Shopify Editions Summer 2025: 10 Powerful Positive Features
What’s New in Shopify Editions Summer 2025: Horizons
Shopify Editions Summer 2025 (codenamed “Horizons”) brings over 150 platform updates focused on AI-powered workflows, design flexibility, and global commerce tools. Here’s what you need to know:
| Key Feature | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Horizon Themes | New design system with 10 free, conversion-optimized presets |
| AI Block Generation | Create custom store sections via text prompts |
| Sidekick Assistant | Now supports 20 languages with voice chat and screen sharing |
| Multi-Entity Management | Run multiple business entities from one admin |
| Faster Checkout | Loads up to 2 seconds faster with improved security |
| Knowledge Base App | Control how AI shopping agents represent your brand |
The Summer ’25 Edition represents a major shift toward what Shopify calls “declarative commerce” — where merchants can simply state what they want in plain language, and AI-powered tools handle the execution. This approach aims to remove technical barriers and let store owners focus on their products and customers rather than complex settings and code.
“If I had Horizon available when launching my brand, I could have saved £5000-7000,” notes one founder who previewed the new tools. The AI-generated theme blocks and nested sections mean merchants can customize storefronts faster than ever, without developer assistance for basic layouts and content updates.
For international sellers, the expanded Shopify Markets features now support multi-currency payouts tied to different bank accounts per region, while the redesigned POS app (version 10) brings branded customer screens and split delivery options to physical retail locations.
I’m Cesar A Beltran, founder of Blackbelt Commerce, and I’ve been closely tracking Shopify Editions Summer 2025 to help our clients leverage these powerful new tools for their e-commerce growth. With over 15 years of experience building high-converting Shopify stores, I’m excited to guide you through how these innovations can transform your business.
Shopify editions summer 2025 glossary:
Inside Shopify Editions Summer 2025 (Horizons) At A Glance
The Shopify Editions Summer 2025 release, nicknamed “Horizons,” represents the most substantial platform overhaul since Online Store 2.0 launched. With a whopping 150+ new features and improvements, Horizons demonstrates Shopify’s dedication to democratizing advanced e-commerce tools for businesses of every size.
Shopify now delivers major updates twice yearly—summer and winter—creating a predictable rhythm that helps both merchants and developers align their tech roadmaps with Shopify’s innovation schedule. This consistency is something our clients at Blackbelt Commerce have really appreciated for planning purposes.
Want to explore all the new features? Check out Shopify’s Summer 2025 Editions for the complete breakdown.
What is Shopify Editions Summer 2025 (Horizons)?
Shopify Editions Summer 2025 (Horizons) bundles platform updates around four essential pillars:
- Design Freedom – The stunning new Horizon themes and AI-powered design tools let you create without limits
- AI Assistants – Sidekick 2.0 brings multilingual support and screen sharing, while new AI shopping agents transform customer service
- Global Commerce – Simplified international selling with multi-currency payouts and streamlined multi-entity management
- Developer Experience – A next-gen platform featuring powerful APIs and tools that make development faster and more intuitive
The “Horizons” name perfectly captures what Shopify is delivering—expanded possibilities and the breaking down of traditional e-commerce barriers. This isn’t just another feature update; it’s a fundamental reimagining of how merchants interact with their stores.
Why Shopify Editions Summer 2025 (Horizons) sets a new direction
The most transformative aspect of Shopify Editions Summer 2025 is its accept of what they’re calling “declarative commerce.” This approach completely changes how you’ll work with the platform by letting you simply state what you want to accomplish using natural language, rather than digging through complex menus or writing code.
Think of it this way: instead of manually configuring theme settings or hiring someone to build a custom product section, you can now just describe what you want—”Create a product highlight section with three featured items, customer reviews, and a countdown timer”—and watch as Shopify’s AI generates it for you.
This declarative, AI-first approach represents a genuine paradigm shift in e-commerce platform design. It prioritizes what you want to achieve over how you need to achieve it, freeing you to focus on your business goals rather than technical details.
Having worked with hundreds of Shopify merchants at Blackbelt Commerce, I can tell you this is exactly the kind of innovation store owners have been asking for—powerful capabilities without the technical complexity that traditionally comes with them.
