Temu Turned Off Their Ads. Now what

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We strive to deliver the latest growth marketing news and trends in the DTC space straight to your inbox every Wednesday.

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Let's dive in!

Topics we'll cover today:
💠 Temu Turned Off Their Ads 😱 
💠 11 New Meta Lead Ads Features to Lower Costs & Boost Quality
💠 Impact of Tariffs on Brands and Cash Flow

Temu Turned Off Their Ads 😱 

In my previous newsletter, I mentioned that Temu turned off its Google Ads.

Now, they have also turned off Meta Ads!

This is not a coincidence, it happened right after the 125% tariff hike on Chinese imports was announced.

 The results?

⤷ App Store ranking dropped from #5 to #64 in a matter of days
⤷ Impression share tanked, then vanished by April 12

 What’s really going on?

 Temu’s growth was fueled by subsidized, loss-making orders from its parent company, PDD.

 New tariffs + crackdowns on import exemptions (Section 321) = major hit to Temu’s direct-from-manufacturer play.

 The fact that, after turning off their ads, there was an immediate app collaps shows how fragile their position really is.

 Why it matters for brands:

To start off, ad auction pressure just dropped. Can we expect lower CPCs and CPMs, at least temporarily?

BUT, leaving Temu aside for a minute, the long-term impact of tariffs may hurt smaller e-commerce brands the most.

The reality is that 30% to 50% of containers going from China to the US are on hold!

This is bad...very bad.

What can brands do about it?

In a recent newsletter, I wrote a section titled Surviving the Tariffs, I encourage you to read it.

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If you own or work for a DTC brand and don't know how to get back on track and start going again, feel free to book a call with me, and I'll see how we can help you.

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PORTLESS

Struggling with tariffs? Unsure about upcoming changes? Let’s talk!

With Portless, you only pay tariffs after your customers pay you - so your cash always moves faster than your costs.

✅ Defer tariffs until orders ship (no upfront costs)
✅ Free up working capital for growth
✅ Sell smarter - turn inventory into cash faster

Stop letting tariffs tie up your cash - sell smarter with Portless.

11 New Meta Lead Ads Features to Lower Costs & Boost Quality

Until a few months ago, if someone told me to implement a Lead Ad campaign, my answer was mainly a big NO. 

Why?

They were autofilled with old email addresses that everyone set up when they configured their Facebook account, almost 20 years ago. 

That resulted in many unqualified, non-responsive leads.

But now, things have changed.

I found a very recent article by my friend, Jon Loomer, and I summarized it for you.

Let's dive in!

Here are 11 updates you should know:

Some are widely available. Others are still rolling out.

Website + Instant Forms Conversion Location:
⤷ Send leads to either your site or an Instant Form
⤷ Meta decides based on the likelihood of conversion
⤷ Can’t control bidding, some accounts favor website traffic
⤷ Useful if you’re unsure which works best

Turn Off Autofill (YES!):
⤷ Let users manually enter their email or phone
⤷ Reduces outdated or incorrect info
⤷ Better for lead quality

SMS Verification:
⤷ Require leads to verify with a code
⤷ Cuts bots + bad phone numbers
⤷ Great if your sales team struggles to reach people 

Flexible Form Delivery:
⤷ Meta tests different form versions automatically
⤷ Removes/changes greeting, image, questions order
⤷ Boosts completions based on what works best for each user

Lead Delivery by Email:
⤷ Send leads directly to team members’ inboxes
⤷ Schedule it. Set the format.
⤷ Handy if you’re doing manual follow-up

Allow Multiple Responses:
⤷ Multiple-choice answers can allow “check all that apply”
⤷ Makes it easier for leads to respond accurately
⤷ Better insights, less frustration

Messenger Chat After Submission:
⤷ Automatically start a Messenger convo with new leads
⤷ Works great for warm outreach or immediate follow-up

WhatsApp Chat After Submission:
⤷ Post-form button starts a WhatsApp chat
⤷ Not auto-triggered like Messenger
⤷ Depends on your audience’s WhatsApp usage

 Use Promo Codes:
⤷ Show a code at the end of the form
⤷ Include a CTA to redeem it
⤷ Perfect for incentivizing or surprising users 

Conversion Leads Data Sources:
⤷ New goal: "Maximize conversion leads"
⤷ Pick from CRM, Calls, Messages, or None
⤷ Meta optimizes based on what happens after the form

 Instant Form Templates:
⤷ Pre-built templates based on your objective
⤷ Speeds up setup
⤷ No new features, just faster execution

I'll give them another try. What about you?

 Reply to this email and tell me your thoughts.

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Follow me on LinkedIn for more growth marketing content in the e-commerce space.

Impact of Tariffs on Brands and Cash Flow

"Shipping containers are down 30% in April." 😱

What does that mean for your brand AND for consumers?

→ Are tariffs changing?
→ Is Section 321 still valid?
→ How will this impact your margins?

We cover all that (and more) in the latest episode of The DTC Insider podcast, featuring Izzy Rosenzweig, founder of Portless. 

Tune in 👇

We discussed:

👉 How Portless helps brands delay tariff payments until orders ship
👉 The importance of cash flow management for brand sustainability
👉 The phase-out of the de minimis rule for China and Hong Kong
👉 Strategies for optimizing supply chains to reduce operational costs
👉 The impact of trade wars on global logistics and sourcing
👉 Adapting pricing strategies in response to shifting economic conditions
👉 Exploring tariff engineering as a method to lower import costs
👉 How the country of origin influences tariff obligations
👉 The pros and cons of manufacturing in Vietnam versus China
👉 Why brands should optimize their current operations before major supply chain shifts

Tune in:

📺 YouTube
🎧 Apple
🎙️ Spotify
🌐 Website

More episodes our listeners love:

💎 How BRĒZ is Disrupting the Beverage Industry with Aaron Nosbisch
💎 Bootstrapping a $100M E-Commerce Empire with Bear Handlon
💎 The Secret Sauce Behind BattlBox's Success with John Roman
💎 IQBAR’s Journey to 10,000 Locations And $50 Million with Will Nitze
💎 Supplement Brand Bootstrapped $10,000 and Built It Into Sales of $30 Million in Three Years with Ronak Shah

Also Happening in the DTC Space

📰 YouTube Publishes New Insights Into the Rise of Virtual Influencers
📰 Meta's Incrementality Test
📰 Is ChatGPT working on embedding Shopify checkout?

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