Welcome Back to The Ecom Edge!
Ep 5: Your Paid Ads Are Working...
Until They Land on Your Site

Hey friend,

Welcome to a fresh edition of The Ecom Edge—your shortcut to what’s actually working in Shopify and DTC right now.

Whether Q1 flew by or felt like a year in itself, Q2 is here—and with it, the perfect excuse to clean house, reset your strategy, and chase some real growth (without losing your mind in the process).

👋🏻 I’m Marc, I’ve been in sales and marketing for nearly 15 years, including time as the ecom Director at a $70M brand. These days, I’m lead growth at Because, helping Shopify brands like yours figure out what actually works, from personalization to testing to streamlining checkout.

The Ecom Edge is your no-fluff, no-gatekeeping—just tested ideas, trends we’re watching, and tools you can actually use.

Today, we are unpacking:

• ✅ The paid ads/site experience disconnect that’s costing you sales

• ✅ How PDP testing can actually boost your ROAS

• ✅ A cheat sheet of acronyms your coworkers assume you know (but don't)

• ✅ And why tariffs are trending and how to keep your margins safe

Let’s dive in! 🚀

🎯 Ad Clicks Aren’t Conversions
(Unless Your Site Delivers)

You spent hours perfecting that Meta ad:

• 📢 Scroll-stopping headline? Check.

• 🎨 Beautiful creative? Chef’s kiss.

• 🎯 Targeting? Sharper than a samurai sword.

Someone actually clicks. Dopamine spikes. Your team celebrates.

And then… they bounce.

Faster than a TikTok dance trend in 2020.

Why? Because what happens after the click matters just as much as the ad that got it.

This section is for those of you feeling the sting of great ads with underwhelming site performance. Let’s fix that.

🎉 Your Ad Is the Invite—Your PDP Is the Party

Think of it like this:

• Your Meta or Google ad is the invitation—setting the vibe and making a promise.

• Your PDP is the party—and it better match the hype.

If the ad says “Perfect Gift for Runners” and the PDP kicks off with “50% Cotton. Imported.”—you’ve lost the energy and the sale.

Here’s what actually works:

• ✅ Message Match: Use similar copy, tone, and visuals across the ad and PDP. No vibe whiplash.
  

• ✅ Benefit Reinforcement: If your ad says “Save time,” your PDP should show how—fast.
  

• ✅ Urgency Tie-Ins: If you’re running a “Limited Stock” ad, your site better show it with badges, timers, or messaging.

When your ad and PDP are aligned, your site becomes an extension of the click—not a confusing detour.

🧪 Use PDP Testing to Supercharge Your Ad Creative

Even if you’re not the one running Meta ads, your product page tests can be the creative team’s secret weapon.

Real example:

You A/B test two headlines:

• “Best for First-Time Runners”

• “Engineered for Marathoners”

The first headline boosts conversions by 22%.

💡 That insight? Now it’s a hook for your next ad.

When PDPs and ad creative talk to each other, magic happens.

Site > Test > Learn > Apply to Ad Creative = Smart Growth

🧠 Not All Traffic Is Created Equal—So Don’t Treat It That Way

• Meta = mid-funnel browsers

• Google = high-intent shoppers

• TikTok = emotional impulse-clickers

They’re not the same. So don’t serve them the same PDP.

Advanced brands are already customizing pages based on where a shopper came from:

• TikTok → Show quick, punchy benefit copy & emotion-led UGC

• Google → Lead with specs, reviews, and comparison charts

• Meta → Reinforce benefits with storytelling and USPs

Use tools (like Because 😉) to personalize the experience using UTM source.

⏱️ You’ve Got 3 Seconds. Make It Count.

Once someone clicks your ad, the countdown begins.

Ask yourself:

• Is your hero image aligned with the ad they clicked?

• Is the value prop unmistakable in 3 seconds or less?

• Are your trust signals and USPs visible and real?

