Design & Development
The nuts and bolts of an ecommerce site are design and development. We address design innovation and trends — including layouts, colors, photography, logos, video, and more. We explain the basics of code — HTML, CSS, JavaScript — as well as platforms, themes, plugins, open source, and related topics.
Code | Design & Dev Tools | Platforms & Apps | Schools & Resources | Typography & Fonts | User Experience-
Design & Dev Tools
Set Up a Shopify Theme Dev Environment in 2025
February 13, 2025 • Armando Roggio
Shopify merchants don't need coding skills to alter a theme. Yet some sellers require more, such as an entirely new theme, site, or app.
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Platforms & Apps
New Ecommerce Tools: February 13, 2025
February 13, 2025 • Sig Ueland
This week: Amazon offers, product displays, subscriptions, cross-border sales, Meta campaigns, fraud prevention, recommerce, headless commerce, and packaging.
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Platforms & Apps
New Ecommerce Tools: February 6, 2025
February 6, 2025 • Sig Ueland
This week's installment includes updates on AI agents, product pages, marketing models, POS tools, payment platforms, and conversational commerce.
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Schools & Resources
New Books on Strategy, Resilience, AI, More
February 4, 2025 • Jean Gazis
These new titles address today's business challenges — leadership, tactics, customers, data, change.
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Platforms & Apps
New Ecommerce Tools: January 30, 2025
January 30, 2025 • Sig Ueland
This week: updates on automated marketing, social commerce, product reviews, AI-powered shopping agents, value-added tax, drone deliveries, and more.
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Design & Dev Tools
New Web Design Tools, January 2025
January 28, 2025 • Sig Ueland
This month's installment includes new tools for video editing, AI content, app building, design enhancement, and free commercial fonts.
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Platforms & Apps
Plain-English Guide to Shopify Liquid
January 27, 2025 • Arjus Dashi
Merchants who understand Liquid can unlock new store customizations without needing a developer.
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Platforms & Apps
New Ecommerce Tools: January 23, 2025
January 23, 2025 • Sig Ueland
This week: genAI search, website builders, fulfillment, reverse logistics, mobile payments, click-to-cancel subscriptions, and more.
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Schools & Resources
10 Books for Better Communication
January 21, 2025 • Jean Gazis
What do owners, freelancers, managers, and employees have in common? They all communicate!
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Platforms & Apps
Squarespace’s Tools Aid Ecommerce Novices
January 19, 2025 • Armando Roggio
The platform's AI builder and snap-in-place grid are much easier than code-based modifiers and complicated editors.
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Platforms & Apps
Shopify Pro on Themes, Upgrades, Ecosystem
January 17, 2025 • Eric Bandholz
Kurt Elster launched his first Shopify store in 2011 and his "Unofficial Shopify Podcast" in 2014.
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Platforms & Apps
New Ecommerce Tools: January 16, 2025
January 16, 2025 • Sig Ueland
This week's rundown includes tools for cross-border selling, online advertising, generative AI, post-purchase journeys, and B2B and B2C platforms.
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Typography & Fonts
20 Free Commercial Fonts for 2025
January 13, 2025 • Sig Ueland
A new font is an easy and inexpensive way to enliven your website and capture visitors' attention.
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Platforms & Apps
New Ecommerce Tools: January 9, 2025
January 9, 2025 • Sig Ueland
This installment includes updates on marketplaces, supply chain platforms, shipping, returns, cross-border payments, and AI-generated product videos.
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Platforms & Apps
AI Apps to Get Things Done in 2025
January 7, 2025 • Sig Ueland
Today's AI-driven project management and productivity platforms automate tasks, schedules, and workflows.
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Schools & Resources
New Books for Personal Growth in 2025
January 6, 2025 • Jean Gazis
Handpicked titles on managing time, setting priorities, and leading a more productive and purposeful life personally and professionally.
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Platforms & Apps
New Ecommerce Tools: January 2, 2025
January 2, 2025 • Sig Ueland
This first 2025 installment of our weekly rundown includes updates on payment platforms, shopping assistants, advertising insights, AI chatbots, mobile services, and parcel delivery.
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Design & Dev Tools
New Web Design Tools, December 2024
December 30, 2024 • Sig Ueland
Discover free and paid video generators, page builders, image editors, tools to train AI agents, and a selection of commercial fonts.
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Platforms & Apps
New Ecommerce Tools: December 26, 2024
December 26, 2024 • Sig Ueland
This week's installment includes updates on return solutions, pay-over-time services, cross-border sales, promotions, AI tools, and virtual try-ons.
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Platforms & Apps
New Ecommerce Tools: December 19, 2024
December 19, 2024 • Sig Ueland
This week's installment includes updates on returns, payment financing, AI-powered assistants, social commerce, shipping, and security tools.
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Schools & Resources
11 Books to Help Navigate Risk
December 17, 2024 • Jean Gazis
Expert strategies for identifying and managing diverse business threats in a complex, global environment.
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Platforms & Apps
Top Online Form Builders, Compared
December 16, 2024 • Sig Ueland
Features, costs and capabilities of software for contacts, surveys, payments, registrations, data, and much more.
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Platforms & Apps
New Ecommerce Tools: December 12, 2024
December 12, 2024 • Sig Ueland
This week's rundown includes tools for generative AI, virtual commerce, product image tools, customer experience platforms, blockchain payment solutions, and drone deliveries.
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Platforms & Apps
Build Your Own Ecommerce Platform in 2025
December 8, 2024 • Armando Roggio
Advances in composable commerce allow even smaller merchants to pick and choose the right apps for their businesses.
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Platforms & Apps
New Ecommerce Tools: December 5, 2024
December 5, 2024 • Sig Ueland
This week's installment includes updates on virtual stores, tax management, cross-border commerce, circular packaging, sponsored products, product images, and more.
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Schools & Resources
Books on Business, Money, Success, and Failure
December 3, 2024 • Jean Gazis
Our 12 handpicked titles address massive successes, epic failures, intrigue, disruption, history, technology, and more.
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Platforms & Apps
New Ecommerce Tools: November 28, 2024
November 28, 2024 • Sig Ueland
Our rundown this week includes updates on ecommerce platforms, marketplaces, search engines, APIs, reverse logistics, and local delivery.
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Platforms & Apps
Perplexity Shopping Tests Ecommerce SMBs
November 21, 2024 • Armando Roggio
Perplexity's shopping assistant will likely make buying easier for consumers while complicating existing ecommerce businesses.
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Platforms & Apps
New Ecommerce Tools: November 21, 2024
November 21, 2024 • Sig Ueland
New merchant tools this week include local search marketing, video generators, AI-powered shopping assistants, email marketing tools, conversational commerce, online review tools, and influencer marketing.
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User Experience
Charts: Website Accessibility Trends 2024
November 20, 2024 • Adel Boukarroum
A new report by Crownpeak and London Research identifies the digital accessibility plans and challenges of E.U. and U.S. organizations.
New Ecommerce Tools: February 18, 2026
Email Marketing Awaits True AI
The Truth about 'Direct' Traffic
AI Content Licensing for Merchants
New Ecommerce Tools: February 11, 2026
Low-Value Imports Upend E.U. Ecommerce
SEO for AI, Low Traffic, No Clicks