The Haaland effect, the CD comeback, and why waiting for 'ready' means it might never come
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.
It may be peak summer, but commerce is still doing the most. This month: founders who wish they’d started sooner, charcuterie boards that look effortless (breaking news: they are not), and the nostalgia products finding their way back into carts. Plus: sparkly Labubus, the Haaland effect starring one viral whiskey raccoon, and that cult bag you’ve seen one million times at the beach? It just hit 1M orders.
Wait for “ready,” and it might never come
Good things come to those who wait. It’s a solid mantra while waiting on your DoorDash delivery, less so when it comes to starting a business. New Shopify x Harris Poll data digs into the gap between feeling ready and actually getting started, and why so many founders wish they’d made the leap sooner. We’re calling it the preparedness paradox.
More than just a pretty board
Nothing wows dinner guests like a perfectly curated charcuterie board. The problem? Nobody wants to spend their whole day slicing cheese and arranging salami roses. Boarderie built a business around solving that, with fully assembled boards, shipped fresh and ready to serve. But behind the boards is a 100,000-square-foot operation, dozens of artisan ingredients, and 2 years of product R&D for their latest launch.
Watch and learn
Catch up on the latest episodes from our pals over at Shopify Masters.
🥕 Carmen Dianne and Kara Still, co-founders of mobile farmer’s market Prosperity Market
🎩 Andrew Blackmon, founder of formalwear brand The Black Tux
Quotable
✍️
Quick hits
When Labubu mania 🤝 Naomi Osaka, suddenly A-Morir had a viral product on their hands. Founder Kerin Rose Gold gets real honest about how this global moment changed everything overnight (hint: it’s not always sparkly). 👉 Read about it.
Speaking of sports and virality… ever heard of Erling Haaland? The Norwegian soccer player was the belle of the ball at this year’s World Cup. It seemed everything he touched turned to gold, including his quirky purchases from Dallas-based retailer Wild Bill’s Western Store. 👉 See how their sales grew after the moment.
You know those rubber-like bags with the little holes that every parent, beachgoer, and busy person seems to be hauling around? There’s a good chance it’s a Bogg Bag. The cult-favorite brand just hit 1M orders on Shopify. Congrats to the team! 👏
By the numbers: analog’s back, baby!
The data is in: Consumers are craving products that transport them back to a time when you had your friends’ home phone numbers memorized, Friday night trips to Blockbuster were the main event, and TikTok was merely a sound coming from the cuckoo clock on your grandma’s wall.
👉Check out all the trending product data* here.
ICYMI
*Figures reflect sales data across Shopify’s millions of merchants. Timeframes vary by category and are labeled.