Shopify’s Sidekick has been helping merchants for a while—automating tasks, generating visuals, and providing basic insights. With Winter ’26, Sidekick has been upgraded significantly, turning it into a smarter, more practical assistant that can handle a wider range of day-to-day store operations.Here’s a closer look at what’s new and why it matters:

Smarter Automation

Sidekick can now manage more complex workflows. Instead of handling just simple tasks, it can:

  • Automatically update inventory and pricing based on sales trends.
  • Trigger marketing campaigns for specific customer segments.
  • Assist in order management, including pre-orders, deposits, and store credit updates.

For merchants, this means fewer repetitive tasks and more time to focus on strategy and growth.

Enhanced Visuals

Visuals are crucial for online stores, and Sidekick now makes creating them faster and easier:

  • Generate product images, banners, and promotional graphics with minimal effort.
  • Customize images directly within Shopify, adjusting backgrounds, layouts, and quality.
  • Maintain a consistent and professional look across the store without hiring a designer.

This helps smaller teams or solo merchants maintain a polished storefront without extra overhead.

Actionable Insights

Winter ’26 makes Sidekick smarter in analyzing your store data:

  • Suggests which products need restocking and when.
  • Recommends marketing campaigns based on customer behavior.
  • Helps segment customers for targeted promotions, improving conversion rates.

By turning raw data into practical suggestions, Sidekick helps merchants make better decisions without spending hours digging through reports.

Workflow & Storefront Assistance

Sidekick now integrates more deeply with Shopify’s platform:

  • Assists with theme edits and content updates.
  • Helps create custom reports and dashboards without needing advanced technical skills.
  • Supports batch operations and repetitive tasks directly within the admin interface.

This reduces friction for store owners, especially those without a technical background, allowing them to focus on growth instead of managing tools.

Why This Upgrade Matters

The Winter ’26 upgrades make Sidekick feel less like a basic assistant and more like a practical partner. It helps merchants:

  • Save time on repetitive tasks.
  • Maintain a polished store with professional visuals.
  • Make smarter, data-driven decisions.
  • Simplify complex workflows and day-to-day operations.

For anyone running a Shopify store, these updates bring real, tangible benefits—especially for smaller teams, solo entrepreneurs, or merchants looking to scale without adding headcount.