The e-commerce landscape in 2026 is evolving rapidly, but as opportunities for growth increase, so do the complexities of consumer security. We are proud to share that Sell The Trend and our founder, Rachid “Rush” Wehbi, were recently featured in E-Commerce Times to discuss a critical shift in digital fraud: the rise of the “Friction Tax.”
In the feature, titled “Scam Texts Are Creating a Friction Tax for Retailers,” the discussion centers on how fraud is no longer just about high-stakes, obvious heists. Instead, with U.S. e-commerce surpassing $1.4 trillion, fraudsters are embedding themselves into everyday shopping habits.
Data highlights a staggering $470 million in losses tied to text scams (smishing) in the last year alone. This surge has created a “Friction Tax”—a state where consumers are so wary of scams that they begin to ignore legitimate brand communications, delivery updates, and fraud alerts.
As a leader in e-commerce intelligence, Sell The Trend has been monitoring how shopping behavior creates these vulnerabilities. Rush noted during the interview that modern fraud thrives on the high-velocity nature of modern retail:
“Most people think scams are obvious, but today they’re built into normal behavior. People are buying something small, quickly, and moving on. That’s exactly where fraud fits in… It’s not about big losses in a single moment anymore. It’s about small transactions happening at scale.”
For retailers, the challenge is two-fold: protecting the bottom line and rebuilding consumer trust. The simplest solution, according to Rush, is a cultural shift toward “slowing down.” By taking a moment to verify a source before completing a quick transaction, both consumers and merchants can mitigate the majority of these scalable fraud campaigns.
We are honored to contribute to this vital industry conversation as we continue to build tools that prioritize data-driven transparency and security for the global e-commerce community.
Read the full expert analysis at E-Commerce Times.
Lisa is an eCommerce and digital marketing specialist with over 6 years of experience helping online businesses grow through data-driven strategy and hands-on execution.
She has worked across dropshipping and direct-to-consumer channels, focusing on product research and performance marketing. At Sell The Trend, she creates practical, research-backed content to help merchants make confident decisions.