Design Freedom: Horizon Themes & AI Block Generation
When I first saw the new Horizon themes in Shopify Editions Summer 2025, I nearly spilled my coffee with excitement. This isn’t just another theme update—it’s a complete reimagining of what’s possible for merchants who want beautiful stores without needing a computer science degree.
Total design flexibility with Horizon presets
Shopify has gifted us with 10 free, conversion-optimized theme presets with Horizon, and they’re absolutely gorgeous. But these aren’t just pretty faces—they’re powerhouses built to sell.
Each theme has been carefully crafted for different business types and product categories, with improved performance that will make your pages load in a blink. The conversion-optimized layouts have been tested to drive sales, which means more money in your pocket without you having to become an overnight UX expert.
What I love most is how intuitive the new theme editor feels. You can make changes and see them instantly, with everything responding perfectly across all devices. It’s like having a professional designer on standby 24/7, except this one never charges overtime or asks for coffee breaks.
Want to see these beauties in action? Check out the new Horizon themes gallery to find the perfect match for your brand.
AI Block Generation & copy-paste sections
Here’s where the magic really happens. Imagine telling your store, “I need a holiday promotion section with snowflakes, a 25% discount code, and space for three featured products”—and then watching it appear before your eyes. That’s exactly what AI Block Generation delivers in Shopify Editions Summer 2025.
This feature feels like having a design genie at your fingertips. You type what you want, and poof—there it is, perfectly styled to match your store’s aesthetic. For content teams, this is a game-changer. No more waiting for developers to implement that urgent seasonal campaign or special promotion.
The new nested sections capability is equally impressive. You can now place blocks within blocks for those complex layouts that previously required custom coding. And the copy-paste functionality? Pure genius. Create something beautiful on one page, then copy it to another with a simple click.
These tools dramatically cut down the time between having an idea and seeing it live on your store. For merchants who’ve been frustrated by technical limitations in the past, this feels like finally being handed the keys to the kingdom.
Of course, if you’re looking to push these new tools even further, our team at Blackbelt Commerce offers expert theme customization services to help you achieve your exact vision, no matter how ambitious.
The bottom line? Shopify Editions Summer 2025 has made design freedom accessible to everyone. Whether you’re a solo entrepreneur or managing a large brand, these tools put you in control of your store’s look and feel—without requiring a single line of code.
AI Assistants & Declarative Commerce in Action
The Shopify Editions Summer 2025 release takes AI integration to new heights with significant upgrades to Sidekick and the introduction of new AI-powered shopping experiences.
Sidekick evolution: from helper to business partner
Remember when Sidekick was just a simple assistant? Those days are gone. Sidekick has grown up and transformed into what feels like a genuine business partner working alongside you.
The new version is impressively smart with multi-step reasoning capabilities. Ask it complex questions like “Why did sales decline last month?” and it’ll analyze your inventory levels, marketing campaigns, and seasonal trends before giving you thoughtful, comprehensive insights. It’s like having a business analyst who never sleeps!
What I’m personally excited about is the new voice interaction feature. You can now simply talk to Sidekick in 20 different languages, making it feel much more natural and accessible. Need help while you’re busy working on something else? The screen sharing capability means Sidekick can see what you’re looking at and provide contextual help right when you need it.
Beyond just answering questions, Sidekick can now actually do things for you. It can create customer segments, filter orders, and set up discounts – tasks that used to take valuable time out of your day. And the new image generation feature means you can create marketing visuals right within Shopify without switching to external design tools.
One digital head who tested these features shared: “Businesses that will thrive are those embracing AI. Sidekick identified the same restocking priorities our team had manually calculated, but did it in seconds.” That kind of time-saving is game-changing for busy merchants.
Controlling your brand in AI chats
As more customers use AI shopping assistants, how do you make sure they’re getting accurate information about your brand? Shopify Editions Summer 2025 solves this with the new Knowledge Base App.
Think of it as your brand’s voice in the AI world. You can auto-generate AI-readable FAQs from your existing store policies so AI assistants always have the right information. You maintain control by customizing answers to common questions, ensuring your brand’s unique voice shines through.
What’s really clever is how the app helps you improve over time. You can monitor real shopper questions that come in and refine your responses based on what customers actually want to know. This ensures consistent brand voice across all AI interactions.
