On this episode of Unboxing Ecommerce, James and Jennifer order from Magic Spoon with special guest, Maggie Barnett, Esq. Maggie is the COO of ShipHero, overseeing operational, legal, managerial, and administrative procedures. She also founded ShipHero Fulfillment (LTV) in 2019, growing it to over $80M in revenue.

Why Magic Spoon?
Maggie chose Magic Spoon because she wanted a healthy cereal option that still offered the nostalgic experience of traditional sugary cereals. Inside the episode there is a twist on why she chose this brand specifically.
Magic Spoon: www.magicspoon.com

Research included these sources

• Magic Spoon: www.magicspoon.com/pages/our-story
• Wirecutter: www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/magic-spoon-cereal-review
• Yahoo Finance: www.finance.yahoo.com/news/siddhi-capital-raises-135m-invest-111718550.html?guccounter=1
• Crunchbase: www.crunchbase.com/organization/magic-spoon/company_financials
• Forbes: www.forbes.com/sites/daveknox/2023/05/10/how-magic-spoon-brought-innovation-to-the-breakfast-table
• Modern Retail: www.modernretail.co/operations/being-everywhere-that-people-buy-and-sell-cereal-how-magic-spoon-went-from-online-only-to-wholesale-in-six-months
• Food Institute: www.foodinstitute.com/focus/85-million-to-the-clearance-bin-is-magic-spoon-done
• Food Business News: ​​www.foodbusinessnews.net/articles/23178-magic-spoon-goes-big-in-brick-and-mortar

Curated Technology List

• Segment: www.segment.com
• Malomo: www.gomalomo.com

Other Sites mentioned

• FTID Fraud: www.startops.network/media/startops-guide-to-ftid-fraud
• Offlimits: www.eatofflimits.com
• Allulose versus Monk Fruit: www.thebalancednutritionist.com/allulose-vs-monk-fruit/

Connect with Maggie:
www.shiphero.com
www.linkedin.com/in/maggiembarnett

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Have a brand/shopping experience you want us to review? Send us a message at unboxingecomm@gmail.com

Connect with James Marks:
www.linkedin.com/in/jameslmarks
www.withtrivial.com

Connect with Jennifer Yates:
www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferayates
www.workwithroux.com
_______________

Coverart imagined and designed by our friend, Melissa Dettloff
www.melissadettloff.com

On this episode of Unboxing Ecommerce, James and Jennifer order from Hugimals World with special guest, Christina Vanacore. Christina is a Certified Launch and Business Strategist, who provides launch strategy, identifies hidden opportunities for growth, and helps increase revenue and profits through strategic planning. She has covered everything from product development to marketing and sales strategies to help start and grow businesses and increase revenue and profits.

Why Hugimals?
Christina chose Hugimals because since their launch in 2022, they have seen tremendous success and have received incredible press and collaborations but at the time of choosing the brand was a DTC only brand which she personally finds intriquing.
Hugimals World: www.hugimalsworld.com

Research included these sources

• Hugimals World: www.hugimalsworld.com/pages/company
• Mojo Nation: www.mojo-nation.com/marina-khidekel-on-the-origins-of-her-award-winning-weighted-plush-range-hugimals
• Time Magazine: www.time.com/collection/best-inventions-2022/6228865/hugimals
• The Wie Suite: www.thewiesuite.com/post/marina-khidekel-founder-of-hugimals-on-how-to-launch-a-company

Curated Technology List

• Faire: www.faire.com
• Zigpoll: www.zigpoll.com

Other Sites mentioned

• Deep Touch Pressure: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5612681
• Benefits of Deep Touch Pressure: www.appliedbehavioranalysisedu.org/what-is-deep-pressure-stimulation
• Hugimals on QVC: www.youtube.com/watch?v=VK3OxTRcheY
• Joyful Heart Foundation: www.joyfulheartfoundation.org
• Ryder's unboxing experience study: https://www.ryder.com/en-us/insights/white-papers/e-comm/2024-ryder-e-commerce-consumer-study
• J2K Logistics: https://j2kfun-gistics.com

