Podcast Summary
In this episode of Human in the Loop, we tackle a major challenge ecommerce sellers are facing right now: rising tariffs. With new import duties hitting products sourced from China and beyond, sellers are being forced to rethink everything—pricing, advertising, and inventory strategy.
Cameron breaks down how these tariffs are impacting profitability, and what actions sellers can take right now to protect their margins. From adjusting ACOS targets and reallocating ad spend, to strategic pausing and shifting product focus, this episode is a tactical guide to staying profitable in a high-cost environment.
Whether you’re an Amazon or Walmart seller, this is your tariff response playbook.
⏱️ Key Timestamps
00:00 – Introduction: What’s happening with tariffs, and why it matters now
02:28 – How tariffs are directly affecting costs, margins, and planning
05:45 – Tactical ad strategy shifts: Where to cut, where to invest
09:10 – Should you raise prices? How to do it without losing the Buy Box
13:22 – Recalculating ACOS targets and rethinking budget allocation
16:35 – When it’s smart to pause ads (and when it’s not)
19:48 – Inventory strategy shifts in response to tariffs
22:10 – Staying agile: Adapting to changing conditions in real-time
✅ Key Takeaways
Tariffs as high as 145% are significantly impacting sellers sourcing from China.
COGS increases mean tighter margins—pricing and ad strategy must evolve.
Reallocate ad spend to high-margin products and use real-time profit tracking tools.
Adjust ACOS goals per SKU based on updated COGS and margin scenarios.
Strategic price increases must be monitored closely—watch for Buy Box suppression and conversion drops.
AI-powered tools are critical for adjusting bids, budgets, and strategy at scale.
Sellers should rethink inventory mix and sourcing strategy to reduce tariff exposure.
Pausing ads can be smart—but only if done surgically, not reactively.
📣 Subscribe & Follow
Check out our blog: https://www.teikametrics.com/blog/adapting-to-tariffs-how-ecommerce-sellers-can-stay-profitable-agile/
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