Here’s a real-world example: When a shopper using an AI assistant asks, “What’s the return policy for this sustainable bedding set?” the Knowledge Base ensures they receive your accurate, brand-approved information rather than some generic or potentially incorrect response. It’s your brand, your voice, your rules – even in the AI space.
Building on-site AI agents
Want to bring AI-powered shopping assistance directly to your own storefront? Shopify Editions Summer 2025 makes this possible with Storefront MCP (Model Context Protocol) and Shopify Catalog.
These powerful tools let you create on-site AI shopping agents that feel like having a knowledgeable sales associate available 24/7. They can recommend products based on a shopper’s needs, answer detailed questions about materials or sizing, and guide customers smoothly to checkout.
The conversational commerce aspect feels remarkably human. Shoppers can ask natural questions like “I need a gift for my mom who loves gardening and the color blue” instead of trying to figure out the right search terms. The AI understands context and can make thoughtful recommendations based on real human needs.
What’s particularly impressive is how these conversations can lead directly to sales. The seamless cart creation feature means your AI assistant can add items to a customer’s cart right within the conversation, making the path to purchase shorter and more intuitive.
At Blackbelt Commerce, we’re already helping merchants implement these AI tools to personalize their e-commerce experiences. Developers interested in implementing these features can learn more here about the technical details.
The beauty of these AI assistants is how they blend into your existing store experience while significantly enhancing it. They’re not just flashy tech – they’re practical tools that help customers find what they need faster, which ultimately leads to higher conversion rates and happier shoppers.
Going Global, Physical Retail & B2B Upgrades
Shopify Editions Summer 2025 brings a treasure trove of improvements for merchants who are ready to expand their horizons—whether that means selling internationally, enhancing their brick-and-mortar experience, or growing their wholesale business.
Simplifying international selling
Going global used to mean juggling multiple platforms or dealing with complicated workarounds. Not anymore! The improved Shopify Markets features make international selling almost as easy as selling locally.
With Region Markets, you can now create storefronts custom to specific regions while maintaining your brand identity. The smart inheritance feature is particularly clever—it lets you keep shared settings across all markets while customizing only what needs to be different for each region.
One of my favorite additions is the multi-currency payouts. You can now receive payments in up to eight different currencies, each tied to different bank accounts. No more conversion headaches or unnecessary fees!
For customers, the new “duties included” option shows transparent pricing with import duties and taxes included upfront—no nasty surprises at checkout. Plus, Shopify Payments has expanded to 16 new countries, making global commerce more accessible than ever.
Western boot retailer Tecovas has already put these features to work in their international expansion. Their digital director shared with us: “The ability to manage multiple markets from one admin has been a game-changer for our global expansion.”
If you’re looking to take your store beyond borders, our team at Blackbelt Commerce offers specialized guidance on how to expand your Shopify store to multiple countries.
Retail at light speed
Physical retail gets a major facelift with the completely redesigned Shopify POS app (version 10). It’s not just prettier—it’s faster and more functional too.
The new Display Editor lets you brand every screen of your POS system with your logos and custom imagery, creating a cohesive experience for both staff and customers. Your brand identity no longer stops at your store’s decor—it extends right to the checkout screen.
The new split delivery option is a game-changer for retailers with limited in-store inventory. Customers can now take home what’s available immediately while having out-of-stock items shipped directly to them—all in a single transaction. The related Ship & Carryout feature makes this process even smoother, keeping your customers happy even when you don’t have everything they want on your shelves.
Refunds are now more flexible too, with the ability to issue store credit regardless of the original payment method. And Tap to Pay has expanded to more countries, letting you accept contactless payments directly on iPhone without additional hardware.
A retail tech manager who tested these features told us: “The clean layout improves usability, and the ability to brand lock screens across our 14 stores keeps our team engaged and on-brand.”
Bulk sales, wholesale & B2B tools
If you sell to other businesses, Shopify Editions Summer 2025 has some powerful new tools for you.
Setting minimum and maximum order values for wholesale buyers helps you maintain profitability while managing inventory more effectively. The new Custom B2B Markets feature lets you create region-specific wholesale storefronts, perfect for businesses with different product catalogs or pricing structures across regions.
