2025’s tariff shakeup is here, and it’s rewriting the rules for e-commerce. With sweeping U.S. and North American reforms—like a new 10% baseline import duty, the end of the $800 de minimis exemption for shipments from Hong Kong and China (all imports from these regions now face steep tariffs of 120–145%), and targeted levies on key trading partners—costs are soaring, margins are shrinking, and supply chains are struggling. Stock prices are falling, IPOs are stalling, and investors are on edge as budget-conscious shoppers are left no choice but to flock to discount brands for essentials only. The tariff impact on e-commerce is not fleeting and should be taken seriously to avoid long-lasting damage.
The hard truth for commerce brands today? Your legacy commerce platform wasn’t built for this kind of turbulence.
The legacy trap: Why old commerce platforms can’t keep up
While one-size-fits-all monolith platforms like ATG, SAP Commerce Cloud, and Salesforce Commerce were built for stability, they aren’t engineered for agility, and the kind of rapid change required to address today’s challenges.
- Tariff-related import cost increases mean that investment flexibility is crucial, but rigid tech and vendor lock-in keep you paying to be stuck in the past.
- Headcount constraints drive interest in low-maintenance, AI-supported experiences, but slow, costly, development-intensive upgrade cycles mean lean AI modernization and customization is nothing more than a pipe dream.
- Every patch is a missed opportunity, and quick fixes don’t solve the underlying problem.
In the current economic climate and with global trade policy tightening IT budgets, costly and time-consuming big bang migrations to modern platforms are off the table. The real question? How do you keep the lights on without band-aids and bloat while preparing for what’s next?
Don’t replatform. Reinvent.
Modernization doesn’t mean starting over. With Grid Dynamics, you can strategically and incrementally upgrade your commerce stack by simply plugging in composable, AI-powered modules for instant results, without the risk or disruption of a full replatform.
Plug in performance for instant e-commerce ROI, no overhaul necessary:
- 15x Return On Investment
- 20% Reduction in operating costs
- 50% Higher conversion rates
- 30% Uplift in revenue per visitor
Composable commerce lets you augment your legacy system with isolated, high-impact modules—delivering measurable business value without the budget shock of replatforming.
Your roadmap to tariff immunity
Grid Dynamics delivers a proven, phased approach to future-proofing your commerce stack:
| Phase | Timeline | Focus |
| Critical function augmentation | 0-6 months | Rapidly plug in AI modules to boost search, merchandising, and CX |
| Architectural hybridization | 6-18 months | Integrate composable components for flexibility and resilience |
| Sustained evolution | 18-36 months | Continuous optimization and innovation to stay ahead of market shifts |
Revenue-boosting, cost-cutting e-commerce components
- AI Search: Turn browsers into buyers by getting the right products in front of the right people—fast. AI search drives revenue while slashing support and merchandising costs.
- Merchandising Experience Platform (MXP): Make every click count with real-time, data-driven merchandising that upsells shoppers and automates the grunt work.
- GenAI Content & Catalog Optimization: Launch products at lightning speed. AI automates content and catalog work, boosting sales and shrinking manual overhead.
- Inventory and Order Management: Fulfill faster, spend less-real-time inventory, AI-powered sourcing optimization to minimize tariffs using “country of origin” data, and smart routing mean happier customers and leaner operations, no replatform needed.
- Headless Content Management: Leverage AI-driven brand and CX personalization, launch everywhere 50% faster with headless flexibility, and cut costs while you scale.
- Agentic AI Customer Service: Deliver 24/7, personalized support that wows. AI agents deflect routine tickets, resolve issues instantly, and supercharge agent productivity, driving loyalty while slashing service costs.
- GenAI Virtual Try-On: Let shoppers see it, love it, and buy it. Hyper-realistic, personalized try-ons skyrocket conversions and shrink costly returns, all without expensive photo shoots or tech overhauls.
Build tariff immunity through architectural adaptability
Protectionist trade policies and economic uncertainty demand a new approach to legacy system strategy. To beat the tariff impact on e-commerce, implement strategic composable upgrades and deploy agentic AI workforces to transform monolithic platforms into tariff-resilient architectures—without the risk, cost, or disruption of a full replatform.
Grid Dynamics is trusted by industry leaders and backed by a robust partner network. We deliver proven codebases, expert guidance, and ongoing support so you can accelerate your success and outperform tariffs, no matter what comes next.
No bloat. No band-aids. No replatform required.
Ready to outperform tariffs without replatforming or patching?
Download our solution brief now and map your modular modernization journey before the next shock hits.
