Don't get caught out by Shopify's Fulfillment Network $5K bill

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Happy Tuesday to 9,804 bold builders of ecommerce empires!

Ada here, back with your 5-minute playbook to get 1% better this week. Apologies for this edition being a day late but you’ll soon see why.

Here’s what’s inside today’s edition:

• Flexport’s latest $5,000 monthly minimum

• Growth Hack: brand research that actually moves the needle

• Challenge: Fix your reputation with reviews

• Trending: Algae Oil

Let’s dig in 👇

Big investors are buying this “unlisted” stock

When the founder who sold his last company to Zillow for $120M starts a new venture, people notice. That’s why the same VCs behind Uber and eBay also backed Pacaso. They made $110M+ in gross profit to date. They even reserved the Nasdaq ticker PCSO. Now, you can join, too.

Invest for $2.90/Share

_{Paid advertisement for Pacaso’s Regulation A offering. Read the offering circular at invest.pacaso.com. Reserving a ticker symbol is not a guarantee that the company will go public. Listing on the NASDAQ is subject to approvals.}

Flexport’s new $5,000 monthly minimum

If like me you opted into Shopify’s Fulfillment Network (now run by Flexport), you may have received this email earlier

I too did a double take when I first read about the hike in monthly minimum fulfillment fees to $5,000 (starting 2026). But then SFN’s acquisition by Flexport last July also made sense.

Fair play. Afterall, Shopify needs to realize a return from it’s 13% share of Flexport. But that’s not your headache now. Your current headache (especially if you’re small) is the new costs of warehouse and fulfilment services you’ll soon have to fork up.

• Now through Dec 2025: $500 minimum spend

• Jan 2026 onward: $5,000 minimum spend

If you’re already spending over the threshold, no worries. But if you’re shipping fewer than ~40 orders/month, Flexport is no longer a “starter 3PL”.

If you’re confused about what to do next, don’t rush. Run the numbers. Check your average monthly fulfilment + freight spend now. Would a $5K floor kill profitability?

Next, don’t wait until December 2025. Start testing other 3PLs early to avoid last-minute chaos. Here are 3 top alternatives to try:

Skincare brands are killing it with visuals

Last week I stumbled on this ad on Meta…and because it’s not everyday you see an ad with >1M views, naturally I had to investigate to see what these guys were doing right.

The 1.3M views and 50+ shares showed that the graphic creatives were a win (they featured cracked, dry skin that people suffering from similar conditions could relate to). I wanted to see how they turned this engagement into sales, so I clicked and something else caught my eye - reviews. Lots of reviews.

All laid out with real before/after-style reviews, clear photos of eczema and skin improvement… powerful proof that the product works. Happy customers raving about the product and talking about alternatives that didn’t work creates strong desire and brand confidence.

This reveals that if you’re a skincare brand that offers visual results, powerful creatives + reviews are your elixir.

P.S I looked at around 4 successful skincare brands with varied plays. If you want me to turn my data into a skincare masterclass, please let me know below (as I don’t want to waste effort for something no one asked for)

Fix your reputation with reviews

This week’s 60-min task: Request 10 new reviews. Because Chrome, Google Shopping, and review sites are surfacing your reputation before customers even land on your site.

Here’s how to do it:
✅ Identify your happiest customers (look at repeat buyers or high-LTV customers)
✅ Send a short, personal request (“Would love your honest feedback.. it really helps us grow”)
✅ Offer a small thank-you (discount, loyalty points, or even just a heartfelt note).. Use Stamped to get all these done under one hood and in <10 minutes.

Trending product

Algae cooking oil is made from fermented microalgae with 47% lower carbon footprint than canola oil. It sits at the intersection of sustainability, health, and foodie culture, and is a great product fit for eco-friendly grocery, kitchenware, or wellness brands

If you have a store in these niches, you can jump on this trend by bundling (“eco cooking kits”) or testing influencer collabs.

Levanta is a great way to find Amazon influencers who can help you push the product to their audiences.

Get Featured by Publishers Driving Holiday Amazon Sales

This holiday season, top publishers are hand-selecting Amazon brands for gift guides, newsletters, reviews, and more — sending high-intent shoppers directly to storefronts.

Levanta is partnering with these publishers to connect them with a select group of 7–9 figure brands ready to scale.

Check if your brand qualifies

That’s a wrap for this week’s edition.

See you tomorrow with some huge media/journalist opportunities that just dropped.

Ada