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Snapchat Lets Users Feature in Ads With Sponsored AI Lenses 📸

Also: eBay’s Magical AI Tool slashes mobile listing time for sellers 🪄, plus what happened this week in the Trump tariff saga 🚢.

April 16, 2025

Imagine starring in an ad... that’s literally made for you. Now that’s personalization on steroids 😅.

Hey hey, welcome to a fresh new week and another edition of The Ecom Press 🗞️!

This week, Snapchat is letting users step into the ad spotlight with its new Sponsored AI Lenses 🎭. Over at eBay, listing items just got way easier thanks to their Magical AI tool 🪄.

And of course, the tariff saga continues. Trump’s trade chess with China is heating up, and it’s already reshaping ecommerce from pricing to postal logistics. 

Worried about staying profitable amid rising costs? Don’t worry, we’ve got your back with 5 candid strategies to help you ride the tariff wave like a pro 🤓.

There’s a lot to unpack, so let’s get into it, already 🏄!

In a rush? Here's the juice🤭:

📸 Snapchat lets users feature in ads with Sponsored AI Lenses.

🪄eBay’s Magical AI Tool slashes mobile listing time for sellers.

🚢 What happened this week in the Trump tariff saga

🚀 Ecom Strategies: 5 Candid Steps to Stay Profitable Amid Surging Tariffs

⚡️Worthy Mentions

📸 Snapchat lets users feature in ads with Sponsored AI Lenses.

Source: Snapchat

Snapchat has officially launched Sponsored AI Lenses, giving brands a fresh and interactive way to advertise using generative AI. While Snapchat has long been known for its AR filters, this new format goes a step further by replacing traditional 3D design with AI-generated scenes that integrate a user’s selfie into fun, immersive settings. 

The goal? Create more personal, shareable moments while cutting production time for brands.

Here’s the lowdown ⬇️:

  • How It Works 🤳: The Sponsored AI Lenses use Snap’s proprietary generative AI to analyze a user’s face from a selfie and transform them into an AI-generated environment. Each Lens can feature up to 10 different variations, triggered by preset prompts and poses. Users stay fully inside the Snapchat app during the experience, no redirects necessary.

  • Creative Flexibility for Brands 🎨: Unlike traditional filters that require 3D or VFX design, these new Lenses are built on AI templates, drastically reducing production timelines and enabling faster campaign rollouts. Brands can now focus more on storytelling and less on asset-heavy development.

  • Early Adopters and Results 📊: Brands like Uber and Tinder were among the first to test the format with themed activations like “My Thanksgiving Vibe” and “My 2025 Dating Vibe.” Snap says these AI Lenses outperformed standard ones in playtime and engagement, with up to 25–45% more impressions in a single day.

They also appear in the app’s Lens Carousel, which sees daily engagement from over 300 million users.

Why it matters 🤷‍♂️

With brands like Amazon rolling out virtual try-ons, Snapchat is carving out its own lane in the experiential commerce space. These AI-powered Lenses blur the line between entertainment and advertising, letting users interact with products in a fun, personal way, all without leaving the app or making a purchase. Beyond visibility, this also allows users to feel like part of your brand story. 

Source: eBay

eBay has released a new mobile selling tool that simplifies how users create listings, specifically for private sellers in the U.S., U.K., and Germany. The tool leverages what eBay calls its “magical listing” AI technology, which allows users to start the listing process with just a product photo and a title. From there, AI handles the heavy lifting.

Here’s how it works 🧐:

📸 AI Starts with a Snapshot: The new tool skips the usual catalog search and gets straight to work. Sellers simply upload or snap a photo, enter a title, and the AI suggests product details and categories. It’s designed to streamline the process from start to finish, with no more endless dropdowns or manual input. See it in action.

⌛ Cut in Half, Twice as Fast: Early tests in the U.K. showed promising results: the number of steps needed to list an item dropped by 50%, and listings were completed more quickly. eBay says the AI’s accuracy will improve with continued updates throughout the year.

🧰 Part of eBay’s Bigger AI Makeover: This isn’t just a one-off fix. eBay has been building a full suite of AI tools, from bulk image-to-draft listings, to background enhancement for product photos, and automated ad tips in Seller Hub. It’s all aimed at making selling smoother, especially for casual users.

Why it matters 🤨

This means less friction, more listings, and more sales, especially for small-scale sellers. eBay’s AI-driven tool lowers the barrier for casual sellers who might not have the time or patience for long listing forms. And as resale continues to grow, making it just as easy to sell as it is to shop will definitely become a competitive edge. 

