Trump Bans Cheap Chinese Imports (Just Not Yet) 🚨

Trump just shut down Shein and Temu’s biggest advantage—a ban that isn’t quite a ban… yet 🫠.

Heya, and welcome to another issue of The Ecom Press 🗞️!

Beyond the tariff drama 🚢, Google is cracking down on frustrating ad experiences—if your landing page doesn’t deliver, your ads might disappear. Meanwhile, Meta is making ad automation even stronger with AI 🤖.

And by the way, we’re talking about urgency that actually converts in Ecom Insider.

A lot to unpack already. Guess you’re ready? Let’s dive in!

In a rush? Here's the juice🤭:

🚨 Trump bans cheap Chinese imports (just not yet).

👎 Google Search Ads now penalizes poor landing pages.

🤖 Meta expands AI-powered ads with new Advantage+ tools.

🚀 Ecom Strategies: 5 Unconventional Strategies to Create Urgency in Your Ecommerce Campaigns

⚡️Worthy Mentions

🚨 Trump bans cheap Chinese imports (just not yet).

Trump has officially revoked China’s access to the de minimis trade exemption, a major loophole that allowed Chinese retailers like Shein and Temu to ship goods to American consumers tax-free. However, in a last-minute move, Trump has delayed full enforcement, saying customs systems need to be upgraded before tariffs can be properly collected.

The lowdown ⬇️

🚫 What Is De Minimis and Why Did It Matter?

The de minimis rule allowed foreign sellers to ship items under $800 without paying import duties or taxes. Originally designed to simplify small-scale trade, it turned into a massive e-commerce pipeline, bringing in over 1 billion duty-free packages last year alone. 

Shein and Temu built their business models around this exemption, flooding the U.S. with cheap, direct-from-China products.

⏳ Trump’s Temporary Reprieve—But for How Long?

While the exemption is officially revoked, Trump delayed its enforcement, saying U.S. customs isn’t yet equipped to efficiently collect duties on the flood of small parcels. There’s no set timeline for when the system will be ready, but once in place, Chinese sellers will be forced to pay tariffs, raising prices and complicating logistics.

💰 China Strikes Back with Tariffs of Its Own

In retaliation, China imposed new tariffs (10-15%) on U.S. exports like crude oil, coal, and agricultural machinery. It also restricted the export of key industrial metals needed for American manufacturing and tech production, signaling further tensions ahead.

📦 Temu & Shein’s Scramble to Adapt:

• Going Global: Both companies have distanced themselves from China: Temu moved its parent company to Ireland, while Shein operates under a Singapore-based entity.

• Workarounds: Temu is showcasing more U.S.-made products, likely to sidestep future trade restrictions.

• Logistics Nightmare: Vendors selling through Temu & Shein are being forced to pay a 30% tariff deposit, which will either be refunded or topped up based on final customs charges. Many fear delays, price hikes, and lost sales.

Why it matters 🤔

Trade tensions are escalating, which means higher prices and longer shipping times for consumers, possibly pushing some shoppers back to domestic brands. Third-party sellers on Amazon, eBay, and Etsy that built their business around de minimis trade exemption also risk being caught in the crossfire.

👎 Google Search Ads now penalizes poor landing pages.

Google has introduced a new Search ads prediction model to improve ad quality by evaluating landing page experience. The update is designed to reduce frustrating ad clicks where users end up on irrelevant or hard-to-navigate pages. If a landing page doesn’t provide a smooth experience, the ad leading to it is now less likely to appear in search results.

This means advertisers will need to prioritize clear, user-friendly navigation to maintain visibility in Google Search ads. The goal is to enhance user experience by ensuring searchers quickly find what they need without unnecessary backtracking.

⚒️ How does it work?

• Previously, Google mainly assessed content relevance when ranking ads. Now, it goes further by evaluating the overall usability of the landing page.

• If an ad leads to a page that doesn’t match user expectations or lacks clear navigation, it will be downranked or even excluded from search results.

• A real-world example: If someone clicks on an ad expecting a login page but lands on a promotion instead, the new model evaluates how easily the user can find the login page from there. If it’s difficult to locate, that ad might not be shown as frequently moving forward.

Why it matters 🤷‍♂️

While strategizing for ads, it's crucial to also think about user experience since landing pages are now a direct ranking factor for Search Ads. If you’re running lead generation pages, ecommerce funnels, or promotions, and rely on clickbait-style ads, consider optimizing for easy navigation, or you risk losing ad visibility and traffic. If your strategy has been about getting traffic at any cost, it’s time to rethink.

🤖 Meta expands AI-powered ads with new Advantage+ tools. 

Meta is making it easier than ever to run high-performing ad campaigns with new AI-driven features inside its Advantage+ suite. If you’re running Meta ads, automation is about to play a bigger role in how your campaigns perform.

