As global trade policies and geopolitical tensions escalate, ecommerce retailers face growing pressure to respond quickly to shifting tariffs, evolving regulations, and rising costs. From product sourcing to last-mile delivery, every aspect of a cross-border ecommerce strategy now requires a sharper focus on trade compliance and product discovery.

That’s the challenge and opportunity we explored in our recent “Resilient Retailers: Turning Trade Disruptions into Retail Advantage” webinar. Featuring E-Merchants Trade Council CEO Marianne Rowden and Chair Karen Kelly, as well as Michael Longauer, Senior Director and Product Technology Evangelist from Athos Commerce, the session shared actionable guidance on navigating today’s global trade landscape while staying competitive in ecommerce with smarter merchandising, greater transparency, and more agile tools.

How global tariffs and trade shifts are reshaping ecommerce

Trade-related disruptions are no longer just a supply chain concern. From sourcing and pricing to selling and shipping, they’re impacting the entire ecommerce ecosystem.

Whether it’s agency requirements, licenses and permits, prohibited goods, inspections, or the rates themselves, tariff classification has become the first line of defense for international ecommerce shipments.

Tariffs were once determined mainly by product type. Now, rates can vary significantly based on country of origin—even when the product itself doesn’t change. For example, whereas the average duty historically hovered around 2.5%, duties can now range from 10% to 50% depending on origin.

That’s a massive shift. Retailers must now:

• Track product origin with more precision
• Partner closely with manufacturers and logistics providers
• Monitor non-tariff barriers, including quotas, standards, restrictions, and licensing rules
• Account for tariff impact across sourcing, selling, and shipping decisions

Tariff impact on cross-border ecommerce sourcing, selling, and shipping

Navigating cross-border ecommerce trade challenges requires a holistic view of your operations. From choosing suppliers to quoting prices, every step has implications. Marianne and Karen outlined three strategic areas.

1. Sourcing strategies: Staying ahead of supply chain disruptions

Resilient retailers approach sourcing with a strategic understanding of both compliance and cost. When selecting vendors, prioritize partners who can provide accurate and complete product descriptions for smoother customs clearance and better data quality across channels. 

You also want visibility into the full production process—especially when it spans multiple countries—to better assess potential delays, tariff compliance issues, or other regulatory hurdles before they occur.

Be cautious of sourcing red flags that could jeopardize compliance, such as vendors relabeling goods in third countries or using double invoicing to misrepresent value. These fraud tactics can invite serious penalties and are discussed further in the selling section. 

Even legal methods like first sale valuation or transfer pricing carry risk and require deep trade expertise. Without the right controls in place, these approaches can lead to audits, fines, and volatile margins. These controls form the backbone of a compliant international and cross-border ecommerce strategy.

2. Selling strategies: Balancing growth with compliance

Retailers expanding through cross-border ecommerce need to think strategically about how their selling practices impact trade compliance. Just like with sourcing, awareness of global tariff implications is critical—especially when setting prices for international customers. Quoting buyers without factoring in duty rates can quickly erode margins or expose the business to regulatory risk.

Make sure product descriptions are accurate and complete to ensure transparency, meet customs regulations, and comply with harmonization code requirements. You also need to understand the complexities of your full supply chain, including multi-country production steps that impact origin claims. Knowing your customer—who they are, where they’re located, and whether you’re allowed to sell to them—is key to avoiding downstream risk.

Some legal practices, like the first sale method, are under growing scrutiny and should be managed by compliance specialists. Messaging can also pose risks. For example, a “Made in the USA” claim may violate regulations if only final assembly occurs domestically. Even well-intentioned campaigns should be thoroughly vetted.

3. Shipping strategies: Controlling costs and reducing risk

Global shipping decisions directly affect both cost and trade compliance. One smart tactic is leveraging de minimis thresholds, which allow low-value imports to bypass duties in many markets. This exemption remains in place through 2027, though countries like China enforce exceptions.

Understanding dimensional (DIM) weight is crucial for retailers managing global logistics since miscalculations can quickly erode margins. Stay current on destination market import rules to avoid delays and penalties, and don’t overlook INCOTERMS—which define who bears risk and cost at each shipping stage. Missing these details can lead to disputes or compliance failures.

Misrepresenting country of origin or undervaluing goods can trigger audits and steep penalties. While Foreign Trade Zones (FTZs) can help defer statutory duties using a non-privileged status, reciprocal tariffs require privileged status.

Mitigating trade risk with smart, adaptive merchandising

As we’ve seen, retailers face a fast-changing trade environment where tariffs, regulations, and geopolitical shifts can alter margins overnight. That level of unpredictability creates real challenges: What can you afford to sell? Where can you ship it? What pricing makes sense in each market?

But cross-border ecommerce retailers aren’t powerless. In fact, they’re often better positioned than traditional sellers to adapt quickly and strategically. The key is using product discovery tools not just to react but to build flexibility and resilience directly into how an online store operates.

With the right platform and approach, you can:

• Localize pricing instantly to reflect shifting tariffs or cost structures
• Filter or promote products by region to meet local regulations and customer needs
• Create segmented catalogs that show only what’s available or competitive in each market

For example, if new duties increase the cost of a certain product in the EU, a retailer could update the price just for that region without touching global pricing or manually reconfiguring the catalog. If a product becomes non-compliant or unprofitable in one market, it can be hidden temporarily with a single click using geo-based merchandising rules.

These capabilities aren’t theoretical. They’re already being used by retailers who’ve shifted from reactive to dynamic merchandising strategies. By tagging products by region or setting up regional product sets, they create systems that automatically adjust to shifting trade conditions.

The key takeaway? Trade disruption may be out of your control, but your response doesn’t have to be. With the right tools, you can make that response smarter, scalable, and more strategic. Instead of scrambling when policy shifts, you can stay competitive and deliver localized, compliant, and profitable ecommerce shopper experiences.

Is your cross-border ecommerce strategy ready for what’s next?

Learn how leading retailers are using smarter product discovery to stay compliant and grow even as global tariffs and trade risks evolve. Watch the on-demand webinar to see real-world strategies in action and discover how the right tools turn disruption into competitive advantage.