TikTok Could Be Gone by January 19 🚫

Every year starts with a spark of possibility, but this one’s special. Why 🤭? Because it’s 2025—the year to turn your ecommerce goals into lasting legacies 🎉!

Happy New Year, Ecom Fam ​​🥳! We’re thrilled to kick off another exciting 365 days with you, bringing the buzz, trends, strategies, and inspiration to fuel your ecommerce success.

In this first issue of The Ecom Press, we’re diving straight into the headlines: TikTok is under threat of a potential ban by January 19, Walmart faces legal trouble over its driver pay scheme, and Google rolls out new brand guidelines for PMax campaigns.

By the way, what’s a new year without a New Year's resolution 😏? We’ve rounded up game-changing tips to supercharge your ecommerce journey in 2025.

So grab your coffee (or champagne—we’re still celebrating!), and let’s jump in! 🚀

In a rush? Here's the juice🤭:

🚫 TikTok could be gone by January 19.

📝 Google introduces brand guidelines for PMax campaigns. 

👨🏽‍⚖️ CFPB sues Walmart for exploiting delivery drivers.

🚀 Ecom Strategies: 5 Tips to Supercharge Ecommerce Journey in 2025

⚡️Worthy Mentions

🚫 TikTok could be gone by January 19.

Following a federal appeals court ruling, TikTok could disappear from U.S. app stores as soon as January 19, 2025. With 170 million U.S. users and countless businesses relying on the platform, the impact could be massive.

Here’s the lowdown ⬇️:

👨🏽‍⚖️ The Court’s Verdict: A U.S. federal appeals court upheld legislation requiring ByteDance to sell TikTok’s U.S. operations or face removal. “Congress has acted decisively to defend the national security of the United States,” said Representatives John Moolenaar and Raja Krishnamoorthi in a joint statement.

🪧Lawmakers’ Demand: Apple and Google were told to prepare for TikTok’s removal from their app stores. If the ban takes effect, existing users might temporarily retain access, but the platform would eventually become unusable without updates or support.

🗣️TikTok’s Response: TikTok called the ruling a threat to free speech and warned it would “cripple the platform in the United States.” ByteDance has filed an emergency appeal to delay the ban, with the Supreme Court set to hear arguments on January 10.

Trump’s Intervention 🚨: 

President-elect Donald Trump has urged the Supreme Court to delay the ban, calling it “an unprecedented tension between free speech and national security.” While Trump stopped short of opposing the ruling outright, he argued for more time to pursue a political resolution, suggesting alternatives that avoid drastic actions, like a total ban. 

Why it matters 🧐

For ecommerce merchants, TikTok has been a key platform for product discovery, customer engagement, and viral marketing. A potential ban could disrupt businesses relying on TikTok ads and creator collaborations. Whether the ban happens or not, diversify your marketing efforts by investing in alternative platforms like Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and Pinterest Ads to mitigate potential losses.

📝 Google introduces brand guidelines for PMax campaigns. 

Google is making it easier for brands to maintain consistency in their ads with a major update to Performance Max campaigns. Starting January 20, 2025, PMax campaigns will feature centralized brand guidelines, changing how business names, logos, and other assets are managed. 

Here’s what you need to know 🤓:

Key highlights 🔦

• Google is rolling out brand guidelines for Performance Max campaigns, enabling stricter control over brand representation in automated assets.

• Assets like BUSINESS_NAME, LOGO, and LANDSCAPE_LOGO must now be linked at the campaign level, ensuring uniformity across ad formats.

Impact on API Users 💥

• The current Google Ads API (v18) does not support creating campaigns with brand guidelines enabled, requiring manual adjustments.

• For now, API users must use the AssetGroupAsset resource to link required assets, but future updates will enable full support for brand guidelines.

Why the change 🤷‍♂️?

Google aims to enhance how brands are represented in automated ad formats like YouTube videos and Google Display Network ads, ensuring consistent and authentic branding across campaigns. 

For advertisers, this update reduces discrepancies in branding while offering a more streamlined approach to managing assets. Small businesses relying on Performance Max campaigns can now ensure consistent brand identity across all ad formats, potentially improving campaign performance.

👨🏽‍⚖️ CFPB sues Walmart for exploiting delivery drivers.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has filed a lawsuit against Walmart and Branch Messenger, for allegedly deceiving delivery drivers and forcing them into costly deposit accounts under Walmart's Spark Driver Program.

Here’s the scoop 🍨: 

❌ Illegal Account Creation: The CFPB alleges Walmart and Branch Messenger opened Branch accounts for over one million Spark Driver Program participants without their consent. Using drivers’ personal information, including Social Security numbers, these accounts were set up as the sole method for receiving payments. Drivers were forced to agree to Branch’s terms and conditions to access their earnings.

