Industry

Most mid-sized Shopify brands follow a well-worn roadmap: launch DTC, scale through paid ads, then aim for Sephora or Target. Skimpies didn’t get the memo. The TikTok-native brand just made its first national retail appearance—not at a luxury boutique, but at TJ Maxx and Marshalls, signaling a bold new approach to DTC growth (Modern Retail). This isn’t just an offbeat expansion move. It’s a calculated shift—and a signal to DTC founders that the rules are changing. TikTok Shop Was the Launchpa

Back-to-school (BTS) no longer starts in August. In 2025, it kicked off right after Memorial Day, as major retailers raced to front-load promotions—and parents followed, wallets in hand (Retail Brew). For DTC brands, this isn’t just a calendar shift—it’s a competitive test. The brands that plan earlier, message smarter, and build around Prime Day will win the new BTS window. Those that don’t? They’ll miss it entirely. June Is the New August This isn't a theory. It's in the data: Metric202

Shopify’s Summer ’25 Edition isn’t a cosmetic update—it’s a strategic play for operators. This rollout gives lean DTC teams access to tools that once required expensive dev stacks: AI-generated storefronts, real-time analytics, and global infrastructure that just works. Whether you're redesigning your PDPs or opening up new markets, here’s what actually matters—and how brands are putting it to work. Horizon: Your Developer Just Got Replaced Shopify’s new Horizon theme makes designing a store