European sellers will appreciate the automatic VAT validation, which verifies VAT IDs for B2B customers without manual checking. And the new gift cards for wholesale feature lets you issue and manage gift cards specifically for your B2B customers—perfect for incentive programs or relationship building.
For those large wholesale orders, bulk label printing now supports up to 250 shipping labels at once, saving precious time in fulfillment.
These improvements help streamline wholesale operations while giving you the same level of control and customization you enjoy for your direct-to-consumer business. Whether you’re just starting with B2B sales or looking to scale your existing wholesale channel, these tools make the process smoother and more efficient.
At Blackbelt Commerce, we’ve already helped several clients implement these new features, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive—especially from those managing both retail and wholesale channels from a single Shopify instance.
Developer Platform, Checkout & Conclusion
The Shopify Editions Summer 2025 release brings a breath of fresh air to developers and merchants alike, with major improvements to both the development experience and checkout process that will make building and selling online more intuitive than ever.
How developers win with Summer 2025
If you’re a developer, get ready to fall in love with Shopify all over again. The next-generation platform transforms how you build and test with tools that actually make development enjoyable:
No more fighting with complex tunnel setups—the new no-tunnel local development environment lets you test and iterate naturally. When you make changes, you’ll see them instantly with hot reload capabilities that eliminate those frustrating full-page refreshes we’ve all come to dread.
One of the most exciting improvements is the ability to run up to 25 Shopify Functions simultaneously (a massive jump from the previous limit of 5), opening doors for much more sophisticated app logic. The addition of app-owned metafields also simplifies how you manage data across the platform.
For those building in-store experiences, the new POS API access means you can finally create those custom extensions your retail clients have been requesting. And the refreshed Polaris UI components make it easier than ever to build beautiful admin interfaces that feel right at home in the Shopify ecosystem.
As one developer who tested these features early told us with a smile, “The vibe-ready inner loop makes development so much more enjoyable.” We couldn’t agree more—these improvements don’t just save time; they make the entire development process more satisfying.
Checkout that converts in milliseconds
Let’s talk about those precious seconds that make the difference between a sale and an abandoned cart. Shopify Editions Summer 2025 delivers a checkout experience that’s up to 2 seconds faster—which might not sound like much until you realize those seconds directly translate to conversion rate improvements.
Beyond pure speed, the checkout experience gets smarter with split shipping rates that let customers choose different delivery options for different items in the same order. Environmentally-conscious brands will love the new carbon-neutral shipping option that lets shoppers choose eco-friendly delivery methods.
For subscription businesses, Apple Pay for subscriptions removes friction from recurring payments, while the innovative Roblox integration opens new frontiers by allowing physical product sales inside virtual experiences.
All this comes with improved fraud protection that works harder behind the scenes without adding any customer-facing friction. It’s the perfect balance of security and simplicity.
What to do next after Shopify Editions Summer 2025
With so many exciting new features, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Here’s how to approach this massive update strategically:
Start by taking a step back and auditing your current store. Look for pain points or missed opportunities where these new features could make the biggest difference. Then prioritize your upgrades based on what will drive immediate business results—not just what looks shiny and new.
If you’re considering a theme change, carefully evaluate whether to migrate to Horizon themes now or wait until after your busy season. The benefits are substantial, but any major theme change requires planning.
Don’t be afraid to start small with AI features like Sidekick and AI block generation. These tools have low implementation costs but can dramatically improve your workflow. If you sell internationally, now’s the perfect time to review your global strategy with the improved Markets features.
For merchants tackling complex implementations, working with Shopify specialists can save time and prevent costly mistakes. At Blackbelt Commerce, our Shopify development services team specializes in helping merchants steer these transitions smoothly, while our SEO expertise ensures your store remains findable throughout the changes.
Shopify Editions Summer 2025 truly represents a significant leap forward in e-commerce technology. By embracing declarative commerce and AI-powered tools, Shopify is democratizing sophisticated capabilities that were once available only to large enterprises with massive tech budgets.
To explore all 150+ updates in detail, see the complete list of updates on the official Shopify site.
The key to success isn’t implementing everything at once—it’s thoughtfully selecting the features that align with your unique business goals and customer needs. We at Blackbelt Commerce are here to help you steer these exciting changes and build an exceptional e-commerce experience that drives sustainable growth for your business.