🚧 Pay Access Barriers: Contrary to claims of “instant access,” many drivers faced delays when trying to retrieve their pay. To transfer funds to their preferred accounts, they often had to pay additional fees, adding to frustrations and financial burdens.

💸 $10 Million in Fees: Spark drivers collectively paid over $10 million in fees to transfer their earnings. This practice, described as harvesting "junk fees," compounded the financial strain on gig workers already operating in a low-margin sector.

👎 Branch’s Broader Misconduct: Branch is also accused of failing to honor stop-payment requests, maintain proper records, and investigate errors, all of which are required under federal consumer protection laws.

🏹 CFPB’s Actions and Goals: The CFPB’s lawsuit seeks to halt these practices immediately, secure compensation for the affected drivers, and impose penalties. The Bureau is also leveraging this case to highlight broader issues around fintech partnerships and gig worker protections.

Why it matters 🤷‍♂️

This lawsuit is clearly a fair reminder to both small business owners and the like to ensure fair payment systems and transparency. And as the gig economy expands, maintaining trust and avoiding legal pitfalls will be critical for long-term success. 

Ultimately, when partnering with fintechs, it goes beyond compliance with federal laws to avoid penalties to really protecting relationships with workers who are the backbone of your operations.

🛎️ The Ecom Press Insider

Ecom Fact: In 2024, merchandise was projected to hit about 17%, totaling a staggering $890 billion—up from $743 billion in 2023 (Source: National Retail Federation). 

Returns are a nightmare to many brands 😫, especially when they involve high costs and logistics headaches, all while trying to maintain customer satisfaction. 

The trick? Tighten return policies (like shorter return windows and restocking fees) while still keeping customers happy. Otherwise, try “keep it” refunds—where shoppers get their money back but keep the product (win-win!). For a sustainable twist, invest in resale or buyback programs to give those goods a second chance at life 💪.

🚀 Ecom Strategies: 5 Tips to Supercharge Ecommerce Journey in 2025

2025 isn’t just a fresh start—it’s a blank canvas 📋. You didn’t get it right in 2024? Well, it's a new year and, of course, a new opportunity to reimagine, reinvent, and crush your ecommerce goals. Here are 5 strategies that’ll set the tone for a successful year ahead 🔥. 

🔎 Analyze 2024 Performance: Before diving into the new year, take a moment to reflect. What worked in 2024? Which campaigns fell flat? Identify your top-performing products, platforms, and customer segments to build on that success. Use analytics tools to uncover hidden patterns—like which times of year your customers shop the most—to fine-tune your 2025 plans.

📈 Set Clear, Actionable Goals: Instead of vague resolutions like "grow sales," set specific goals. In fact, you can utilize SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound)—it never gets old. For example, aim to "increase email click-through rates by 20% by Q2." Break big goals into bite-sized tasks so you can celebrate small wins along the way.

💡 Plan Campaigns in Advance: If 2024 felt like a scramble, make 2025 the year of preparation. Plot out your major campaigns—Valentine’s Day, summer sales, Black Friday—and create a timeline. Leave wiggle room for trends or unexpected opportunities, like viral TikTok challenges.

🤖 Embrace AI and AR: AI can simplify everything from product recommendations to customer support. Augmented reality (AR) lets customers “try before they buy,” whether it’s seeing a couch in their living room or a shade of lipstick on their face. Start small with tools like Shopify’s Sidekick, or try an AR tool like Threekit for your store to test the waters.

📹 Leverage UGC and EGC: User-generated content (UGC) builds trust, while employee-generated content (EGC) humanizes your brand. Encourage customers to share product reviews, photos, and videos, and involve your team in sharing behind-the-scenes moments. Offer incentives like discounts for UGC or gamify the experience with rewards for engagement.

In the end, resolutions are great. But without execution, they’re simply wishes. So why not make a difference by starting NOW? Who knows, your business could be the next big success story of 2025—one bold step at a time. 

⚡️Worthy Mentions

• Puma partners with Netflix for new fashion line inspired by Squid Game.

• Amazon plans to expand ad slots on Prime Video in 2025. 

• Google announces 2024's most searched topic trends.

• TikTok launches new Contact Card feature for business accounts.

• Instagram is predicted to generate half of Meta's advertising revenue in 2025.

Wrapping up…

With all that happened in 2024, we’re definitely in for a ride this new year 🚘. Ecommerce keeps evolving with impressive innovations, and we’re excited to bring the latest trends right to your inboxes 🗳️. 

But, before you hit the ground running, take a moment to relish your successes so far, learn from your previous mistakes, and strategize for your biggest year yet.

As always, we’ll be here to cheer you on 📣,come rain, come shine. 

Once again, Happy New Year fam🥳! 

PS: Smash that subscribe button if you haven’t already, and we’ll see you next week 😉!