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- đž Fines Starting Soon
đž Fines Starting Soon
Court delays FinCEN rules, new Meta ad money, Youtube turns views into sales

Good morning, eComm legend.
If waiting for regulatory clarity were a sport, we'd all have trophies by now. But while some are stuck in a holding pattern, savvy sellers like you are already prepping for whatâs next. Because in eCommerce, the only thing worse than fines is surprise finesâand the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) pause isnât an excuse to hit snooze.
On the bright side, Meta just cracked open a new ad channel, YouTube is turning binge-watchers into buyers, and cross-border logistics just got a much-needed upgrade. If 2024 was the warm-up, 2025 is looking like the boss levelâmight as well start stacking power-ups now. Letâs dive in.
In todayâs agenda:
1) Court hits snooze, but donât sleep on FinCEN đ„±
2) Meta flips Threads switch: Monetization mode activated.
3) Wix + Youtube = Sales while they watch cat videos đ±
4) Swap + Avalara + Shopify = Customs clearance, but chill.

1) Court hits snooze, but donât sleep on FinCEN đ„±

The FinCEN Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) registration is on pause, but donât get too comfy. Just because the court hit the snooze button doesnât mean your eCommerce business wonât have to file soon. The fine for missing it isnât "oops money"âitâs $10,000 plus potential jail time (a lot less fun than an inbox full of spam orders).
What you actually have to do: First, breathe (this isnât a tax audit). Hereâs whatâs required once (not if) the CTA goes live:
Gather ID info for anyone who owns 25%+ of your biz or calls the shots (yes, even your silent-but-deadly investor cousin).
Keep track of business formation docsâFinCEN wants your legal name, address, and taxpayer ID.
File through FinCENâs online portal when required. Youâll have 30â90 days, depending on when your business was formed.
Stay updated. The Supreme Court is still deciding if this whole thing is even legal. The Supreme Court is set to hear arguments on March 25, 2025. If the ruling upholds the CTA, FinCEN could restart enforcement as early as mid-2025. Pre-2024 businesses will likely have until January 13, 2026, to file.
Why this matters for eComm: If youâre under 20 employees and making under $5M a year, youâre a target. The good news: this wonât impact how you collect payments, run ads, or ship productsâjust how much time you waste proving your business is legit. If youâre unsure whether this applies to you, check FinCENâs Small Entity Compliance Guideâbecause ignorance wonât be a good excuse when the fines hit.
The delay is a temporary win, but assume the worst.
Sources: btlaw.com, abcnews.com

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2) Meta flips Threads switch: Monetization mode activated.

Meta is sliding ads into Threads, and yeah, you probably saw this coming. The app blew up past 300 million users, so naturally, Zuck is flipping the switch to âmonetize mode.â If you're running an eComm shop, this is another ad opportunity (or headache, depending on how you feel about Meta's ad machine).
Whatâs happening: Meta started testing ads in Threads, sneaking them into home feeds just like Instagram. Right now, itâs limited to the U.S. and Japan, with only a handful of brands getting first dibs. These arenât random banner ads from 2005; they blend in like regular posts (because nobody clicks on obvious ads anymore).
Why this matters: Threads might not be a revenue machine yet, but 75% of its users follow at least one brand. Thatâs a lot of passive shopping behavior. Plus, if TikTok keeps fighting off bans and X keeps... whatever X is doing, Threads could quietly become the go-to platform for engagement-heavy ads.
This isn't a "drop everything and pivot" moment, but itâs a pay attention moment. Meta's playing the long game with Threads, and early adopters could win big. If nothing else, at least you wonât be the last one figuring out how to make it work while your competitors are already cashing in.
Sources: theverge.com, facebook.com

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3) Wix + Youtube = Sales while they watch cat videos đ±

eCommerce is a jungle, and YouTube just handed you a machete (a digital one, no actual blades). With Wix and Shopify both integrating with YouTube Shopping, you're about to go from âstruggling to get viewsâ to âringing up sales while someone watches cat videos.â
Wixâs move: Wix now lets you tag products in videos, Shorts, and live streams, and thereâs even a Store Tabâbasically, a mini eCommerce storefront on your YouTube channel. No more begging people to click a link in your description like itâs 2012. Plus, your product descriptions and images sync automatically, so you wonât have to manually update every little thing (because nobody has time for that).
Shopifyâs power play: Shopify went even bigger by letting Shopify Plus users get creators to push their products with YouTubeâs affiliate program. If youâve ever wished influencers would talk about your stuff instead of some random protein shake, this is your moment. Thereâs also a Chrome extension for creators to make tagging easier.
What you need to do:
Tag products in every video. Donât just slap them on your store and hope. Tag them. Everywhere.
Use Shorts because YouTube is pushing them hard (translation: free exposure).
Check your analytics. If nobody clicks on your tagged items, maybe that three-minute unboxing video isnât the move.
Test live shopping. Itâs QVC, but for the algorithm age. Show your product, answer questions, and sell in real-time.
Affiliate game. If youâre on Shopify Plus, find a creator who vibes with your brand and get them selling for you.
The fine print: YouTube Shopping isnât available everywhere yet, so double-check before you go all-in. Also, in-app checkout is limited, so some customers will still get redirected (but hey, at least theyâre already interested).
If youâre on Wix or Shopify, you now have a golden ticket to one of the biggest shopping platforms in the worldâembedded inside the biggest video platform in the world. If you donât use it, you might as well be selling flip phones in 2025.
Sources: wix.com, google.com

4) Swap + Avalara + Shopify = Customs clearance, but chill.

Duties, VAT, compliance checks â itâs like shipping orders through a bureaucratic escape room. Swap just teamed up with Avalara to make this easier, but letâs be real: itâs still tax season every day when you sell internationally.
Whatâs the deal: Swap (an Comm OS available on platforms like Shopify) eand Avalara (the tax compliance guru) are now besties. Their integration automates tax calculations, import duties, and customs paperwork. Translation: fewer âSorry, your order is stuck in customsâ emails. Brands like PANGAIA and Retrofete are on it.
How to actually use it:
Enable the integration in Swap (itâs built-in, so no tech gymnastics needed).
Let Avalara automate taxes (stop manually Googling âWhat is VAT in Belgium?â).
Pre-calculate duties at checkout (no customer wants a surprise customs bill).
Sync tax reporting (so you donât cry in April).
The fine print: This wonât magically make international logistics a joyride, but it removes a huge chunk of the tax drama. If you sell worldwide (or want to), this is your way to do it without hiring an entire tax law firm. Now go forth and sell, without playing customs roulette every time an order crosses a border.
Sources: swap-commerce.com, pymnts.com

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* Executive Cheat Sheet
FinCEN (Financial Crimes Enforcement Network): A U.S. government agency that enforces anti-money laundering laws and requires certain businesses to report ownership and financial details to prevent financial crimes.
Customs Duties: Taxes imposed on imported goods by a countryâs government, which eCommerce businesses must calculate and pay when selling products internationally.
Affiliate Marketing: A performance-based marketing strategy where businesses pay commissions to individuals or influencers who drive sales through tracked referral links.