the sale of specific goods — in this case, cigars. Separate from sales tax. Methods vary by state.
Sales tax	A general consumption tax applied as a percentage of the sale price. Varies by state.
MSRP	Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price. Some states calculate excise tax as a percentage of MSRP rather than the actual sale price.
Per-stick rate	A fixed dollar amount of excise tax per individual cigar.
Cap per stick	The maximum excise tax allowed per cigar, regardless of the MSRP calculation. Prevents excessively high tax on premium cigars.
Stick count	The total number of individual cigars. For a single, stick count = quantity. For a box of 20, stick count = quantity × 20.
Profile class	A configuration that tells StickTax how many cigars are in a specific box type (e.g. "Box of 20" = 20 cigars per box).
Format	Whether a variant is a `single`, `box`, or `bundle`. Detected automatically from variant labels during catalog sync.
Variant	A specific purchasable option within a BigCommerce product. A cigar product might have variants for "Single" and "Box of 20."
SKU	Stock Keeping Unit. A unique code identifying each variant. StickTax uses SKUs to match checkout items to your synced catalog.
Nexus	A tax obligation in a state. If you have nexus in a state, you're required to collect and remit sales tax there.
Tax provider	A BigCommerce integration that calculates tax at checkout. StickTax is registered as a tax provider.
Commit	BigCommerce's confirmation that an order was completed. StickTax logs the final tax amounts when a commit is received.
Tenant	A single BigCommerce store connected to StickTax. Each tenant has isolated data — your rules, catalog, and history are private to your store.

Support

For questions, issues, or feature requests:

Email: support@sticktax.com
Include your store name and a description of the issue
For tax calculation questions, include the order ID and the state — we can look up exactly what StickTax calculated and why

Remember: StickTax provides a tax calculation engine. For questions about which rates or methods apply in your state, please consult a qualified tax professional.