With the current tariff landscape shifting fast, U.S.-based direct-to-consumer (DTC) manufacturing brands have a massive opportunity—but only if they move strategically.
While some overseas competitors may be pulling back, now is the time to lean in. If you’re making products here in the States and selling online, here are seven things your brand should be doing right now to capitalize on the current landscape.
1. Tighten Up Your Brand Story—and Make It Matter to Consumers
It’s not just about saying you’re American-made. It’s about showing why that matters.
Tighten up your brand story to explain to customers why being made in the U.S. should matter to them.
Your story should explain the value to the consumer: high-quality products, faster shipping, and soon, lower costs compared to imported goods impacted by tariffs. Yes, it helps the local economy—but make sure the benefits to the buyer are front and center.
2. Share That Story Across Every Channel
Don’t bury your brand story on a single “About Us” page. If you’re American-made, say it loud and often.
Share your made in the U.S. brand story across every platform.
Make it part of your messaging on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube—everywhere. Now more than ever, consumers want to know where their products come from. Make it clear that you’re local, proud, and built to last.
3. Take Advantage of Lower Advertising Costs
With some big international players pulling back on ad spend due to tariffs and supply chain issues, CPMs are dropping.
Take advantage of lower advertising costs by increasing your paid media efforts.
That means you can get in front of more people—for less. If you’re not increasing your paid media efforts right now, you’re leaving attention on the table. Use this window to build brand awareness and capture customers while your competitors pause.
4. Make Sure You’re on the Right Platform
If you’re still using an outdated e-commerce system, now’s the time to move. Shopify is the go-to for nearly every modern DTC brand—and for good reason.
Make sure you’re using an e-commerce system that makes it easy for you to operate online and in-person.
It’s optimized for online and in-person selling, plays nicely with wholesale platforms, and keeps your ops team from wasting time on clunky back-end work. The right tech stack frees you up to grow—not troubleshoot.
5. Get on an Affiliate Platform
With other brands pulling out of affiliate programs, affiliate marketers are on the hunt for new partnerships.
Bring in a fresh wave of traffic and sales by inviting affiliates to promote your products.
Now’s your chance to bring in a fresh wave of traffic and sales by inviting affiliates to promote your products. Set up your program, make your assets easy to access, and open the door to a new sales channel.
6. Add a Wholesale Sign-Up Form to Your Site
Retailers are looking for new products to sell—especially if their existing suppliers are impacted by tariffs or shutting down.
Make it easy for retailers to find you and fill out a wholesale form to sell your products.
Make it dead simple for them to find you. Add a wholesale inquiry form to your site and let interested retailers raise their hands. If your product is American-made and available, you’ve got leverage. Use it.
7. Encourage Post-Purchase Sharing Around “American-Made”
Your customers want to support local—and they’re proud to say so.
Add a request in your post-purchase emails or packaging inserts asking customers to share your brand on social.
Add a request in your post-purchase emails or packaging inserts asking customers to share your brand on social, especially with a focus on being made in the USA. Encourage them to tag your brand and talk about why it matters. This isn’t just marketing—it’s word of mouth with values built in.
Capitalize on the Current Landscape with These 7 Things U.S. Manufacturers Should Do Right Now Amid Tariffs
Tariffs are disrupting the global supply chain—but if you’re manufacturing in the U.S., the current moment is tailor-made for growth. Tighten your messaging, boost visibility, and open up new sales channels while the opportunity is hot.
Want help taking your e-commerce store to the next level? Click here to learn more about Brandhopper Digital and see if your business is a good fit to work with us!
Running ads without a solid foundation is like pouring water into a leaky bucket. If your Shopify store isn’t ready to convert visitors before you drive traffic, you’re going to waste money—fast.
Before you spend even a single dollar on Facebook, Google, TikTok, or any other ad platform, make sure these three essentials are set up and dialed in.
1. Lock In Your Marketing Automation
Before you go looking for new customers, make sure you’re not losing the ones already landing on your site.
That means setting up your email and SMS flows to do the heavy lifting:
Nurture buyers into repeat purchasers
Convert visitors into subscribers
Turn subscribers into buyers
Set up email flows to boost your ROI without ever running an ad.
These automations aren’t optional—they’re your 24/7 sales team. Flows like welcome sequences, abandoned cart reminders, and post-purchase follow-ups will boost your ROI before you ever launch an ad.
2. Create a Clear, Optimized Purchase Path
You don’t need a fancy website. But you do need a clear and easy path to purchase.
That starts with a high-converting product page or landing page. Whichever you’re using, it should:
Make the checkout process frictionless
Highlight all the product benefits
Answer common objections
Create a clear and easy path for customers to make a purchase.
Confused visitors don’t buy. Clear messaging, strong visuals, and an obvious CTA go a long way.