Connect with Christina:
www.theproductdoula.com
www.instagram.com/theproductdoula

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Have a brand/shopping experience you want us to review? Send us a message at unboxingecomm@gmail.com

Connect with James Marks:
www.linkedin.com/in/jameslmarks
www.withtrivial.com

Connect with Jennifer Yates:
www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferayates
www.workwithroux.com
_______________

Coverart imagined and designed by our friend, Melissa Dettloff
www.melissadettloff.com

On this episode of Unboxing Ecommerce, James and Jennifer order from Vida Bars with special guest, Luisa Salcedo. Luisa is a seasoned Fractional COO with over a decade of experience in Operations. She specializes in helping purpose-driven CEOs by implementing operational strategies that eliminate chaos, boost revenue, and empower leaders to innovate and thrive. Throughout her career, she has successfully distributed $3 billion in inventory across CPG and e-commerce, working with major retailers like Costco and Kroger.

Why Vida Bars?
Luisa chose Vida Bars because they offer a sustainable product, they are Latina owned, and she's been very impressed with their seamless e-commerce experience.
Vida Bars: www.thevidabars.com

Research included these sources

• Vida Bars: www.thevidabars.com/pages/about-us
• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/vidabars/about
• Made in OK: www.madeinoklahoma.net/producer/vida-bars
• Retail Boss: www.retailboss.co/interview-ana-nunez-founder-vida-bars

Curated Technology List

• Shopify: www.shopify.com
• Revenue Hunt: www.revenuehunt.com
• Wholesale Guerilla: www.apps.shopify.com/wholesale-gorilla
• Smile: www.smile.io
• Tolstoy: www.gotolstoy.com/ecommerce

Other Sites mentioned

• Biden-Harris Administration Cracking Down on De Minimis Shipments: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/09/13/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-announces-new-actions-to-protect-american-consumers-workers-and-businesses-by-cracking-down-on-de-minimis-shipments-with-unsafe-unfairly-traded-products/
• Lighthouse Score: https://developer.chrome.com/docs/lighthouse/performance/performance-scoring
• The Body Keeps the Score: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Body_Keeps_the_Score
• Monique Benoit on Unboxing Ecommerce Ep 18
• Mary Wiegand on Unboxing Ecommerce Ep 16

Connect with Luisa:
www.linkedin.com/in/luisasalcedo
www.theefficiencymaven.com

_______________

Have a brand/shopping experience you want us to review? Send us a message at unboxingecomm@gmail.com

Connect with James Marks:
www.linkedin.com/in/jameslmarks
www.withtrivial.com

Connect with Jennifer Yates:
www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferayates
www.workwithroux.com
_______________

Coverart imagined and designed by our friend, Melissa Dettloff
www.melissadettloff.com

On this episode of Unboxing Ecommerce, James and Jennifer order from Milk Makeup with special guest, Tyler DeLarm. Tyler, Head of Demand Generation at Undigital, is a seasoned business leader and marketing consultant with a reputation for guiding successful teams with optimistic kindness. His unique combination of expertise in brand positioning, organizational behavior, and demand generation has been instrumental in adding millions of dollars in annual revenue to multiple companies.

Why Milk Makeup?
Tyler chose Milk Makeup because their unboxing experience score was a 7.5 of 10 on Undigital’s guidelines. That is a great score and he believes they have a good story.
Milk Makeup: www.milkmakeup.com

Research included these sources

• Milk Makeup: www.milkmakeup.com/pages/about-us
• Milk Group: www.milkgroup.com
• Wikipedia: www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milk_Makeup
• VMagazine: www.vmagazine.com/article/milk-makeup-founders-on-the-brands-next-chapter

