👋 Happy Thursday! One ecommerce update this week could lower your selling costs. Another shows AI shopping is no longer experimental. Here's what I'd pay attention to.
Inside this issue:
📰 The Ecommerce Stories That Matter This Week
🎧 On The Pod: Product Sourcing for Shopify Brands
☕ Claus's Take: Can You Build a DTC Brand With No Money?
Grab your coffee. 3 minutes now. Better decisions all week
📰 THE STORIES WORTH YOUR TIME
📈 General Ecommerce News
🛒 Platforms & Marketplaces
📱Social Media, Search & Advertising
🎙️ ECOMMERCE COFFEE BREAK PODCAST
The Product Sourcing Playlist Every Shopify Brand Should Save
Finding profitable products is hard. Finding reliable suppliers is even harder.
That's why I pulled together some of my best podcast interviews on product sourcing, supplier relationships, inventory planning, wholesale, and print-on-demand—all in one Spotify playlist.
Whether you're launching your first product or expanding your catalog, these conversations can help you avoid costly mistakes and make smarter sourcing decisions.
📲 Want to listen on the go? Download our free podcast app.
If you’d like to be a guest, or make a guest recommendation, please let us know!
☕ CLAUS'S TAKE
(One opinion. One lesson. One action.)
Can You Build a DTC Brand With No Money?
Hot take: If you have $500 or less, you can still build an online business.
No investors. No bank loan. No crowdfunding.
In fact, I'd argue that's an advantage.
When money is tight, you're forced to focus on the only thing that matters:
Getting your first customer.
Too many new founders think they need a perfect website, custom packaging, and thousands of dollars in inventory before they can launch.
You don't.
If you already own a brick-and-mortar store, start by selling the products you already have online.
If you're starting a side hustle, begin with one product, a basic Shopify store, and free marketing channels like Instagram, TikTok, or email.
Your goal isn't to build the next Nike.
Your goal is to prove that someone you've never met will pay for what you're selling.
Once that happens, let your customers fund your growth. Reinvest your profits. Improve one step at a time.
That's how many successful DTC brands started. Not with big funding rounds, but with small wins that stacked up over time.
Your move: Forget about raising money. Focus on making your first sale. That first customer will teach you more than six months of planning ever will.
Here is my question to you: If you had just $500, would you start your online business today?
Hit reply with one word: YES or NO. I read every reply.
Don’t forget to grab our free online seller resources.
See you next Tuesday. I'll be back with the ecommerce stories everyone else is still catching up on.
~ Claus
If you want to revisit any past editions, you can find the full newsletter archive here.
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