Pull up your site on mobile and count:

“One Mississippi… two Mississippi…”

If you’re still not sure what the product is, why it’s different, or what to do next—you’ve already lost them.

Speed + Clarity + Relevance = Conversions

💬 Acronym Decoder:
Because Buzzwords Shouldn’t Gatekeep Insights

Before we dive in, let me share a story with you…

I had spent almost a decade in sales and marketing—mostly in SaaS and retail—and like many of us, I thought I had a good grip on industry lingo. That was... until my first month at a DTC/eCommerce brand.

We were in a big QBR-style team meeting—about 20 people in the room, planning out the next quarter. Someone says, “In April, I was thinking we can do a GWP for Mother’s Day.”

The room nods in agreement. Everyone's scribbling ideas.

And I’m sitting there thinking: “GWP?”

So I discreetly Google it: “GWP meaning” → “Global Warming Potential.”

😳 Uh... what?

Now I’m spiraling.
Why are we talking about global warming for Mother’s Day?
Is this a climate change initiative?
Did I miss a memo?

For 15 minutes, I sat there confused—trying to play it cool, smiling and nodding, like I totally knew what was going on.

Finally… it clicked:
GWP = Gift With Purchase.
😅 Oh. That makes... way more sense.

Moral of the story?
Don’t be afraid to ask questions.
Don’t be afraid to say, “Hey, quick gut check—what does that acronym mean?”
And definitely don’t trust the first thing Google tells you during a meeting. 😂

We’re all learning—one GWP at a time. 🙃

Marketing Acronyms: Let Me Save You from Embarrassment

Inspired by my GWP moment, I’ve made it a point in every role since to create a cheat sheet for new employees. Because let’s face it, every organization has its own insider language. When I was at The Adventure Challenge, we called ourselves TAC. We even had merch that said “TAC Crew.” It felt like second nature to us, but for a new hire? It was like decoding hieroglyphics.

So, whether you’re new to the game or just need a refresher, here’s a cheat sheet to save you some time and potential embarrassment. Let’s dive in.

Beginner’s Corner:

• ROI – Return on Investment → What you get back vs. what you put in.
  

• AOV – Average Order Value → The average amount spent each order.
  

• LTV – Lifetime Value → Total revenue from a customer over their lifetime.
  

• CAC – Customer Acquisition Cost → How much it costs to acquire a new customer.
  

• ROAS – Return on Ad Spend → Revenue per $1 of ad spend. (Ex: $100 in, $500 out = 5.0 ROAS)
  

• MER – Marketing Efficiency Ratio → Total revenue ÷ total marketing spend. A favorite for big-picture thinkers.

Pro-Level Lingo (Use With Confidence, or at Least Pretend You Know):

• BHAG – Big Hairy Audacious Goal → A bold, long-term strategic vision.
  

• SWAG – Scientific Wild-Ass Guess → A rough estimate based on instinct and some data.
  

• GSD – Get Stuff Done → (Okay, it's usually another S-word, but you get the point.) Means you're making moves and executing.
  

• OKR – Objectives and Key Results → Goal-setting framework that keeps teams aligned and accountable.
  

• ICP – Ideal Customer Profile → The person or business you're really targeting.

Fun Acronyms to Spruce Up Your Meetings:

• BBQ – Big Bold Questions → The tough questions no one’s asking but should. “Let’s end the meeting with a quick round of BBQs—anything you’ve been holding back that we should address?”
  

• LOL – Lots of Leads → When your funnel is overflowing (and you’re loving it). “Our last TikTok campaign brought in 4,000 signups. Total LOL energy this week.”
  

• TAC – Take A Chill → A reminder to step back and breathe during high-stress moments. “OK, it’s Q4 and we’re all freaking out, but let’s TAC for five and reset.”

Screenshot it. Save it. Toss it into Slack for that new hire. Let’s all talk the same language.

And hey, if someone asks you for a “rundown” and you’re not sure what it means… trust me, you’re not alone. Just ask my friend Jim.