Curated Technology List

• Shopify: www.shopify.com
• Narvar: www.corp.narvar.com
• Geolocation: www.apps.shopify.com/geolocation
• Orbe: www.apps.shopify.com/orbe
• Recharge: www.apps.shopify.com/subscription-payments
• Eye Return: www.eyereturnmarketing.com
• Yieldify: www.yieldify.com
• Wunderkind: www.wunderkind.co

Other Sites mentioned

• How musical training affects cognitive development: rhythm, reward and other modulating variables: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3957486

Connect with Tyler:
www.linkedin.com/in/tylerdelarm
www.undigital.com

_______________

Have a brand/shopping experience you want us to review? Send us a message at unboxingecomm@gmail.com

Connect with James Marks:
www.linkedin.com/in/jameslmarks
www.withtrivial.com

Connect with Jennifer Yates:
www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferayates
www.workwithroux.com
_______________

Coverart imagined and designed by our friend, Melissa Dettloff
www.melissadettloff.com

Welcome to Season Two! On this episode of Unboxing Ecommerce, James and Jennifer order from Outlier NYC ("Outlier") with special guest, Nima Elyassi-Rad. Nima is a technology executive and investor. He currently serves as VP of GTM at Shippo. Previously, he founded a soccer brand, spent time as a VC and put in time as a hip hop radio DJ.

Why Outlier?
Nima chose Outlier because they're the only 100% indie/self funded brand that's 100% DTC (never had B&M and never wholesaled), plus 100% focused on quality. They've been in business 16 years and counting.
Outlier: www.outlier.nyc

Research included these sources

• Outlier NYC: www.outlier.nyc/pages/information
• Outlier NYC LinkedIn Page: www.linkedin.com/company/outlier-tailored-performance
• Pitchbook: www.pitchbook.com/profiles/company/515198-26#overview
• Wired: www.wired.com/story/outlier-tech-clothes/
• Editor Studios: www.editor-studios.com/work/outliernyc

Curated Technology List

• Pepperjam (now Partnerize): www.partnerize.com
• Zonos: www.zonos.com
• BackInStock: www.backinstock.org
• Loop Returns: www.loopreturns.com

Other Sites mentioned

• Michigan Central Station: www.michigancentral.com/development
• Courtney Sofiah Yates (photography): www.courtney-yates.com

Connect with Nima:
www.linkedin.com/in/nima3rad
www.goshippo.com/

_______________

Have a brand/shopping experience you want us to review? Send us a message at unboxingecomm@gmail.com

Connect with James Marks:
www.linkedin.com/in/jameslmarks
www.withtrivial.com

Connect with Jennifer Yates:
www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferayates
www.workwithroux.com
_______________

Coverart imagined and designed by our friend, Melissa Dettloff
www.melissadettloff.com

On this last episode of Season One, James and Jennifer order from Psycho Bunny with special guest, Aaron Schwartz. Aaron is the cofounder of Orita.ai and has previously served as President at Loop Returns. He also co-founded Passport Shipping and Modify Watches. Based in the Bay Area, Aaron grew up in Cleveland.

We will be back for Season Two on September 10, 2024.

Why Psycho Bunny?
Aaron chose Psycho Bunny, because he loves their VP IT / Data / Analytics.
Psycho Bunny: www.psychobunny.com

Research included these sources

• Psycho Bunny: https://www.psychobunny.com/pages/about-us
• Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psycho_Bunny
• Forbe’s: https://www.forbes.com/sites/joanverdon/2022/05/23/psycho-bunny-stores-are-multiplying-rapidly-us-locations-to-double-this-year/
• Peru: https://peru.info/en-us/brand-peru/amigos-del-peru/robert-goldman

Curated Technology List

• ABTasty: https://www.abtasty.com/
• Yotpo: https://www.yotpo.com/
• Grin: https://grin.co/
• Saddle Creek Logistics Services: https://www.sclogistics.com/

Other Sites mentioned

• See All Reviews” on Psycho Bunny website points to www.example.com

Connect with Aaron:
www.linkedin.com/in/aaroncharlesschwartz
www.Orita.ai

_______________

Have a brand/shopping experience you want us to review? Send us a message at unboxingecomm@gmail.com