🚢 What happened this week in the Trump tariff saga

Source: Los Angeles Times

Here’s a quick look at the key escalations and countermoves over the past week, and how they’re reshaping ecommerce.

April 9 - Major Tariff Escalation: Trump took things up a notch by signing an executive order that raised tariffs on Chinese imports to an effective 145%, following a last-minute 50% bump on top of existing hikes. He also tripled the de minimis duty rate on parcels under $800 from China and Hong Kong, now subject to a 90% duty and $75 per-item fee starting May 1 (rising to $150 by June).

This hits ecommerce sellers hard, especially those using small parcels for low-value direct-to-consumer shipments.

April 10 - China Hits Back: China responded swiftly with 84% tariffs on U.S. goods, placed 12 U.S. firms on its export control list, and added 6 to its unreliable entity list, blocking their trade and investment activity. Its Ministry of Commerce released a warning-laced white paper saying the tariffs would spark inflation, reduce U.S. competitiveness, and possibly tip the country into recession.

April 14 - More Threats Incoming: The Trump admin confirmed the increases and floated future tariffs targeting semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, and critical minerals. Meanwhile, other countries were given a 90-day grace window, but China was excluded.

April 15 - 16 - Tensions Go Diplomatic: The White House said “the ball is in China’s court,” demanding Beijing make the next move. China appointed a new trade envoy, hinting at openness to negotiation. Elsewhere, Trump accused China of ditching a major Boeing aircraft deal, and Hong Kong suspended postal shipments to the U.S., another blow to ecommerce logistics.

Why it matters 🤔

With this fast-escalating geopolitical tug-of-war, we’re going to witness increased shipping costs and reduced cross-border flexibility to the complete elimination of duty-free thresholds. And of course, small sellers, especially those importing from China, face a tough road ahead.

Sadly, tariffs have a ripple effect because as the trade war heats up, the costs may trickle down to consumers, push sellers to rethink supply chains, and widen the gap between large retailers and small independents.

🛎️ The Ecom Press Insider

Source: ChatGPT Image Generator 

Ecom Fact: 81% of ecommerce decision-makers now see shifting tariffs as a major risk to their global strategy (Source: Passport & Drive Research)

Trade policy is no longer just a political talking point but a serious business variable. If you're building a global ecommerce strategy, it’s not enough to optimize for speed and cost anymore. You’ve got to bake in flexibility. Diversifying your sourcing, exploring regional fulfillment, and staying agile could be the difference between profit and panic when the next tariff hits.

🚀 Ecom Strategies: 5 Candid Steps to Stay Profitable Amid Surging Tariffs

Tariffs are definitely squeezing margins and testing business resilience. If you're navigating ecommerce right now, here’s how to stay ahead without burning out or pricing yourself out.

1. Diversify Your Supply Chain: Don’t wait until tariff hikes bite. Explore other sourcing options and look into nearshoring with partners in Mexico or Canada, who currently enjoy tariff exemptions. Just be sure to weigh quality control and capacity, shortcuts now can cost more later.

2. Rework Your Value Proposition: If prices are going up, the perceived value has to follow. Bundle products, offer generous guarantees, introduce loyalty perks, and polish every customer touchpoint. The goal? Make customers feel they’re getting more, even if they’re paying more.

3. Communicate Like a Pro: Nobody likes surprise fees or delays. Be upfront with your customers. Update your shipping policy, notify them about delays, and explain the why. Educated customers are more likely to stay loyal, especially if you tie transparency to exclusive perks.

4. Consider Strategic Price Increases: Don’t just raise prices across the board. Use data to spot products with pricing flexibility. Offset tariff costs strategically, and cushion the blow with smart offers (like free shipping thresholds or bundles).

5. Turn Loyalty into a Safety Net: Now’s the time to double down on retention. Run campaigns for your best customers, create VIP-only benefits, or reward patience with store credit. A solid base can stabilize your revenue when acquisition gets expensive.

Tariffs may be political, but to be fair, your response doesn’t have to be reactive. Plan smart, price smarter, and keep delivering value where it matters most.

⚡️Worthy Mentions

Wrapping up…

Between AI-powered ads and one-tap listings, this week proved one thing: ecommerce is getting a serious glow-up. 💅✨

But while tech is working in your favor, the tariff tension is no joke. The U.S.-China back-and-forth is escalating fast, and it’s a good time to ask: Is your supply chain built to bend without breaking 🤔? 

As always, we’ll be right here next week with the latest scoop, ready to help you stay ahead.

For now, hit that subscribe button, and we’ll catch you in the next issue 📬!