Good morning, eComm legend.

Ah, the unmistakable scent of everything getting just a little more expensive. One day, you're sipping your coffee, admiring your Shopify dashboard like a proud business genius, the next, the government and global markets tag-team your margins like it's Wrestlemania X-Seven (and you’re not the one winning).

Yes, tariffs have kicked in, and no, you can’t expense stress-snacking as a business deduction. But before you spiral into spreadsheet purgatory, let's recalibrate. There’s always a play to make, a price to tweak, and—if all else fails—an excuse to finally explore suppliers who don’t need 18-day shipping and a prayer to arrive on time.

Stay sharp, adapt fast, and let’s get into it.

In today’s agenda:

1) U.S. tax hike → China hits back → Prices go up

2) Google Meridian: Bayesian math says your ads suck 🤓

3) Poshmark’s AI: Snap, list ✅

4) Kepler PDP+ fixes product pages.

— Written by Alex Secanove

1) U.S. tax hike → China hits back → Prices go up

The U.S. just made importing from China more expensive, effective February 4, 2025. All packages, no matter how small (yes, even your $2 silicone AirPods case), now get hit with a 10% tariff. And just for extra spice, the de minimis rule—aka the loophole that let you import small items duty-free—is gone.

What this means: If your store depends on Shein, Temu, or Alibaba for cheap inventory, congrats, your costs just went up. USPS even hit pause on accepting China parcels for a hot second because customs got swamped. You’ll need to adjust pricing or risk eating the margin hit.

The China comeback: China didn’t just sit there. They slapped tariffs on U.S. coal and gas, plus restricted exports of rare earth minerals (the stuff in your iPhone, laptop, and basically everything electronic). If your products need microchips, expect costs to go up across the board.

Meanwhile, in Europe: The EU is also cracking down. They’re ending the €150 duty-free exemption, which means every small import is getting slapped with VAT and customs fees. On top of that, platforms like Shein and Temu are being forced to take responsibility for product safety, and customs checks are tightening. Translation: slower shipping and higher costs if you sell into the EU.

What you can do:

• Find new suppliers: Alibaba’s got global options, not just China. Try Accio to find suppliers.

• Negotiate bulk deals: Bigger orders = lower per-unit costs, even with tariffs.

• Raise prices strategically: Round up pricing subtly (a $12.99 gadget still looks like $12, not $15).

• Ship smarter: Avoid express shipping from China; freight consolidation can help.

• Use domestic suppliers for high-turn items: Sure, it’s pricier, but faster delivery can justify it.

• For EU sellers, get VAT-ready: If you’re shipping there, make sure you’re compliant with new tax rules before customs starts holding your stock hostage.

Your next move: The easy import game is over. If your business model is “buy cheap, sell high,” rethink the plan before your margins go full ghost mode. Be the eComm boss who adapts, not the one who reminisces about the good old days of free shipping from Guangzhou.

Sources: (1) reuters.com, (2) reuters.com

2) Google Meridian: Bayesian math says your ads suck 🤓

Google just dropped a marketing nuke: Google's new Marketing Mix Model (MMM), Meridian, is out in the wild. It’s open-source, which means anyone (including you, yes, YOU) can use it to figure out where your ad dollars are actually working. If the words "Marketing Mix Model" make you want to fake a Zoom freeze, stick with me. This thing could change the way you run your store.

Why you should care: Traditional marketing measurement is about as accurate as estimating the price of a dinner date based on the menu photos. Click-based attribution: sketchy. Cookies: getting phased out faster than bad reality TV. Meridian uses Bayesian modeling (big brain math) to give you a clearer picture of what’s actually driving your sales—whether it’s Google Ads, YouTube, or that billboard you regret buying.

What this means for your budget: You know that moment when you realize half your ad budget is going to campaigns that convert about as well as a spam email? Meridian fixes that. It tells you which platforms are worth your money. And no, you don’t have to trust your gut or some dude on LinkedIn claiming Facebook is still the best.

How to actually use it:

• Go to Google Developers. Yes, it’s techy, so I’d recommend asking a data analyst on your team—or your nephew, who’s good with coding, numbers, and stuff.

• Plug in your data. Google Ads, Analytics, whatever you’ve got. The more, the better.

• Run simulations. Want to know what happens if you shift 20% of your budget from Google Search to YouTube? Meridian will tell you.

• Adjust and profit. Take what works, cut what doesn’t. If only we could do this with Netflix subscriptions.

No more marketing guesswork: Meridian makes you look like a data genius without actually needing to be one. And it’s free. If you’re running a Shopify store and spending more than $1,000/month on ads, ignoring this tool would be like ignoring a fire alarm because you’re "too busy."

Sources: google.com

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3) Poshmark’s AI: Snap, list ✅

The struggle: Listing products online is like assembling IKEA furniture without the manual. It takes forever, you’re questioning your life choices, and something always looks a little...off. Enter Poshmark’s Smart List AI.

What it does: Smart List AI takes a single photo of your item and auto-generates the title, description, size, category, and even color. If you’re spending 5+ minutes per listing, this could cut that time in half. For high-volume sellers, that’s basically getting an extra hour in your day to, you know, do literally anything else (like finally figuring out why your website’s abandoned cart rate is 80%).

The tactical moves: If you list your products on Poshmark, here’s how to make Smart List AI work for you instead of letting it run wild like an overenthusiastic intern:

• Give it good photos. The AI isn’t psychic. Bad lighting = bad descriptions. Stick to clear, well-lit images on a solid background.

• Double-check everything. AI is great, but sometimes it misreads things. If your red sweater gets listed as "neon green gothic corset," that’s on you.

• SEO it up. AI-generated titles are decent, but adding specifics like "vintage," "Y2K," or "NWT" (new with tags) will boost visibility.

• Batch your listings. Snap all your photos, upload them at once, and power through edits in one go. Efficiency level: unlocked.

• Compare with competitors. See how similar items are listed manually. If AI-generated descriptions look weak, tweak them to match what’s actually selling.

The limits: If you sell unique, handmade, or niche items (like rare anime merch from 2003), AI might struggle. Also, it’s currently iOS-only, so if you're team Android, you’re out of luck for now. And while AI speeds up listings, it won’t magically boost sales—your pricing, photos, and engagement still matter.

Sources: poshmark.com

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* Executive Cheat Sheet

• De minimis rule – A trade regulation that exempts low-value imported goods from duties and taxes, which has now been removed in the U.S. and EU, making all imports subject to tariffs.

• Bayesian modeling – A statistical method that updates probabilities based on new data, used by Google’s Meridian to improve ad performance predictions.

• Marketing Mix Model (MMM) – A data-driven approach that analyzes how different marketing channels contribute to sales, helping businesses allocate budgets more effectively.

• Product Detail Page (PDP) – The webpage that provides detailed information about a product, including descriptions, images, and pricing, essential for eCommerce conversions.