# SMB Cross-Border Compliance Hub - Lean MVP PRD

> Generated: 20260405-2248
> Source: `SmokeTests/cross-border-ecommerce-vat-customs-challenges-smb-2026__smoke-test__20260405-2248.md`

## 1. Problem & User
- Target User: Growing SMB ecommerce sellers and operations/finance managers shipping low-value goods internationally across the EU and US
- Core Pain: A lightweight SMB-focused cross-border compliance operating layer that unifies VAT, IOSS, duties, per-country fees, threshold changes, and filing workflows in one system instead of forcing sellers into fragmented tax and customs tools

## 2. Outcome & KPI
- Primary Outcome: User achieves tangible value within one complete workflow
- KPI-1: Core workflow completion rate
- KPI-2: Trial-to-paid conversion rate
- KPI-3: 7-day retention (minimum tracking)

## 3. MVP Scope (In)
- A web dashboard that imports international orders and gives SMB sellers a single place to track per-country VAT/IOSS/duty obligations, basic rule-based risk flags, and filing deadlines.

## 4. Out of Scope
- Native mobile apps
- Enterprise compliance suite (SSO, full SOC2, complex approvals)
- Non-critical automations and high-complexity integrations

## 5. User Flow (Happy Path)
- Sign up / log in → create core object → execute key action → get result → trigger payment / subscription

## 6. Functional Requirements (P0)
- P0-1: Create and list core entities
- P0-2: Execute core task
- P0-3: Status visibility and minimal notifications
- P0-4: Stripe billing entry point (subscription or one-time)

## 7. Minimal Data Model
- users
- accounts_or_workspaces
- core_entities
- core_events
- billing_subscriptions

## 8. API / Integration Notes
- Keep only essential external services: auth, database, billing
- Complete the local end-to-end loop first, then add external integrations

## 9. Acceptance Criteria
- A new user can complete one end-to-end core workflow within 15 minutes
- Payment flow succeeds in the test environment and records order status
- Core pages and APIs have basic error handling
- Minimal event tracking is in place to validate KPIs

## 10. Delivery Plan

### M1 — Data Layer (Day 1 morning)
- [ ] Create / migrate core data model files (e.g. `models/`, `migrations/`, `prisma/schema.prisma`)
- [ ] Core entity CRUD API (e.g. `app/api/<entity>/route.ts`)
- Exit criteria: unit tests pass; core entity is readable and writable

### M2 — Core Business Logic (Day 1 afternoon – Day 2 morning)
- [ ] Core workflow service layer (e.g. `lib/<feature>.ts`)
- [ ] Key UI pages and routes (e.g. `app/<feature>/page.tsx`)
- [ ] Stripe billing entry (e.g. `app/api/billing/`, `lib/stripe.ts`)
- Exit criteria: integration tests pass; core happy path runs end-to-end

### M3 — Polish & Launch (Day 2 afternoon)
- [ ] Error handling and edge cases
- [ ] Minimal event instrumentation (KPI: core flow completed, payment triggered)
- [ ] Build + deployment verification
- Exit criteria: new user completes full end-to-end flow within 15 min; test payment succeeds

## 11. Risks & Mitigations
- Risk: scope creep — Mitigation: any new requirement must replace, not stack on top of, a P0 item
- Risk: unstable key dependency — Mitigation: build a degradable fallback first; keep core flow working

## 12. Chargeability Rationale
- Pricing Hypothesis: $49/mo with a 14-day trial, because it is affordable for growing SMB ecommerce teams, clearly cheaper than enterprise tax stacks and consultant-led solutions, and high enough to support a solo founder selling a spreadsheet replacement with clear operational value.
- Why users will pay: directly reduces time and money lost to a high-frequency pain point.