At ConnectBooks, we work with sellers every day who are recalibrating their numbers to survive,and even thrive, in this new climate. The key? Clarity. Strategy. And bold, data-driven decisions.
Here are the most important tactics sellers should be using right now:
Get crystal-clear on your landed costs
If you’re not calculating your true landed cost down to the penny, you’re flying blind.
Landed cost includes:
If these aren’t factored in correctly, you might be selling products at a loss without even knowing it.
At ConnectBooks, we automate this process, so you can see your real landed cost per SKU, right inside your dashboard. Once you have this visibility, you can confidently price your products, understand your margins, and avoid unintentional losses.
Learn more about exactly how to calculate your landed costs here.
Shift from gross profit to contribution margin
Gross profit is no longer enough. In today’s tariff-heavy landscape, it’s time to shift your question from:
“How much did I make on this product?”
to
“How much is this product really contributing to my bottom line after all costs?”
That’s your contribution margin, and in 2025 it’s far more valuable than relying on the outdated gross profit metric. Gross profit only tells part of the story, while contribution margin factors in your full cost structure, including tariffs, shipping, and overhead. It shows how much each SKU is truly adding to your bottom line. When you have this level of clarity, you can confidently double down on high-performing products and cut the ones that are quietly draining your profit. With ConnectBooks’ intuitive reporting, you get a clear, SKU-level breakdown of contribution margin, landed costs, and other key financial data, so you can view all the relevant information that you need to make smarter decisions.
Reprice smartly
Many sellers are understandably nervous about raising prices right now. It feels risky, and no one wants to scare off loyal customers. But here’s the hard truth: if your costs have gone up and you don’t adjust your prices, you’re losing money.
The good news? You’re not in this alone. Every seller is facing the same tariff-driven pressure, and consumers are far more informed than they used to be. Most know that global costs are rising due to inflation, supply chain changes, and now tariffs. A reasonable, data-backed price adjustment won’t come as a shock.
That’s why smart repricing, based on your actual landed costs, is more important than ever. ConnectBooks gives you the clarity you need. With detailed SKU-level reporting, you can easily see your real costs so you know exactly how much you need to charge to protect your margins. With everything laid out clearly in one place, making confident, logical pricing decisions becomes much easier.
Trim the dead weight
In today’s tighter margin environment, surviving sometimes means making tough calls. That includes letting go of products that are quietly draining your business. Every SKU takes up space, ties up cash, and demands attention. So it's crucial to evaluate whether each one is still pulling its weight.
Ask yourself:
This is where ConnectBooks makes a real difference. Our platform gives you clear, real-time visibility into each SKU’s true contribution margin, including product costs, shipping, fees, and new tariffs. With all your data centralized and easy to digest, you can quickly spot underperforming products, eliminate the waste, and reallocate resources to what’s really working.
Optimize your logistics
Shipping costs are a major component of your total landed cost, and even small changes in your logistics strategy can have a significant impact on profitability. Now more than ever, it’s worth taking a closer look at how your products move to uncover savings and efficiencies.
Start by exploring whether better fulfillment options exist, such as warehouses located closer to your customer base, which can lower last-mile shipping costs and improve delivery times. Consider consolidating shipments to minimize per-unit freight expenses or reduce handling fees. It’s also a smart time to reassess your suppliers and trade lanes. Alternative sourcing options or routes may reduce your tariff exposure and help you regain control over rising costs.
With ConnectBooks, you can clearly see the impact logistics has on your landed cost at the SKU level. Our detailed reporting breaks down every cost involved, giving you the insights needed to make informed, margin-boosting adjustments to your fulfillment strategy.
Logistics is one of the few areas in this climate where ecommerce sellers can still improve their margins by tightening operations and being strategic.
Profit clarity is power
This new environment isn’t easy, but it is navigable.
You’ve built too much and come too far to let policy shifts or economic changes derail your momentum. Now is the time to get sharper, leaner, and more strategic than ever before.
At ConnectBooks, our mission is simple: to bring clarity to your numbers so you can make smarter, more confident decisions that fuel sustainable growth. With rising tariffs and shifting costs, understanding your true profitability is essential.
Ready to see the full picture?
Try ConnectBooks and get crystal-clear insight into your landed costs, contribution margin, and SKU-level performance, all in one powerful, easy-to-use platform.
Running an e-commerce business comes with plenty of challenges, but ConnectBooks is here to make your life easier. With real-time insights, seamless integrations, and detailed tracking of your profitability and inventory, you can stay ahead of the game. Whether you’re selling on Amazon, Shopify, Walmart, TikTok or eBay, ConnectBooks helps you manage your finances with 100% accuracy and confidence, so you can focus on growing your business.
Ready to level up? Start making smarter, data-driven decisions every step of the way. Try ConnectBooks Free Today or Schedule a Demo