Connect with James Marks:
www.linkedin.com/in/jameslmarks
www.withtrivial.com

Connect with Jennifer Yates:
www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferayates
www.workwithroux.com
_______________

Coverart imagined and designed by our friend, Melissa Dettloff
www.melissadettloff.com

This week James and Jennifer order from Alter Eco with special guest, Ashley Zager. Ashley cut her teeth in CPG taking The New Primal from a part-time, online beef jerky company to managing 25 skus processed at 7 different co-manufacturers. Since then, at Siddhi Capital she has acted as the VP of Operations for over 45 companies in the past 6 years, touching every aisle of the grocery store and online channels. From warehouse strategy, to product or packaging development, to setting up day to day systems, Ashley has lived and breathed food & beverage supply chain operations.

Why Alter Eco?
Chocolate is hard to ship and keep “whole” and unmelted in the warm - hot - summer months. Ashley wanted to test an established brand’s ability to deliver without a mess!
Alter Eco: www.alterecofoods.com

Research included these sources

• Alter Eco: https://www.alterecofoods.com/pages/about
• Alter Eco Foundation: https://foundation.alterecofoods.com/
• Crunchbase: https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/alter-eco
• Food Business Review: https://www.foodbusinessreview.com/alter-eco
• PR Newswire: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/trek-one-capital-completes-acquisition-of-alter-eco-foods-302051156.html
• The Good Shopping Guide: https://thegoodshoppingguide.com/brand-directory/alter-eco/

Curated Technology List

• Re:amaze: https://www.reamaze.com/

Other Sites mentioned

• The New Primal: https://thenewprimal.com/
• PUR Projet: https://www.pur.co/
• Trek One Capital: https://trekonecapital.com/
• Tidio: https://www.tidio.com AI-driven customer service solution
• Enviro Ice: https://www.peltonshepherd.com/products/terra-temp/

Connect with Ashley:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/aezager/
https://www.siddhicapital.co/

_______________

Have a brand/shopping experience you want us to review? Send us a message at unboxingecomm@gmail.com

Connect with James Marks:
www.linkedin.com/in/jameslmarks
www.withtrivial.com

Connect with Jennifer Yates:
www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferayates
www.workwithroux.com
_______________

Coverart imagined and designed by our friend, Melissa Dettloff
www.melissadettloff.com

This week James and Jennifer order from Anthropologie with special guest, Monique Benoit, a Senior Merchant leading BIPOC Brand Development at Ulta Beauty and fellow podcast host of Scaling Emerging Beauty Podcast. Monique has worked with emerging brands to bring them to market and has a drive to help brands scale, along with being an avid shopper.

Why Anthropologie?
Monique used to work as a Senior Buyer and Diversity and Inclusion Council Member at the brand and also loves the items they sell. She thought it would be interesting to see the process, while also buying something she knew she’d be happy with.
Anthropologie: www.anthropologie.com


Research included these sources:

• Anthropologie: www.anthropologie.com/help/our-story
• Wikipedia: www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthropologie
• Unboxing Ecommerce Urban Outfitters episode 7: www.buzzsprout.com/2365151/15081663
• Good On You: www.directory.goodonyou.eco/brand/anthropologie
• Brandzaffair: www.brandzaffair.com/fabula/a-brief-history-of-anthropologie/

Mentioned in the episode:

• Ulta Beauty: www.ulta.com
• Monique's podcast, Scaling Emerging Beauty Podcast: www.scalingemergingbeauty.com

Connect with Monique:
www.linkedin.com/in/moniquehbenoit

_______________

Have a brand/shopping experience you want us to review? Send us a message at unboxingecomm@gmail.com

Connect with James Marks:
www.linkedin.com/in/jameslmarks
www.withtrivial.com

Connect with Jennifer Yates:
www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferayates
www.workwithroux.com
_______________

Coverart imagined and designed by our friend, Melissa Dettloff
www.melissadettloff.com