10 Wildly Contrarian Ecom Plays for 2025 (That Actually Work)

Alright, ecommerce operators—everyone and their mother is gonna read the same “2025 trends” reports, nod along, and keep doing the same boring stuff as last year.

Not you.

You’re here to play a different game.

So instead of parroting the same “loyalty programs are back!” or “speed matters!” takes, let’s flip the script and do the OPPOSITE.

Here’s how to make more money than your competitors in 2025:

But first… a random Meme of the Week for a Laugh

Want to skip to the featured content of the week? Click here.

1. Kill Your Loyalty Program – Charge for Access Instead

Everyone is giving away loyalty perks. That’s cute. You should make people PAY to be in the club.

📌 Instead of: “Earn points on every purchase.”
🔥 Do this: Launch a $99/year VIP membership with priority shipping, members-only drops, and secret perks.

Why? People value what they PAY for. No one cares about a $5 discount. They want status.

2. Stop Unbundling – Re-Bundle for Maximum Profit

The hot take is that people want single-purpose products. And yeah, sure, some do. But most people are lazy and just want everything in one click.

📌 Instead of: Selling 10 separate skincare products.
🔥 Do this: Sell a "Glowing AF Starter Kit" that bundles the best ones.

Convenience still wins. Do the thinking for them, and they’ll pay more.

3. Self-Care is Overrated – Sell “Life Optimization”

People don’t want “relaxing candles.” They want an edge.

📌 Instead of: Selling self-care as an indulgence.
🔥 Do this: Position your product as a performance enhancer.

• Tea? "Unlocks laser-sharp focus."

• A bath soak? "Elite recovery ritual."

• A sleep mask? "Worn by Fortune 500 CEOs."

This is why Stanley Cups exploded—it’s a water bottle, but it’s marketed like a cult object.

4. Forget Fast Shipping – Make Customers WAIT

Amazon ruined it. Everyone expects two-day shipping. But what if you flipped it?

📌 Instead of: Competing on speed.
🔥 Do this: Create artificial waitlists, exclusive drops, and “made-to-order” products.

Example: Nike drops limited-edition shoes that sell out instantly. Why? Because scarcity MAKES people want it more.

5. Omnichannel is Overrated – Own ONE Channel and Dominate

Everyone says you need to be everywhere. No.

📌 Instead of: Trying to win on Amazon, TikTok, retail, and DTC at the same time.
🔥 Do this: Pick ONE primary channel and own it.

• If it’s DTC, make your website the only place to get your best stuff.

• If it’s retail, turn your stores into experience hubs.

• If it’s TikTok, make sure you own the traffic (via SMS/email), not the algorithm.

If you don’t own the customer, you don’t own the business.

Looking for a second opinion? The team at Pixel Theory is offering 10 readers of this newsletter a 100% free audit of your acquisition channels to help you uncover your biggest growth levers for 2025. Grab a time with my friend Graham, here.

6. AI is Distrusted? Flaunt It.

Most brands are hiding their AI usage because they think people hate it. That’s dumb.

📌 Instead of: Hiding AI-generated content.
🔥 Do this: Market your AI use as a feature.

• “Crafted with AI, perfected by humans.”

• “AI-driven fit recommendations for the perfect size.”

• “See what 10,000+ data points say you should buy next.”

People don’t hate AI—they hate being deceived. Own it.

7. “Shop Local” is Overrated – Go Hyper-Niche Instead

Everyone says local matters. You know what matters more? Identity-based communities.

📌 Instead of: Marketing to a city or region.
🔥 Do this: Market to a subculture.

• Coffee brand? Target "cold brew nerds."

• Clothing brand? Go after "minimalist fashion freaks."

• Skincare brand? Build a "retinol cult."

The best communities aren’t local—they’re tribal.

8. Stop Posting. Start Ranking.

Everyone is pumping out social content that disappears in 24 hours. That’s a hamster wheel.

📌 Instead of: Posting 5x a day on Instagram.
🔥 Do this: Rank for high-intent search terms with blogs, YouTube, and evergreen content.

• "Best anti-aging skincare routine" → Your site

• "Most comfortable hoodie" → Your product page

• "Best dog food for allergies" → Your brand

Search prints money for years. Social dies overnight.

9. Discounts? Make Them Earn It.

You know what’s boring? “10% off your first order.”

📌 Instead of: Handing out discounts like Halloween candy.
🔥 Do this: Gamify discounts so customers have to work for them.

• 10% off if they refer a friend.

• 15% off if they take a quiz.

• 20% off if they post on social.

People value what they earn.

10. Email Marketing is Dead – Make Email a Product

Everyone treats email like a sales tool. That’s why their open rates suck.

📌 Instead of: Sending generic promo emails.
🔥 Do this: Turn your email list into a PRODUCT people WANT to read.

• A weekly “first dibs” drop for subscribers.

• A “vault” of VIP-only tips & hacks.

• A community where people reply & engage.

Make your emails so good they’re worth paying for.

btw - if you need help doing this, hit me up. my boutique agency (www.bylders.io) runs email for a handful of incredible brands and I work directly on each account.

Final Thought: Do the Opposite

If everyone in ecom zigs, you zag.

💰 People pay more for exclusivity, not discounts.
💰 Scarcity creates demand—don’t rush to sell.
💰 The strongest brands don’t chase trends—they make them.

🚀 What’s one move you’re making this year that’s wildly contrarian but insanely profitable? 

Hit reply. I wanna hear it.

Parker

Here’s my top content of the week:

1. Charlotte Trecartin - Founder & CharCharms launched on SharkTank last week and shared her full experience on Linkedin. Every wondered what its like going on SharkTank? Charlotte shares the full breakdown:

   

2. Andrew Gazdecki - is the founder and ceo at Acquire.com and he’s super active on Linkedin. He shares both his own journey building his business but also key insights about how the market is valuing various businesses.