3. Show Real Proof That People Love Your Product
This part is simple: people trust people.
Make sure your store is loaded with social proof—things like:
UGC (user-generated content)
Verified reviews
Media mentions
Testimonials
Show potential buyers that real people have tried your product and love it.
If you’re just starting out, pull a few early customer quotes and make them bold and visible on your site. Treat them like headlines. The goal is to show potential buyers that real people have tried your product—and love it.
Make Sure Your Shopify Brand Has These 3 Things Before Running Ads
Before you invest in traffic, invest in conversion. Nail your automation, tighten your product pages, and load up on social proof.
Want help taking your e-commerce store to the next level? Click here to learn more about Brandhopper Digital and see if your business is a good fit to work with us!
If you’re running a Shopify store and not using AI yet, you’re leaving money—and time—on the table. AI tools are no longer just buzzworthy extras. They’re practical, easy to use, and game-changing for ecommerce brands that want to streamline operations, improve performance, and grow smarter.
Here are 3 simple, impactful ways every Shopify business can start using AI today to improve workflow, boost revenue, and get more done in less time.
1. Use AI for Copywriting That Actually Converts
Let’s start with the obvious (but often underused): AI-powered copywriting.
Whether it’s GPT, Claude, or another tool, you can train your AI to write like your brand. Upload brand guidelines. Feed it your best-performing ad copy. Teach it what makes your messaging work.
Train your AI to write ad copy, email flows and product descriptions that are on brand.
Once that’s done, you’ve got a powerful writing assistant that can whip up ad copy, email flows, product descriptions, landing pages—you name it. No more starting from scratch. No more waiting on a copywriter. Just fast, brand-accurate content, whenever you need it.
If you’re not using AI for this already, you’re missing the boat.
2. Turn Your Analytics into Action
You already have a ton of valuable data in your Shopify dashboard, Google Ads, Meta Ads Manager, and elsewhere—but what are you doing with it?
Here’s what smart brands are doing: exporting key data from their Shopify reports and ad platforms into a shared Google Sheet, then asking AI to review the entire dataset like a seasoned business analyst.
Export data from Shopify reports and ad platforms into a Google Sheet, then ask AI to review the dataset like a business analyst.
What’s working? What’s underperforming? Where are the gaps or hidden opportunities? AI can surface insights that are easy to miss when you’re neck-deep in spreadsheets.
It’s like hiring an analyst—minus the hours and cost.
3. Upgrade Your Creative with AI-Generated Images
Yes, AI can write. But it can also design.
With tools already built into Shopify—and countless third-party options—you can now generate new, high-quality visuals using your product shots. Want a lifestyle background for your plain white background photos? Done. Need fresh, scroll-stopping images for Meta or Pinterest ads? Easy.
Use AI to generate new, high-quality visuals using your product shots.
AI image tools help you quickly diversify your creative assets without needing a photo shoot. That means more variations to test, better performance, and a store that looks more polished without the heavy lift.
Take Your Shopify Brand to the Next Level with These 3 Ways You Should Be Use AI
AI is no longer optional for Shopify brands. Whether it’s saving time on content, surfacing hidden insights, or upgrading your creative—using AI gives your business an edge. Start small, experiment, and watch how fast things change.
Want help taking your e-commerce store to the next level? Click here to learn more about Brandhopper Digital and see if your business is a good fit to work with us!
The summer sun may still be shining, but savvy e-commerce business owners know that now is the perfect time to start planning for the holiday season.
By getting your ducks in a row early, you’ll avoid the last-minute scramble and set yourself up for a successful and stress-free holiday shopping period.
In this post, we’ll cover three crucial steps you should take now to ensure you’re ready when the festive season hits.
Let’s get to it!
1. Craft Your Promotional Calendar
The foundation of a successful holiday strategy is a well-planned promotional calendar. This is where you’ll outline all your special offers, discounts, and marketing initiatives for the season. Start by thinking about the big picture: What major sales events do you want to participate in? Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and last-minute Christmas shopping are all key periods to consider.
Think about what specific promotions you want to run during these times.
Think about what specific promotions you want to run during these times. Will you offer percentage discounts, buy-one-get-one deals, or free gifts with purchase? Consider creating special bundles or limited-time offers to entice customers. Don’t forget to plan how you’ll display your merchandise to maximize these promotions, both online and in-store if applicable.
Once you have your broad promotional strategy in place, it’s time to drill down into the specific tactics you’ll use to promote each offer. This might include email campaigns, social media posts, paid advertising, or influencer partnerships. By planning these details now, you’ll be able to create a cohesive campaign that resonates with your customers throughout the entire holiday season.
