Tuesday, 23rd March 2026

Hello,

I’ll keep this short and simple. There’s been a lot happening this week, and even if you’re not following the news closely, some of it is going to affect how your business runs.

A quick snapshot of this week's letter:

• Shipping routes are being rerouted.

• Fuel prices have climbed past $100.

• Carriers and suppliers are already adjusting costs.
  

It might not look like a marketing issue at first. But it actually is.

SO... WHAT IN THE WORLD IS HAPPENING?

Think about how your product gets to your customer.

You'd need suppliers, manufacturers, shipping carriers, warehouses, and last-mile delivery.

Right now, a few of those pieces are under pressure.

Major shipping companies are avoiding high-risk routes. Air cargo is being rerouted through longer paths. Some shipments are taking days longer than expected.

At the same time, costs are rising from multiple angles.

• Fuel is more expensive.

• Insurance premiums are increasing.

• Freight capacity is tightening.

For ecommerce brands, this creates a difficult situation. You’re expected to maintain fast delivery, stable pricing, and a smooth customer experience… while the systems behind tthese factors are becoming less predictable.

WHERE THIS HITS YOUR BUSINESS

It usually doesn’t come as one big problem. It’s more like a series of small annoyances. For instance:

• A supplier sends an updated price list.
  

• Shipping fees go up slightly.
  

• A delivery takes a few extra days.

Individually, none of these feels like a big deal. But when they start stacking up, you will feel it. They start to affect how your business operates.

Your margins will get tighter. Your cash flow will reduce. And it'd become harder to control the customer experience.

And when customers are already more cautious with spending, delays or unexpected costs can push them away faster than before.

WHAT YOU SHOULD BE DOING DIFFERENTLY

We recommend increasing your stock on their best-selling products. Don't do this aggressively, just do it enough to avoid being caught off guard if your delays get worse.

You can so line up backup suppliers, even if you don’t plan to switch right away. It’s more about having options than making immediate changes.

A lot of brands are also getting more honest with delivery timelines. Instead of promising fast shipping and hoping everything works out, you should set expectations you can actually meet.

And on the numbers side, you must learn to pay closer attention to shipping economics.

If your delivery costs go up, don’t just absorb everything quietly. Instead make small adjustments. For instance, you might consider nudging up the free shipping threshold or encouraging larger orders.

THE BIGGER POINT

What’s happening right now is a good reminder of something most founders only realise later:

Growth isn’t just about getting customers.

It’s about being able to serve them consistently.

You can have great ads, good creatives, and solid conversion rates. But if the backend starts getting shaky (costs rising, deliveries slowing) it will eventually affect your numbers.

A lot of brands are going through the same thing, just at different stages.

At Pro Marketer, this is usually where we step in and help brands look at the full picture.

We'll help you improve your acquisition so you’re not overpaying for growth, strengthen your retention so revenue doesn’t rely on constant new customers, and build a system that can handle rising costs without falling apart.

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P.S. Got a question, trend, or idea you want me to cover in the next newsletter? Hit reply, I'm all ears!