Global Tension, Local Impact, What’s Actually Hitting Commerce Right Now.

🗞️ This Week’s Ecomconnect

April 16, 2025

Hey Friends—

This week, we’re zooming in on a few shifts that are already affecting how we operate. Tariffs are back in a big way. Shopify merchants are getting squeezed on multiple fronts. And marketers? They're in an identity crisis. It’s not about watching trends—it’s about adapting fast.

Let’s dive in. But First... some quick announcements!

We’re live on Instagram.
Why? To show off cool products and bring back our founder interviews.

→ Follow us

The OGs remember the early convos. If you missed those, they’re still up:
→ Watch on YouTube

Also—we’re lining up some events for the summer. Want in?
→ Event calendar

🏃‍♂️☕ Event Spotlight: Grow LA — 5K + Coffee

Hosted by: Lunar Solar Group + Social Snowball

Date: Thursday, April 24

Time: 7:30 AM Run | 8:00 AM Coffee

Location: 1099 Highland Ave → Ends at The Pantry, West Hollywood

Start your day at Grow LA with a casual 5K run followed by good coffee and better convos. Whether you're lacing up or just pulling up for caffeine—this is where real connections happen.

🔗 RSVP Here (Yes Invites Your Friends)

🌍 Tariffs Are Back – And They're Hitting Ecom Hard (Update)

If you’re sourcing from overseas, brace yourself: The U.S. just dropped a 10% universal tariff on all imports—no matter the product, country of origin, or category. On top of that, additional tariffs are stacking up from China and other trading partners in retaliation.

Translation: → Your cost of goods (COGS) just jumped → Margins are getting tighter by the day → Every supply chain decision now has to be re-evaluated

What this means for your business:

• That $10 landed unit cost is now $11+ before hitting your 3PL
• Brands are scrambling to renegotiate, shift suppliers, or push price increases
• Some are exploring nearshoring in Mexico or bringing light assembly stateside to reduce exposure

Your move:

• ✅ Audit landed costs and update margin models
• ✅ Double-check HTS codes — reclassifications could save you $$$
• ✅ Communicate with your teams — ops, finance, and marketing should all know how this hits margin, promos, and cash flow
• ✅ Forecast now — don’t let Q2 get away from you

This isn’t a policy debate—it’s a profit reality. Smart brands are already adjusting.

🛒 Shopify Stores Are Feeling the Squeeze

It’s not just tariffs. A lot of Shopify merchants are feeling boxed in right now.

What’s happening:

• Costs are up — between shipping, tariffs, and platform fees, profitability is tighter than ever
• Support frustrations — store owners are complaining about outages, bugs, and slow customer service
• Everyone’s chasing cash flow — brands are getting scrappier with interface updates, conversion audits, and rethinking how they manage inventory

Why this matters: Shopify is still the best storefront for DTC—but the ecosystem is maturing. What used to be set-it-and-forget-it now needs active management, optimization, and resilience built into the backend.

Action step:

• Rethink your cost structure
• Run a full CRO audit—focus on how fast you can turn traffic into revenue
• Consider back-end tech upgrades to automate inventory flows and track margin at the SKU level

This isn’t the moment to be passive. A tighter stack = a better shot at surviving Q2 cleanly.

💼 Marketing’s Identity Crisis

It feels like half the industry is asking the same question: Does any of this still work?

What’s changing:

• Everyone's chasing AI—but few are using it with intent
• Content is flooding every channel—but strategy is often missing
• B2B and DTC alike are realizing: performance without purpose doesn't convert long-term

What’s working:

• Strong brand POVs (people want to know what you stand for)
• Consistency in messaging (across email, paid, and organic)
• Creating experiences, not just campaigns—brands that build emotional connection are winning

Your next step: Get your team aligned around values, not just channels. Don’t chase every new tool. Focus on clarity, cadence, and relevance.

Marketing isn’t dead—it’s just demanding more depth than ever before.

🔍 Quick Trends to Watch

• Installment payments: good for conversion, bad for cash flow—especially if you’re scaling
• AI tools: becoming standard, but usage still lags impact
• Sourcing shifts: many brands are moving manufacturing closer to home to regain control
• Tech fatigue: Brands are overwhelmed with tools—simplifying the stack is the new power move

🧠 Brand of the Week: Korrect

Aubrey Marcus (founder of Onnit) just dropped Korrect, a clean energy supplement powered by a new caffeine metabolite: Kor-Motive™.

What it is: Next-gen, jitter-free energy Why it matters: It taps into the growing demand for functional performance products Packaging: Sharp, premium, lifestyle-driven (think: Momentous x Beam)

🔗 Explore the brand →

💰 Culture Pop Just Raised $15M

BevNET reports that Culture Pop just secured $15M in fresh funding to scale their probiotic soda line.

Why it matters:

• Tom First (Nantucket Nectars co-founder) is behind this
• They’re coming after Olipop and Poppi with bolder flavor and functional edge
• Expect more retail presence and a louder brand voice in Q2

🧃The better-for-you soda wars are on. And Culture Pop just leveled up.

🛠️ Tool of the Week: Store Detector (Chrome Extension)

Want to know what tech stack your favorite Shopify store is running?

Store Detector shows you:

• Theme
• Installed apps
• Product info

Perfect for:

• Store teardowns
• Inspiration scouting
• Reverse-engineering high-performing builds

⚡ Download it here →

🚀 Launch to Watch: Sult

Big congrats to my friends at Sult — a new functional beverage brand that just hit the market this week.

They’re already making noise on socials with clean design, punchy content, and a brand presence that feels like it belongs. Special shout to Henry—pumped to see what’s ahead.

🔗 drinksult.com

📸 @drinksult on Instagram

Final Thoughts

This isn’t the time to play defense. Tariffs are shifting costs. Marketing is demanding more intention. Shopify is maturing into a more complex platform.

The brands that win in Q2 aren’t waiting for clarity—they’re creating it.

If you need a second set of eyes or want to jam on strategy, hit reply.

Catch you next week.

—Zach

P.S. Found this valuable? Forward it to a friend in DTC, retail, or B2B. Or just reply—I read every message.