Self-employment spikes, a beauty brand hits 1M, AI redefines retail
The biggest news in commerce from the company that powers your favorite brands
Every month, In Stock breaks down the commerce news that matters: brand wins, real data, and retail insights from the platform behind millions of merchants and billions of transactions.
January said “hold my champagne” then went off. Entrepreneurship hit all-time highs, an independent period care brand landed in Sprouts, and workwear officially became streetwear. Meanwhile, Shopify turned AI chats into shopping carts and chose violence against patent trolls.
Here’s the rundown.
Everyone’s their own boss now (and honestly, good)
Last month shattered records: More people started businesses than ever before—not because of New Year’s resolutions, but because they’ve done the math. While traditional employment grows more uncertain, the barriers to building their own businesses have collapsed. Is the ‘safe’ corporate job now the risky move? This wasn’t on our bingo card.
Main character energy: Agentic commerce
AI chats are officially commerce channels now. Shopify just turned every conversation where you ask “what should I buy” into an actual place to buy it—no app-switching, no tab-hopping. This is what shopping looks like when the internet stops being a destination and starts being a conversation. RIP seventeen open browser tabs just to compare prices.
Patent trolls? Fight ‘em, don’t feed ‘em
Patent trolls target entrepreneurs with frivolous lawsuits, knowing most can’t afford to fight back. We don’t settle. We fight. When patent trolls come knocking, Shopify lawyers up. Because feeding trolls only makes them hungrier.
Quick hits
Europe’s cookie problem: EU regulations are making it harder for small businesses to compete. It’s “a tax on entrepreneurship.” 👉 Get our full take
25 years of commerce: From the dotcom crash to livestream shopping, we look back at the core plot points in the greatest commerce story ever told. And ICYMI, we also published a pop culture version right here on In Stock. Yes, we made two versions. We contain multitudes.
Inside NRF: Leaders from across the industry came together to discuss what’s next in retail. Shopify’s Harley Finkelstein, Emma Grede of Good American, and Ben Francis of Gymshark discussed how smart partnerships help retailers move faster. 👉 Catch the highlights
Merchants in their success era
Period brand August launches in Sprouts. Already a staple in Target stores across the US, August period products have landed at national retailer Sprouts. Co-founder Nadya Okamoto started the company in 2021 to accompany her advocacy work in the space. 👉 Read our Q&A with Nadya
WSJ names Brunt “one of the fastest-growing brands in apparel and footwear.” Brunt Workwear launched in 2020 and hit $300 million in sales by listening to actual tradespeople over hot dogs. The aesthetic has jumped into streetwear—Carhartt now sells in trendy Brooklyn boutiques as well as rural hardware stores. 👉 Find out what’s fuelling the trend
BK Beauty hits 1M orders. Last month, BK Beauty founders Lisa J and Paul Jauregui announced to their Instagram audience that the makeup brush brand surpassed 1 million orders. Congrats, team!
Quotable
“You have to sweat all the details. The way you do anything is how you do everything.”
–Tobi Lütke, Shopify CEO in conversation with David Senra
By the numbers
The top three reasons* US small business owners launched their brands:
Desire for independence (57%)
Passion for an idea or product (50%)
Motivation to build long-term financial security for themselves or future generations (48%)
What’s up next
It’s Black History Month. Still time to discover Black-owned businesses like Amina Iris, domoInk, and Maison 276. Great taste is timeless, but now’s a perfect excuse to refresh your favorites.
February and early March are packed with big shopping moments. Expect to see brands spinning up collections for Valentine’s (and Galentine’s) Day, International Women’s Day, and Chinese New Year.
Coming soon to In Stock subscribers: An update on the Sonsie X Shopify Mindful Beauty Award, notes from a leader with interesting team motivation tactics, and a deep dive on the Heated Rivalry effect.
*Findings from a survey conducted by The Harris Poll from November 18th to 29th, 2025 on behalf of Shopify.