Passport and Drive Research survey reveals how ecommerce brands are balancing rising trade risks with high international revenue potential—and the strategies they’re using to scale seamlessly
Passport, a leading international ecommerce solutions provider, released a new research report in partnership with Drive Research, offering a timely look into how ecommerce brands are approaching global expansion in the face of shifting trade policies, rising tariffs, and increasing fulfillment demands.
Based on a February 2025 survey of 100 senior U.S. ecommerce leaders, the report—”Going Global, Smarter: The Ecommerce Leader’s Guide to Scaling Internationally Amid Tariffs”—uncovers the tensions and opportunities shaping international strategy today.
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Key insights include:
- 81% of brands fear tariffs will disrupt their global strategy
- 91% say international sales are profitable, with 50% attributing over one-fifth of revenue to global markets
- 94% plan to scale in-country fulfillment within five years to improve speed, cost, and customer experience
- 69% plan to increase international ad spend, with social platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook gaining more traction
- 44% value partner flexibility over price—especially when navigating compliance and expanding to new markets
“Ecommerce brands are waking up to the fact that relying solely on the U.S. is no longer a sustainable growth strategy,” said Alex Yancher, Co-Founder and CEO of Passport. “Between tariff uncertainty, de minimis changes, and rising fulfillment expectations, international expansion is becoming a necessity—and brands need partners that offer end-to-end support across logistics, compliance, and customer experience. That’s exactly why we commissioned this research: to help ecommerce leaders navigate what’s next.”
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The report also features exclusive case studies from fast-growing DTC brands like Carpe and Ogee, who have doubled and even 10X’ed international revenue after investing in localized storefronts, compliance, and logistics with Passport.
“With Passport Global, we were able to start running international ads with confidence—and almost immediately saw a massive lift,” said Alex Stark, CMO and Co-Founder of Ogee. “Our international peak sales increased 10x. The ability to combine localized storefronts with high-ROI global marketing made all the difference.”