Here’s the scoop 🍨:

🔹 Advantage+ Campaigns are now fully AI-powered: Instead of choosing between manual or automated campaigns, Meta is now automatically applying AI optimizations across sales, app, and leads campaigns. Businesses no longer have to configure these settings manually—Meta’s AI will handle it for them.

🆕 Advantage+ leads campaigns: Advertisers running lead-generation campaigns can now let AI optimize for better quality leads. Early tests show a 10% lower cost per qualified lead compared to campaigns without these AI-powered enhancements.

📊 Opportunity score system expansion: Meta is rolling out a 0-100 campaign performance score to more advertisers. Along with the score, businesses will receive AI-backed recommendations to fine-tune their campaigns. Early adopters saw a 5% reduction in cost per result after applying these suggestions.

Why it matters 🤨

It’s great that advertisers no longer have to wrestle with manual campaign setups. But convenience comes at a cost—the more control you hand over to AI, the less say you may have in your ad strategy. Automation can optimize performance, but without oversight, are you maximizing your results or just playing by Meta’s rules? 

Convenience is valuable, but maintaining control is what ensures your ad dollars are working for you, not just the platform.

🛎️ The Ecom Press Insider

Ecom Fact: 60% of sales are driven by marketing tactics that tap into FOMO, and over 35% of online shoppers admit that exclusive deals have influenced their purchasing decisions (Source: Wisernotify).

Shoppers don’t just buy what they need—they buy what they think they might miss out on. That’s why urgency works. But is it driving real value or just manipulating decisions?

🚀 Ecom Strategies: 5 Unconventional Strategies to Create Urgency in Your Ecommerce Campaigns

Most brands rely on countdown timers, flash sales, and “limited stock” warnings to create urgency—but consumers have seen these tricks a thousand times. If you want to actually drive conversions, you need strategies that feel fresh, real, and psychologically compelling. Here are five unconventional, proven urgency tactics that get results:

1️⃣ Live Inventory Drops Based on Traffic Spikes: Instead of using fake scarcity, leverage real-time inventory adjustments. If you see a surge in traffic on a product page, dynamically drop the remaining stock count (e.g., from 100 units to 25) based on the spike. Pair it with a live update message: 🛑 "25 left… inventory adjusting based on demand!"

This makes urgency authentic, and shoppers feel like they’re truly competing for stock.

2️⃣ The “Second Wave” Price Increase: Instead of a standard discount, flip the script: Announce a price increase after a set time. 📢 "Buy now at $39 before prices rise to $49 in 6 hours!"

No one likes paying more than they have to, and this tactic plays into the loss aversion effect—shoppers will act fast to avoid spending extra.

3️⃣ Personalized FOMO Using Cart Behavior: If a customer leaves an item in their cart, don’t just send a generic “your cart is waiting” email. Instead, trigger a real-time alert when another shopper purchases the same item: 📩 “Heads up! Someone just bought the last item in your size.”

This creates a natural urgency loop that feels real, not manufactured.

4️⃣ VIP Early Access with a Time-Limited Perk: Make urgency feel exclusive, not forced. Offer VIP shoppers a private window to buy before everyone else—but attach an incentive. 🚀 "24-hour early access! Plus, VIP shoppers get an extra gift—but only until midnight!"

It makes shoppers feel special while giving them a reason to act immediately.

5️⃣ “Heat Map” Social Proof to Spark FOMO: Showcase live engagement stats on product pages:

🔥 “42 people are looking at this item right now.”

💬 “This item was added to 15 carts in the last hour!”

Instead of generic “selling fast” banners, real-time interaction data taps into the fear of missing out while making urgency feel organic.

Traditional urgency tactics can feel repetitive and fake—shoppers see through them. The key is making urgency authentic, personalized, and rooted in real-time behavior. Try these strategies in your next campaign and watch conversion rates climb. 

⚡️Worthy Mentions

• Poshmark introduces AI-generated product listings for sellers.

• Shopify shuts down Ye's website selling Swastika shirts after Super Bowl ad.

• 1-800-Flowers.com partners with Uber in preparation for Valentine’s Day deliveries.

• Meta enhances transparency with new AI labels to improve ad authenticity.

• GoDaddy teams up with Walton Goggins to showcase AI tools for SMBs in Super Bowl ads.

Wrapping up…

If ecommerce had a relationship status this week, it would be “It’s complicated.” A ban that isn’t a ban 🚫 and ads that may or may not show up 🤷‍♂️!

One thing’s for sure—there’s always something to unpack in this space. And no matter how chaotic things get, we’ll be here to break it all down for you 🤭.

As always, stay curious, and smash that subscribe button, if you haven’t already 🔔!