Shipping from China? Brace for impact (+$10K ecom grant)

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Hello Sellify Squad! 

Happy Tuesday and apologies for the late arrival of today’s newsletter. Before we delve into the content, here's a sneak peek of what's in store for you:

• Industry Buzz: Dropshipper’s Tariff Alert

• Growth Hack: Social Proof Walkthroughs

• Trend Alert: Sea Moss Gummies

• Challenge: Request Reviews Today

🚨New import tariffs for US, EU, South Africa Aliexpress/Temu users

If the word “drop ship” means anything to your business, it’s time for a strategy reshuffle.

In July 2024, the EU announced scrapping the €150 duty-free threshold on imports from outside the EU. Just this month, US legislators proposed a bill to do the same, and the South African Revenue Service has announced a 20% duty starting September 2024.

This means that if you purchase an item for less than $150 and ship it to customers in any of these countries, your customer will not receive their products until they pay an extra fee.

This will lead to bad reviews, mess up your social proof (more on this in a bit), and affect your store’s ability to scale in Q4…. unless you do something. Here’s what you can do now to prepare:

• Update your T’s & C’s to clarify who pays customs taxes

• Review your prices. It might be worth creating a price buffer in the event that you want to absorb the cost and keep your T’s and C’s the same

• Start flirting with new suppliers

💡 Growth Hack for the scam-conscious customer: Social Proof

Back to social proof… in today’s scam-conscious marketplace, adding social proof to your marketing mix is a no-brainer.

No matter how crazy it sounds, people rely on authentic, non-biased third-party opinions to make purchase decisions. It is what it is. Don’t question the flow, go with it.

Rather than tell you why social proof is important, let’s show how to do social proof right.

1. Add social proof immediately below the fold

   As a bare minimum. TryPaddie adds its bestsellers BTF after drawing you in with its big, bold claim + in-use images. Then immediately shoves 7000+ customer reviews in your face to say, “Look, we’re legit!”

2. Use space-maximizing popups to draw attention

   Go big or go home. Lunchskins also adds its top products below the fold. Then it adds an extra helping of “real people like you want this” with a review popup - image, stars, and everything.

3. Make it educational

   Just like PetLabCo does (see YoussefEcom’s full breakdown here)

🌿 Trend Alert: Sea Moss Gummies

The rising trend of sea moss gummies is driven by a weight loss + gummies trend. Sea moss gummies are promoted as a natural alternative to weight loss, and TikTok celebrities have been instrumental in driving the trend with up to 500K views.

How you can leverage on this:

• Try selling a nicer-tasting brand as taste is a top complaint

• Explore alternative sea moss products - facemasks, etc

• Research/test popular gummy combinations (sea moss +ashwagandha)

📣 Challenge: Pimp your social proof for Q4

This week, level up your social proof with a simple challenge:

• If you’re not showcasing your most reviewed products below the fold, do that now

• Reach out to previous customers requesting reviews. Offer them discounts as an incentive.

• Register on third-party review platforms like Trustpilot or Yotpo

By collecting more reviews, you’ll not only build trust but also improve your store’s visibility and conversion rates. 🚀 

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P.P.S

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Till next time, Sellify Club. 

Cheers to your success🥂

Ada