I have argued that tariffs and trade uncertainty could unsettle ecommerce businesses while creating opportunities for lean brands and new Shopify stores. These are predictions and observations, not measured outcomes; the posts do not identify the specific tax or trade developments, businesses, or evidence behind them. My views connect to us china trade talks and truces, ecommerce shifts to new markets, and businesses coping with tariff costs.
On February 6, 2025, I predicted that tax pressure may remove thin-margin, over-leveraged ecommerce players and leave room for lean brands; I described this as “tax pressure may remove thin-margin, over-leveraged ecommerce players and leave room for lean brands.” I recommended staying patient and consistent, but gave no evidence or timeframe for the prediction.
On April 11, 2025, I predicted that many ecommerce businesses “many will go out of business in the next month or two.” The post did not identify the businesses or give evidence for the prediction.
On April 17, 2025, I said that people just starting a Shopify store had “nothing to lose and everything to gain” from the trade-war situation. I said big brands still leveraged from the previous Q4 were particularly in trouble, while acknowledging that small businesses were affected too; I expressed sympathy but did not explain how a new store could benefit.
On May 4, 2025, I asked whether people in the US were looking at “made in China” labels differently amid the current events. I called the times wild and said “volatility creates insane opportunities”; I did not specify the developments or quantify the opportunities.
Related: businesses coping with tariff costs, ecommerce shifts to new markets, ecommerce gold rush opportunities