Daily Cross-Border E-Commerce Briefing | April 28, 2025

1. US Tariffs Slash China-to-US Freight; Bookings Down 45%
  • Standard container bookings have plunged 45% and airfreight 30% since mid-April; the Port of Los Angeles expects one-third fewer boxes in early May as carriers cancel sailings and shippers divert via Canada.
    Source: Financial Times, Published on: April 28, 2025
2. Drewry Forecasts 1% Decline in Global Container Volume
  • The consultancy warns blanket US tariffs could shrink global throughput for the first time since 1979; US imports from China may fall 40% while ASEAN exports could climb 15%.
    Source: Reuters, Published on: April 25, 2025
3. 75 Blank Sailings Logged; WCI Sheds 2% to $2,157/FEU
  • Drewry’s tracker shows 10% of East-West sailings cancelled for late-April to May, with most cuts on Transpacific lanes, pressuring spot rates.
    Source: Drewry, Published on: April 25, 2025
4. Shopify Adds paymentSessionModal for Post-Checkout Upsells
  • The April 26 Payments Apps API lets merchants launch loyalty or upsell modals after payment, with early adopters boosting average order value by up to 7%.
    Source: Shopify.dev, Published on: April 26, 2025
5. TikTok Shop Targets Japan in Latest Expansion Wave
  • TikTok will recruit Japanese merchants within months, adding a high-spending market to its European and Southeast Asian footholds amid ongoing US regulatory pressure.
    Source: Reuters, Published on: April 26, 2025
6. Stripe Pilots Dollar-Backed Stablecoin for Cross-Border Payouts
  • CEO Patrick Collison says the beta targets merchants outside the US, UK and EU, promising faster settlement and 2–3% lower FX costs.
    Source: CoinDesk, Published on: April 26, 2025
7. 7-Eleven Parent Cuts Supply-Chain Costs as Tariffs Hit Demand
  • Seven & i Holdings, which earns 73% of its revenue in North America, plans aggressive logistics and procurement savings to offset weaker US consumer confidence.
    Source: Reuters, Published on: April 25, 2025
8. Conflicting Statements Cloud US-China Trade Talks
  • Divergent messages from Washington and Beijing add uncertainty for importers planning Q3 replenishment schedules.
    Source: Reuters, Published on: April 26, 2025
9. Alphabet Ad Revenue Up 8.5%, Calms AI Spend Fears
  • Stronger-than-expected Q1 results lifted S&P futures 0.6% and eased concerns over Alphabet’s heavy AI capex plans.
    Source: Reuters, Published on: April 25, 2025