2. Prepare Your Ad Creative
With your promotional calendar set, it’s time to focus on your advertising assets. This is a crucial step that often gets left to the last minute, leaving businesses scrambling to put together rushed, subpar campaigns. By preparing your ad creative now, you’ll be ready to launch polished, effective campaigns as soon as the holiday season kicks off.
Start by creating a list of all the visual assets you’ll need. This might include product photos, lifestyle images, video content, and graphics for social media posts. Think about how these visuals will align with your brand and the specific promotions you’ve planned. If you’re offering holiday-themed products or bundles, now is the time to schedule photo shoots or start designing graphics.
If you’re offering holiday-themed products or bundles, now is the time to schedule photo shoots or start designing graphics.
Next, turn your attention to ad copy. Write compelling headlines, product descriptions, and call-to-action phrases that align with your promotional calendar. Remember to create variations for different platforms – what works on Facebook might not be as effective on TikTok or in an email subject line.
Don’t forget about any technical requirements for your chosen advertising platforms. Each social media site and ad network has its own specifications for image sizes, video lengths, and text limits. By preparing your assets with these requirements in mind, you’ll save yourself a lot of headaches down the line.
3. Design Your Email and SMS Campaigns
Email and SMS marketing are powerful tools for engaging with your audience and driving sales during the holiday season. By preparing these campaigns in advance, you can ensure they’re perfectly aligned with your overall marketing strategy.
Start by mapping out your email and SMS schedule. Think about how often you want to communicate with your customers and what messages you want to send. This might include announcing sales, showcasing new products, sharing gift guides, or sending last-minute reminders about shipping deadlines.
Email and SMS marketing are powerful tools for engaging with your audience and driving sales during the holiday season.
Next, design templates for your emails and SMS messages. These should reflect your brand identity and the festive spirit of the season. If you’re using an email marketing platform like Klaviyo, you can even schedule these messages months in advance, taking one more task off your plate during the busy holiday period.
When writing your email and SMS copy, make sure it aligns with the promotions you created in step one and the ad creative you prepared in step two. This consistency across all channels will reinforce your message and make your marketing more effective.
Remember to segment your audience and personalize your messages where possible. Holiday shoppers are bombarded with marketing messages, so the more relevant and targeted you can make your communications, the better chance you have of cutting through the noise.
Get Your Shopify Store Ready for the Holidays With These 3 Things You Need to Do Now
By starting your holiday planning now, you’re setting yourself up for a smoother, more successful season. This proactive approach allows you to focus on fulfilling orders and maintaining high customer satisfaction levels during the busy season. It also gives you the flexibility to fine-tune your promotions based on real-time performance.
So dive into your planning, and get ready to sleigh your holiday sales goals!
Want help taking your e-commerce store to the next level? Click here to learn more about Brandhopper Digital and see if your business is a good fit to work with us!
When trying to grow a business, many owners focus solely on acquiring new customers, overlooking the strategy of maximizing transactions from existing customers. Gaining new customers is expensive, but nurturing relationships with those you already have can significantly boost your sales without the additional marketing costs.
In this post, we’ll go over some tips for increasing your repeat purchase rate, making more money for your Shopify store.
Let’s take a look!
The Magic of Repeat Transactions
Imagine that each customer currently buys from you once a year. If you could persuade each one to purchase twice annually, you would effectively double your sales, assuming all other factors remain constant. This concept is the foundation of many successful businesses, especially those with subscription models.
Use a subscription model to transform a single purchase into a recurring transaction.
Take Amazon’s Subscribe and Save program, for example. Amazon emphasizes this program because it transforms a single purchase into a recurring monthly transaction, creating consistent revenue from existing customers.
Savvy business owners leverage this understanding to outpace competitors. They might even be willing to lose money on the first sale, knowing they’ll recoup their investment through repeat transactions. This approach allows them to invest more heavily in marketing, understanding that the lifetime value of their customers justifies the upfront cost.
Strategies to Increase Customer Transactions
Here are some effective ways to encourage repeat purchases:
Email and SMS Marketing: These channels are incredibly effective for staying in touch with your customers and prompting them to buy again.
Loyalty and VIP Programs: Reward your repeat customers with points, discounts, or special perks.
Hosting Events: Create events that bring customers back into your store or onto your website.
Packaging Inserts: Include promotional materials or thank-you notes with each purchase to incentivize future buys.
Subscriptions: Offer subscription services for products that customers use regularly.
Reward your repeat customers with points, discounts, or special perks.
1. Email and SMS Marketing
Contrary to popular belief, email is far from dead. For many e-commerce businesses, email can drive 30-40% of their revenue. Building an email list is crucial, and it’s never too late to start. Combine online methods like opt-in popups with offline strategies such as in-store signups to capture more contacts.
While SMS marketing often boasts higher engagement rates than email, consumers are less likely to share their phone numbers. Thus, collecting both email and SMS contacts can maximize your reach and effectiveness. Ensure you have key automation sequences like welcome, post-purchase, and abandoned cart flows to streamline your marketing efforts.
