How ecommerce brands are navigating 2025’s trade turbulence

If you’re in ecommerce, you’ve probably felt the chaos of the US tariff shake-up over the past few months. Between rising costs, supply chain headaches, and growing uncertainty, brands are feeling the pressure. It’s forcing businesses to rethink how they operate.

We spoke to three experts in the ecommerce industry to understand how brands can navigate the shifting landscape.

First up, Vervaunt—an ecommerce consultancy and marketing agency helping brands scale through growth-focused campaigns. Then we’ll hear from Quickfire, a Shopify Plus agency known for building high-impact websites for fast-moving ecommerce teams. And finally, our co-founder Martin, who has practical advice for brands navigating uncertain times.

How tariffs are affecting ecommerce brands

91% of brand leaders say tariffs are one of the biggest threats they’ll face in the next 6 to 12 months. And as Barrett, Vervaunt’s Technical eCommerce Consultant, told us:

“With new ‘reciprocal’ tariffs being paused, reintroduced, and layered on top of a 10% blanket levy—plus rising tensions with China—the international trade playbook is changing fast.”

But what does that actually mean for ecommerce brands?

Tariffs have always squeezed margins—but in 2025, the bigger issue might be the uncertainty.

“The biggest impact of tariffs isn’t just the cost increase,” says Nathan, co-founder at Quickfire Digital. “It’s the uncertainty and damage to consumer confidence.”

That uncertainty has already had real-world consequences. In February, the U.S. Postal Service paused shipments from China and Hong Kong—catching thousands of ecommerce brands off guard. One day it’s business as usual; the next, your entire supply chain is on pause.

And when things become that unpredictable, brands get cautious. Projects are delayed, investments are put on hold and everyone's waiting to see what happens next.

But Barrett told us that a wait-and-see mindset can be just as risky.

“Brands can no longer rely on universal trade rules. The operational reality can shift overnight.”

And not every industry is feeling the impact in the same way.

In the beauty sector, strict formulation and testing rules make switching suppliers a slow and complex process. In fashion, seasonal timelines mean brands can’t pivot sourcing plans quickly without missing entire product cycles.

Quickfire’s also seeing challenges in automotive:

“The automotive industry has been among the hardest hit,” Nathan explains. “New U.S. tariffs—even on some USMCA-compliant imports—are pushing manufacturers to bring more operations back to the U.S. And in fast fashion, companies like Shein are under pressure not just from tariffs, but also from growing ethical scrutiny and consumer backlash. For those relying on ultra-low-cost manufacturing, the playbook is wearing thin—and getting riskier by the day.”

So, what can brands actually do to protect themselves? Let’s break it down in the next section.

5 ways brands can respond to the tariff rollercoaster

The current landscape for ecommerce is unpredictable, but as Nathan at Quickfire told us: “The brands that thrive don’t sit in crisis mode - they adapt.” 🙌

With that in mind, here are five actionable steps you can take to stay ahead of whatever comes next.

Diversifying supply chains

Both Vervaunt and Quickfire are seeing brands actively pursue alternative sourcing strategies. Nearshoring—which is the process of moving manufacturing or suppliers closer to the brand’s home market—is becoming more common, with Mexico and the U.S. emerging as popular options. This shift is happening despite the high upfront costs and longer lead times.

“It can take 12 to 18 months to realign a supply chain,” says Barrett. “Delaying these decisions risks future stockouts, uncompetitive pricing, or market exclusion.”

Some clients are exploring bonded warehouses and foreign trade zones (FTZs) to retain more flexibility. Others are rethinking manufacturing entirely—especially in sectors like automotive and fashion, where compliance and seasonality add pressure.

Targeted pricing changes

Rather than apply across-the-board surcharges, many brands are tweaking prices SKU-by-SKU. Beauty and fashion labels, in particular, are selectively raising prices on ‘hero products’ and new launches while holding entry-level products steady to protect perceived value.

“This kind of surgical pricing protects conversion,” explains Barrett, “and reduces the cost of repricing entire catalogs.”

Planning for different scenarios

Scenario planning is now a core competency. Brands are developing operational playbooks to simulate different tariff levels—10%, 20%, 25%—and explore how each would impact sourcing, pricing, and customer communication.

Communication matters just as much. Authentic, empathetic messaging—focused on what’s known, what’s unknown, and what steps the brand is taking—builds trust without veering into political commentary.

“This kind of transparency builds loyalty,” says Barrett. “Especially when customers can see you’re doing your best in a tough environment.”

Make your content work harder

When budgets are tight and hiring’s on pause, the smartest brands aren’t doing more—they’re doing better with what they’ve already got.

We’re seeing Dash customers take a close look at how they manage and reuse content. Instead of commissioning new shoots for every campaign, they’re digging into their existing libraries, surfacing high-performing assets, and putting them to work across channels. It’s saving money and time—especially for stretched marketing teams trying to do more with less.

“Save time so your existing team can do more,” says Martin, Dash’s co-founder. “And cut down on the cost of content creation by reusing visuals you already have.”

With the right tools in place, brands can keep momentum going—even when resourcing is a challenge.

Equip your stockists to sell more

Your retail partners play a big role in how your products perform—especially when tariffs cause unexpected price shifts or delays. But if they don’t have the right content to hand, even your best products can sit unsold.

Martin says the brands getting this right are making sure their stockists and resellers have instant access to everything they need. That includes up-to-date product shots, lifestyle imagery, campaign assets and usage rights. He says:

“Build better relationships with stockists and ensure they have everything they need to sell more of your products. When your partners are confident, consistent, and well-equipped, everyone wins… even when the market gets messy!”

Leaning in on technology

Tech is playing a big role in helping brands handle the tariff chaos. Shopify rolled out a bunch of new features in early 2025, including AI-powered tariff estimates, prepaid shipping labels, and delivery duty-paid options. This makes it easier for merchants to manage duties and avoid surprises at checkout.

Quickfire shared a smart example too. Nathan told us:

“We have revised a client’s checkout to invite customers to purchase their EU and non-EU items (for shipping to America) separately. This UX change avoided entire orders getting hit with the same China tariff rate.”

What’s more, Vervaunt explains how there are tools that automatically classify products using HS codes. This helps brands avoid costly misclassifications or overpaying on duties by mistake.

Preparing for more than just tariffs

While the current crisis is tariffs, the bigger shakeup might still be on the horizon.

Quickfire predicts that Agentic commerce is the next big shift in ecommerce.

Agentic commerce is where AI agents shop on behalf of customers. Instead of users manually searching and buying, AI systems will make decisions, compare options, and even complete purchases based on a customer’s preferences.

Nathan says: “Agentic commerce is coming quicker than we realise—and it’s going to shake things up in a big way.”

For consumers, this will likely lead to less impulse-driven shopping and more logic-led decisions. For brands, it means they need to be on top of product data, pricing transparency, and operational efficiency.

Where do brands go from here? (2025 and beyond)

There’s no doubt the current trade environment has thrown a curveball at ecommerce brands. Tariffs are unpredictable, consumer confidence is shaky, and the old playbook for growth is starting to show its cracks.

But as we’ve heard from Vervaunt, Quickfire, and Dash’s own team—it’s not about having all the answers. It’s about building the ability to adapt when things shift.

Whether you’re rethinking your supply chain, adjusting pricing strategies, or just trying to do more with fewer resources, one thing is clear: the brands that stay curious, stay agile, and take action early will be the ones that come out stronger.

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