Shopify Entrepreneur Weekly

Hey Shopify store owners and operators! 👋 

There’s a lot happening in the world of eCommerce and Shopify this week, from exciting new AI features to game-changing tools for improving customer experience. Whether you’re looking to optimize your operations, stay ahead of industry trends, or try out the latest features, we’ve got you covered.

Here’s what’s new:

• Shopify Sidekick updates and other ecom must-knowm updates

• You can now copy and paste sections directly in the Theme Customizer.

• Klaviyo’s new Customer Hub beta turns your Shopify customer account page into a post-purchase hub.

• Unexpected Fight Club merch launch

Stay tuned for more updates, and let us know which of these features you’re excited to try! 🚀 

Ecommerce news and updates

Shopify’s Sidekick just got an upgrade with new AI features:

→ Multi-step reasoning: Ask Sidekick why sales dropped, and it won’t just give you numbers. It connects the dots between inventory, marketing, and customer behavior to explain what happened—and what to do next. Think root cause analysis, not just surface reporting.

→ Image generation: Describe the image you need, and Sidekick creates it. Product shots, marketing visuals—done. No design budget needed.

→ 20 languages supported: Sidekick now works in every language supported in the Shopify admin. It responds in your language automatically—no toggling or setup required.

Shopify's new returns processing feature lets you control when returns affect your sales and tax reports. Returned items only impact financial data once you confirm receipt, ensuring accuracy. Key benefits include verifying returns, managing restocking and refunds in one workflow, processing exchanges, and sending invoices as needed.

Shopify Tax now includes VAT number validation for merchants. Buyers' VAT numbers can be entered and validated directly in the admin using VIES and HMRC for all EU countries and the UK. If valid, the reverse charge exemption is automatically applied to qualifying orders, and a reverse charge note will appear on VAT invoices.

President Trump has officially ended the de minimis exemption, which allowed packages under $800 from retailers like Temu and Shein to enter the U.S. duty-free. These packages are now subject to tariffs up to 145%, depending on the shipping method. Express carriers like DHL face the highest tariffs, while USPS shipments face a 120% tariff or a $100 fee per package, increasing to $200 in June.

Temu US abruptly transitioned to a local fulfillment model, blocking products shipped directly from China and causing confusion among suppliers and customers. Sellers were not notified in advance, leading to disruptions as many products were removed from the platform. This shift replaced Temu’s previous bestsellers (cheap consumer goods) with larger items like furniture and appliances. Major Chinese e-commerce platforms like Alibaba, JD.com, and Baidu are stepping up to support sellers by helping with customs, boosting local sales, and offering financial and advertising assistance.

OpenAI is rolling out a new shopping feature within ChatGPT, allowing users to find and compare products directly in the app. While OpenAI hasn't confirmed a direct Shopify integration yet, it plans to let merchants submit product feeds directly to ChatGPT. Shopify CEO Tobi Lütke has expressed excitement over this new shopping approach. OpenAI also teased integrating memory features to personalize product recommendations further.

Partner news

✨ Archetype themes just got an update — here’s what you need to know:

Color swatches now support metaobjects and image swatches

You can now use metaobjects for color swatches, and thanks to full support for the swatch object, you can manage swatch images directly in the Shopify admin under product options.

File uploads supported on AJAX product forms

Shoppers can now upload files directly when adding a product to the cart, with no page reload. Useful for stores selling custom or personalized products.

Improved inventory and sold-out messaging

Inventory levels and out-of-stock notices are now clearer and more prominent, helping set better expectations for shoppers.

The full release notes are available under each themes "Support and Documentation" tab:

Impulse 7.6.2
Streamline 6.6.1
Motion 10.6.2

Shopify hack

Big news from Shopify! 🚀 You can now copy and paste sections directly in the Theme Customizer. Whether it’s on the same page or a completely different one, this update makes customizing your storefront faster and easier than ever.

Overheard on social

New Klaviyo Beta Feature: Customer Hub 🚨

Shopify merchants, Klaviyo just dropped a game-changer: Customer Hub. This beta feature turns your Shopify customer account page into a post-purchase powerhouse.

Here’s why it matters:

🔹 Track orders, manage subscriptions, start returns — all in one sleek, branded hub.

🔹 Integrates directly with Klaviyo flows, campaigns, and segmentation for smarter retention.

🔹 Upgrades Shopify’s outdated login pages with a dynamic, conversion-focused experience.

For mid-market brands ($2M–$25M revenue), especially those with loyalty programs or subscription models, this is HUGE. It’s an opportunity to boost engagement, improve customer experience, and drive repeat purchases without heavy lifting.

If you're on Shopify + Klaviyo, this is your sign to reimagine post-purchase CX. Think premium touchpoints, smarter data syncing, and a retention strategy that actually works.

Ready to roll it out? Let’s talk! Or dive into the details via Klaviyo’s help docs.

Photo of the week

Disney x Highsnobiety just dropped a "Fight Club"-inspired merch collection. Yes, Disney. Think leather jackets, tees, and pink soap. Turns out owning 20th Century Fox means "Fight Club" is now part of the Disney family.

That's it for today!

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