⭐ September 16 – Your Ecommerce Coffee Break (Issue 170)

👋 It’s Tuesday, and here’s your first ecom news roundup of the week: Tariffs are pushing prices up across retail. TikTok finally struck a deal with China, and generative AI is driving massive traffic—and sales—on shopping sites.

Grab your coffee, it’s a 1-min skim or a 3-minute to make you a smarter online seller.

In Today’s Edition:

• Today’s Headlines Handpicked For You!

• 🎧 On the Pod: Ecommerce Advertising: A Comprehensive Guide

• Why Your User Generated Content Isn’t Converting

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📰 WHAT’S HAPPENING

📈 General Ecommerce News

• Tariffs trigger rising prices [read more]

• TikTok deal with China finalized, says Trump admin [read more]

• Holiday shoppers expect less discounts in 2025 [read more]

• Gen AI boosts US shopping site traffic 4,700% [read more]

• AI hosts and chatbots already drive 30% of China’s sales [read more]

🛒 Platforms & Marketplaces

• Amazon’s AI Focuses on Supply, Shopify’s on Demand [read more]

• Ecommerce Navigation: Helping Customers Find & Buy [read more]

• Amazon requires electronics sellers to prove authenticity [read more]

• Amazon Turns Product Reviews Into AI Summaries [read more]

📱Social Media & Advertising

• 10 Content Marketing Tips to Improve Your Strategy [read more]

• Top Performance Max optimization tips [read more]

• Meta releases new ad formats [read more]

• Google adds purchase tracking in Gmail [read more]

• Google Merchant Center rolled out new policies [read more]
  

🎙️ ECOMMERCE COFFEE BREAK PODCAST

Ecommerce Advertising: A Comprehensive Guide

In this episode, we explore the challenges of standing out in crowded marketplaces and driving real e-commerce growth.

Noah Wickham, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at My Amazon Guy, shares his approach to helping brands succeed by focusing on differentiation, understanding the competitive landscape, and creating a strong brand identity.

He also gives actionable advice on advertising, keyword research, and using data to boost sales.

🎧 Play Episode: [Website] [Apple Podcasts] [Spotify] [YouTube]

Please Rate & Review: Help others discover the show by rating the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

📨 NEWSLETTER I READ

Want a peek into the tactics and strategies employed by the Top 1% on Amazon?

In Best@Amazon, Jon Derkits, a former Amazon marketplace leader and current 8-figure seller reveals the secret tactics and strategies employed by the Top 1% of Amazon sellers. Subscribe today and learn what it takes to be a Top 1% seller.

🚨 WHY YOUR USER GENERATED CONTENT ISN’T CONVERTING

Most user-generated content looks great in a feed—but fails to drive sales.

The problem: Brands often focus on polish over people. They either give creators no direction at all or force them into stiff scripts. The result? Content that looks staged, feels fake, and gets swiped past in seconds.

The truth: Pretty videos don’t equal profit. Even a clip that racks up 10M views can bring in $0 revenue if it doesn’t connect with your audience or push them to act.

What actually works:

• Clarity over volume — don’t flood your channels, align each piece with strategy.

• Light briefs — explain what resonates, then let creators add their own voice.

• Platform fit — tailor the hook and pacing to TikTok, Meta, or YouTube.

• Testing loops — treat UGC as a system of learning, not a one-hit wonder.

• Build trust first — sales come after connection, not before.

Why it matters: UGC is one of the most powerful tools in ecommerce marketing—but only if it’s authentic and intentional. The brands winning today are the ones building content ecosystems, not just chasing virality.

🎧 Want to go deeper? Check out our conversation with Elijah Khasabo, founder of Vidovo, as we dig into how to build UGC that actually sells. 👉 Listen here.

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