Tuesday, 17th March 2026

Hello,

Most ecommerce founders woke up today thinking about ads, creatives, and conversion rates. But somewhere far from Shopify dashboards and Meta Ads Manager, something happened that could quietly affect all three.

Iran has announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most important oil shipping routes in the world. Roughly 20% of the global oil supply passes through that narrow waterway.

At first glance, this looks like a geopolitical headline. Something for governments, oil traders, and news analysts to worry about.

But it's not. There's something called the domino effect, and we're all affected.

THE DOMINO EFFECT

When a chokepoint like the Strait of Hormuz becomes unstable, oil prices tend to rise.

That alone starts a chain reaction across the global economy.

Shipping becomes more expensive.
Manufacturing costs increase.
Transportation and logistics costs explode.
And businesses across industries start adjusting prices.

For ecommerce brands, those pressures show up in places that you might not have thought of at first.

Your suppliers feel it.
Your shipping partners feel it.
And eventually, your customers feel it too.

When the cost of living increases or uncertainty grows, people don’t necessarily stop buying. But they become more selective about where they spend. And that changes the way you should use your marketing performs.

WHY YOU SHOULD CARE

Events like the Strait of Hormuz closure remind us how interconnected global markets really are.

A decision made halfway across the world, one that you weren't an active participant in can influence YOUR shipping costs, consumer sentiment, and marketing performance.

As an ecommerce founder, the lesson here isn’t to worry about the news cycle.

It’s to make sure your business can operate confidently even when the environment around it changes.

THE BEST LINE OF ACTION

One of the first things to look at is your shipping strategy.

If logistics costs rise sharply, offering blanket free shipping on every order can eat into your margins. Many brands respond by introducing smart thresholds instead. For example, raising the free shipping minimum slightly encourages larger orders while helping absorb the increased delivery cost.

Another effective adjustment is bundling. 

If transportation costs increase, shipping fewer, larger orders becomes more efficient than shipping many small ones. Creating product bundles or curated kits allows brands to increase average order value while delivering more perceived value to customers who are already thinking carefully about their purchases.

Inventory strategy also becomes important during periods of volatility. 

If you rely heavily on suppliers or manufacturers that are exposed to shipping disruptions or fuel price spikes, it may be worth securing additional stock of your best-selling products earlier than usual. A small buffer can protect you from sudden cost increases or supply delays.

Messaging also needs to adapt.

Instead of focusing only on lifestyle or aesthetics,  start highlighting durability, long-term value, or how their product solves a real problem. In uncertain times, customers are more comfortable buying practical, dependable products.

This is also the moment to strengthen relationships with your existing customers. Acquiring new customers can become more expensive when markets are unstable, but returning customers are far more likely to purchase again if they already trust your brand. Investing in retention (whether through loyalty offers, thoughtful email communication, or personalized product recommendations) can stabilize revenue when acquisition becomes less predictable.

Finally, brands should watch their pricing decisions carefully. When costs rise, some companies react by cutting prices to maintain sales volume. But in many cases, that approach only shrinks margins further.

A better strategy is to communicate value clearly and make smaller, controlled adjustments where necessary rather than racing to the bottom.

YOUR GROWTH SHOULDN'T DEPEND ON PERFECT CONDITIONS

At Pro Marketer, we often tell brands that growth shouldn’t depend on perfect conditions.

Markets will shift. Costs will move. Consumer behaviour will evolve.

The goal is to build marketing systems that remain stable through those changes.

That means understanding your real acquisition economics, strengthening retention so revenue isn’t dependent on constant new traffic, and building creative frameworks that keep performance consistent even when external factors fluctuate.

Because when the world becomes unpredictable, the brands with the strongest foundations are the ones that keep moving forward.

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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!