Powder and Trail: Adventures in Pandemic E-commerce

"Your order has been delayed..."

If I had a dollar for every time I typed those words in 2020, I wouldn't have needed an e-commerce store in the first place. But let's start at the beginning.

The Birth of a Very Bad Idea

Picture this: It's April 2020. I'm sitting in my home office in the Canadian Rockies, somewhere between my third and eighth Zoom call of the day, when I have what I think is a brilliant idea:

"People are stuck at home, but they still want outdoor gear. I should start an online store!"

Narrator: He had no idea what he was getting into.

The Dropshipping Discovery

Here's a fun fact: I launched a Shopify store before I even knew what dropshipping was. That's like trying to fly a plane because you've watched a lot of movies about pilots.

For the uninitiated (like 2020 me), dropshipping is when:

• You list products you don't actually have

• Someone buys them

• You order from your supplier

• They ship directly to your customer

• You pocket the difference

Sounds simple, right? (Insert hysterical laughter here)

When Global Supply Chains Attack

The timing of my e-commerce adventure couldn't have been worse. Imagine launching a dropshipping business just as:

• Global supply chains collapsed

• Shipping times went from days to "maybe never"

• Customer patience hit an all-time low

• Asian suppliers went dark

It was like opening an ice cream shop during a power outage. In summer. In Texas.

The Facebook Ads Money Pit

Nobody tells you this when you start, but Facebook Ads are like a casino where the house always wins. Here's how my ad journey went:

Day 1: "I'll just spend $20 to test." Day 30: "Okay, $500 more should do it." Day 60: "WHY IS NOTHING WORKING?" Day 90: Nervous laughter while checking credit card statement

The Economics I Learned the Hard Way

Let me introduce you to two acronyms that now haunt my dreams:

CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost)

• What I thought it would be: $10-15 per customer

• What it actually was: "Why am I eating ramen again?"

LTV (Lifetime Value)

• What I hoped for: Loyal customers buying monthly

• What I got: One-time purchases and refund requests

The magic formula is supposed to be:

If LTV > CAC = Happy entrepreneur If LTV < CAC = Sad entrepreneur eating ramen

Guess which one I was?

The Customer Service Chronicles

Some actual emails I had to write:

• "Your order is stuck in customs... again."

• "The supplier says it's coming... eventually."

• "Yes, two months is longer than expected."

• "No, I cannot control international shipping."

Each one felt like a tiny dagger in my entrepreneurial dreams.

What 2024 Looks Like (And Why It Makes Me Want to Cry)

The tools available today make 2020 me look like I was trying to build an e-commerce empire with sticks and stones:

Product Research

Then: "This looks cool. People will probably buy it." Now: AI-powered trend analysis and demand forecasting

Ad Creation

Then: Spends 6 hours making one ad Now: AI generates 50 variations in 5 minutes

Customer Service

Then: Me, at 3 AM, writing apologetic emails Now, AI chatbots handling 90% of queries instantly

The Tool Stack I Wish I Had

If I were starting Powder and Trail today:

1. Store Setup

• Shopify (still the king)

• AI product research tools

• Automated pricing optimization

• Inventory prediction software

2. Marketing

• AI ad creation and testing

• Smart audience targeting

• Automated email sequences

• Performance optimization

3. Operations

• Automated customer service

• Smart shipping predictions

• Real-time supplier monitoring

• Integration management

The Hard Truths About E-commerce

1. The Competition is Fierce. Everyone has access to the same:

   • Suppliers

   • Ad platforms

   • Customers

   • Tools

   The difference? How smart you work, not how hard.

2. Margins Matter More Than Revenue Ask me how I know that $10,000 in sales can still mean losing money. (Actually, don't ask. I'm still processing that therapy bill.)

3. Speed is Everything In 2024, if you're not using AI to:

   • Test products

   • Create ads

   • Optimize performance: You're bringing a knife to a gunfight.

What I'd Do Differently

1. Start with Data, Not Dreams

   • Use AI for market research

   • Test small, fail fast

   • Scale what works

   • Abandon what doesn't

2. Focus on Operations First

   • Build systems before scaling

   • Automate everything possible

   • Plan for problems

   • Expect delays

3. Know Your Numbers

   • Track every penny

   • Understand unit economics

   • Monitor ad spend religiously

   • Calculate real profits

The Silver Lining

While Powder and Trail wasn't exactly a financial success, it taught me priceless lessons about:

• Digital Marketing

• Customer psychology

• Global supply chains

• The importance of systems

Your Turn

Want to start an e-commerce business in 2024? Here's your real checklist:

1. Pick a niche you understand

2. Use AI tools from day one

3. Start small and test everything

4. Build systems for scale

5. Watch your numbers like a hawk

6. Keep your day job (trust me on this one)

Remember: The tools have changed, but the principles haven't. Know your numbers, test quickly, and for the love of all things holy, understand your supply chain before you start.

-Greg

P.S. To anyone who waited three months for their camping gear in 2020: I'm still sorry. But hey, at least now you have a story to tell!