📈 What’s Trending This Week:
Tariffs, Tears & Tiny Panic Attacks

Let’s be real. Three months ago, the word “tariff” lived in the same mental file as “filibuster” or “monetary policy.”

But now? Tariffs are back, and they’re stressing out your ops team.

🧾 More tariffs = higher import taxes
📈 Higher costs = lower margins
😮 Lower margins = hard choices on pricing, promos, and profitability

What you can do:

• Review your SKU-level exposure to tariff changes

• Talk to your suppliers about mitigation strategies

• Reforecast margin expectations and adjust AOV targets

This is the unsexy part of scaling eCom—but it’s one of the most important.

🔍 Tariff Resources for DTC & Ecommerce Brands:

🧾 1. U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) Tariff Database

• A searchable tool to look up HTS (Harmonized Tariff Schedule) codes and get real-time duty rates for specific products. 🔗 USITC Tariff Database

🧑‍⚖️ 2. U.S. Customs and Border Protection – Importing Guide

• An official guide that covers rules around importing goods into the U.S., including how tariffs are calculated and collected. 🔗 Importing into the U.S. (CBP Guide)

🌐 3. Sourcing Journal – Tariff & Trade Policy News

• A fashion/ecommerce-focused trade publication that breaks down the impact of tariffs on retail supply chains. 🔗 Sourcing Journal – Tariff Coverage

📉 4. Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE)

• An independent think tank with deep dives into how tariffs affect specific industries, pricing, and global trade. 🔗 PIIE Trade Policy Analysis

📦 5. Flexport Blog & Tariff Updates

• Flexport, a global freight and logistics company, offers highly readable insights and webinars on supply chain changes—including tariff shifts. 🔗 Flexport Trade & Tariff Hub 

📬 6. CBP Cargo Systems Messaging Service (CSMS)

• If you’re importing physical goods, consider signing up for the CSMS email updates. It’s the real-time firehose of government updates to importers and brokers. 🔗 CBP CSMS Sign-Up

How to Navigate These Conversations:

👩‍💼 With Leadership:

• Come with data. Show SKU-level impact and projected cost changes.

• Offer options: alternative sourcing, bundling, small price adjustments.

• Recommend holding off on blanket price hikes—be surgical and strategic.
  

📦 With Ops & Product Teams:

• Collaborate early on possible domestic vendor switches.

• Consider forecasting flexibility or adjusting inventory buy-ins for high-risk items.
  

🛍️ With Customers:

• Be honest. A short note like “We’ve absorbed rising import costs as long as we could—but to keep quality high, prices may adjust slightly” goes a long way.

• Focus on the long-term value: quality, service, mission.

• Offer perks to soften the impact: loyalty points, bundled savings, extended return windows.

😅 And if you’re still wondering what a tariff is, don’t sweat it. Three months ago, I was Googling it too—right between “how to reduce CAC” and “is it too late to start a sourdough starter?”

Tariffs aren’t the end of the world—but ignoring them might be the end of your margins.

Plan now. Communicate clearly. Pivot early.

💭 Final Thought: You’ve Got What It Takes

Every week brings new changes, new acronyms, new platform updates, and curveballs like tariffs or tracking issues or shipping costs that make your head spin.

But here’s the truth: you’re doing better than you think.

You’re showing up. You’re learning. You’re testing. You’re building a brand in one of the most competitive digital environments in history—and you’re still here. That says something.

Q2 will have its challenges. But it will also have wins. Big ones.

• 👉 You don’t need to have it all figured out today.

• 👉 You just need to keep moving forward with curiosity, intention, and courage.

• 👉 And you’re not doing it alone—this newsletter is your sidekick, your guide, your growth cheerleader.

So whether you’re optimizing a PDP, launching a new A/B test, rethinking your shipping strategy, or simply trying to GSD today—you’ve got this.

We believe in you.

And we’ll be here every other week to help however we can.

Until next time,
— Marc