Share educational, entertaining, or informative content to keep your audience engaged.
Making Offers and Adding Value
Regularly engaging your email and SMS lists is essential. Don’t shy away from making offers, but balance them with valuable content to avoid burning out your subscribers. Share educational, entertaining, or informative content to keep your audience engaged.
Consider using FAQs, customer testimonials, or product usage tips as content. This not only adds value but also keeps your brand top-of-mind when customers are ready to make a purchase.
High-Quality Content Matters
The quality of your email and SMS content reflects your brand. While text-only messages can work, consistently sending high-quality, visually appealing content helps maintain and elevate your brand’s image. This is particularly important if your products or services are positioned as premium.
2. Loyalty and VIP Programs
Loyalty programs can motivate customers to spend more. Many businesses have put this in place by offering a free gift to customers who spend a certain amount annually as a way to drive higher sales. These programs also turn your best customers into brand ambassadors, promoting your business through word-of-mouth.
Loyalty programs can motivate customers to spend more.
A robust loyalty program can offer tiered rewards which encourages customers to spend more to reach higher reward levels. You could offer a Bronze, Silver, and Gold tier for your loyalty program, each with increasing benefits. This not only boosts sales but also enhances customer satisfaction and retention.
3. Packaging Inserts
Many e-commerce businesses include thank-you notes or promotional materials in their packages, but local retailers often overlook this opportunity. A well-crafted packaging insert can promote upcoming events, encourage social media follows, or offer incentives for future purchases.
A well-crafted packaging insert can promote upcoming events, encourage social media follows, or offer incentives for future purchases.
Packaging inserts can be customized based on the customer’s purchase history, which makes it feel more personalized for the customer. If a customer buys a skincare product, you could include a sample or a discount for a complementary product. This strategy not only drives repeat sales but also enhances the customer experience.
Increase Your Repeat Purchase Rate and Make More Money for Your Shopify Store Using These Tips
Increasing transactions from existing customers is a powerful strategy for business growth. By using these tips, you can foster long-term relationships with your customers and drive consistent, repeat business.
If you’re interested in improving your digital marketing strategies or trying out partner promotions, our team is ready to assist you. Get in touch with us today to boost your online sales or attract more customers to your store.
As a business owner, you’re always looking for ways to increase your revenue. While acquiring new customers is often the go-to strategy, there are other effective methods to grow your business.
In this post, we’ll explore three powerful strategies to boost your revenue, with a special focus on maximizing the value of each transaction.
Let’s get to it!
1. Increase Your Product Prices
Don’t be afraid to raise your prices. Many business owners hesitate to do this, fearing it will drive customers away. Our recent experience with a client proves otherwise. After increasing their product prices by 15% and then 20%, we saw an unexpected result – conversion rates actually improved!
As prices increase, customers often associate the product with higher quality, leading to improved performance metrics across the board.
This counterintuitive outcome can be attributed to the perception of value. As prices increase, customers often associate the product with higher quality, leading to improved performance metrics across the board. So, consider reviewing your pricing strategy – you might be pleasantly surprised by the results.
2. Implement Upsells and Cross-sells
The classic McDonald’s question, “Do you want fries with that?” is a perfect example of this strategy. This simple upsell technique is estimated to generate between 15% to 40% of McDonald’s revenue – that’s billions of dollars from one question!
Use recommended product apps for e-commerce platforms like Shopify.
How can you apply this to your business? Here are some ideas:
Use recommended product apps for e-commerce platforms like Shopify
Offer complementary products at checkout
Create product bundles or sets
Implement a “Buy X, Get Y” discount structure
Develop a loyalty program
Take inspiration from men’s formal wear shops. A customer might come in for a $400 suit but leave with $1,200 worth of apparel after being offered shirts, ties, and socks to complete the look.
3. Create Value-Packed Bundles
Bundling products is an excellent way to increase your average order value. Furniture stores excel at this strategy by offering complete room sets instead of individual pieces. Not only does this increase the sale value, but it also provides added value to the customer by ensuring all pieces match and saving them time on research.
Bundling products is an excellent way to increase your average order value.
When creating bundles, consider:
Offering a discount on the bundle to incentivize larger purchases
Highlighting the convenience factor of buying a complete set
Emphasizing how the bundled items complement each other
Make More Money with Every Order Using These E-Commerce and Retail Tips
By focusing on these strategies to maximize the value of each transaction, you can significantly increase your revenue without the need to constantly acquire new customers. Start implementing these techniques today and watch your business thrive!
If you’re interested in improving your digital marketing strategies or trying out partner promotions, our team is ready to assist you. Get in touch with us today to boost your online sales or attract more customers to your store.
