Shopify

Streamlining fulfillment is key when scaling a business. That’s why we’re adding more third-party logistics partners to the Shopify Fulfillment Network. ShipBob, Shipfusion, and ShipMonk are joining Flexport, and now integrate directly with the Shopify admin. Partnering with the right 3PL means faster deliveries and reduced shipping costs. Now, with more options, merchants can compare multiple 3PL partners in one place to find the right partner. More here: https://lnkd.in/dSemKYA

Doubt is a part of the game, but it’s on you to push through it to get to the good stuff. That was the takeaway from Serena Williams at our co-hosted pop-up in Los Angeles, when she addressed the topic of imposter syndrome. More on Serena's journey conquering a new industry to build WYN BEAUTY by Serena Williams.

Business owners, if listening to your audience isn't your top priority, your products will struggle to resonate. Case in point: 15 years ago, the beverage options for sober and sober-curious individuals fell short in flavor, lacked complexity, and offered little in terms of presentation due to attempts to solve a problem without fully understanding consumers' needs. This gap caught the attention of JW Wiseman, who, after a pivotal night out in 2012, recognized the demand for better non-alcoholic alternatives. What started as experiments in his kitchen transformed into a newfound mission to craft sophisticated, dynamic cocktails sans alcohol. This is where Curious Elixirs was born. Fast forward to today: Curious Elixirs has become a pioneer in the non-alcoholic space, consistently delivering premium options to a community that has deserved better from day one.

Developers, the Shopify.dev MCP server is live. You can now build and refine GraphQL operations within your preferred coding environment: Cursor, Windsurf, or Claude desktop. Add the MCP server to your settings: https://lnkd.in/d9ZvNMJP

A clear signal from March shopping trends: U.S. consumers are ready for spring. We analyzed month-over-month sales from thousands of Shopify merchants to discover what was trending in March. Gardening and grilling accessories rose to the top. Here are the highlights: → March marked the kickoff of those inevitable home and garden projects. Sales increased for sprinklers (+388%), pergolas (+242%), outdoor umbrellas (+240%), and plant bulbs (+131%). → Grilling season is here, with sales rising for outdoor grill carts (+66%), scrapers (+60%), covers (+45%), and even pizza ovens (+45%). → Consumers refreshed their closets for warmer weather, driving a surge in sales for chino shorts (+302%), tank tops (+300%), and bucket hats (+132%). → Outdoor activities are back in full swing. Kick scooter (+437%), pop-up tent (+273%), bike handlebar (+145%), and picnic blanket (+72%) sales were all up. Merchants, what’s trending in your store as we head into spring?

March Madness has become about more than just basketball for college athletes. Now able to profit from their name, image, and likeness (NIL), athletes are taking control of their personal brands and seizing the opportunity to become entrepreneurs. Consider that less than 2% of NCAA college athletes will go pro, and it raises the stakes for capitalizing on pivotal moments like March Madness. As for the brands working with these athletes, Campus Ink & The NIL Store had its highest revenue month ever during last year’s March Madness, while Athlete's Thread—a brand that partners with 38,000 athletes—reports that 30% of its basketball sales occur in March and April. What other spaces do you think will spark the next wave of entrepreneurs? Drop your thoughts.

Where do the most innovative ideas come from? For rabbit founders Jill Deering and Monica DeVreese, the answer is community. As lifelong marathoners, they recognized a common challenge among runners: the need for great-fitting, functional gear that authentically reflects their community’s culture. Their solution? Building a product and brand hand-in-hand with their community. Jill and Monica began by sharing every running short they could find with friends, gathering insights on what they loved, disliked, and how the brand connected with them. The result: rabbit — a running apparel line deeply rooted in California culture that goes beyond selling high-quality gear. It puts the community first, actively supporting runners through initiatives like organizing shakeout runs before the Boston and Chicago Marathons and sponsoring the inaugural Every Woman’s Marathon. Now in its 8th year, rabbit has grown into one of the largest independent running apparel brands—proof that community collaboration can be the key to success.

Developers, our ecosystem hit new milestones in 2024: → $1B in app payouts (+37%) → 16K+ apps published (+23%) → 1.6B App Store sessions by merchants (+15%) We’re celebrating by bringing the builders back to Toronto this May. Join us at Editions.dev for debugging, pair programming, and an exclusive AMA with Shopify Founder and CEO Tobi Lütke. Tickets are available at https://Editions.dev… because you can’t ask when we’re unifying our app UIs if you aren’t registered.

Lady Gaga’s new website is hitting all the right notes. Immediately after its launch, add-to-cart rates increased by 128% and average order value rose by 55%. How’d she do it? Hydrogen. Hydrogen is an open-source framework for headless commerce. It’s ideal for merchants, like Lady Gaga, looking for bespoke solutions and building custom storefronts on Shopify. Enter: Commerce-UI, a Shopify Plus agency that specializes in Hydrogen. Commerce-UI used Hydrogen to: → Bring the creative concepts of Lady Gaga and Melody Yung of Yung Studio to life, such as the interactive 3D albums that move diagonally across the Music page. → Integrate a custom content management system, giving Lady Gaga’s team the autonomy to manage and update content quickly without relying on outside engineers. → Create a mobile and desktop-optimized site that can handle high volumes of traffic, including hundreds of thousands of visitors during major launches. Read more about how Commerce-UI rebuilt Lady Gaga’s site with Hydrogen: https://lnkd.in/exJDCvGs

Toys, fitness, quilting, and tablescape decor were top of mind for US consumers in February. We looked at month-over-month sales from hundreds of thousands of Shopify merchants to uncover what was trending. Here are the highlights: → Interest in toys and games surged, especially those with nostalgia ties like animal figures (+307%), play dough and putty (+92%). Sales of sports trading cards were up 848%, while gaming cards were up 816% and trended in Canada and Australia as well. → Consumers are investing in items that enhance their workout routine from fitness equipment like ab wheels (+190%) and stair steppers (+165%) to apparel like jogger shorts (+75%) and track jackets (+38%). → Sewing and quilting are making a resurgence with crafters. Demand was up for quilting thread (+201%) and rulers (+131%), fabric repair kits (+80%), and printable fabric (+60%). → Fueled by Valentine’s Day gatherings, consumers are enhancing their dining experience with items like place cards (+157%), cocktail decorations (+121%), and fresh cut flowers (+106%).