Unboxing Ecommerce: Operations Behind Online Brands

James and Jennifer are joined by their final guest, Matt Hertz, Founder and CEO of Third Person, a digital marketplace helping ecommerce brands discover and connect with the right fulfillment partners. With 15 years of experience leading ecommerce operations at companies like Rent the Runway, Birchbox, and Shyp, Matt also runs a consultancy, Second Marathon, that has helped brands like Hexclad, Away, Birdies, and Milk Bar optimize their supply chains. He’s an active advisor and angel investor and lives in Nashville.Why Rhoback?Matt first noticed their apparel on Zoom calls—specifically, the logo of a dog featured prominently on shirts. Curious, he did some research and discovered the brand’s activewear, performance polos, and strong connection to dog lovers. As a self-described “dinkwad” (dual income, no kids, with a dog), Matt connected immediately with Rhoback’s mission and branding. Explore Rhoback: www.rhoback.comResearch Included These SourcesRhoback: www.rhoback.com/pages/our-storyG&E Magazine: www.gandemagazine.com/a-quick-round-with-rhoback-activewearRocketReach: www.rocketreach.co/rhoback-profile_b4568f62fca05faaThe Darden Report: news.darden.virginia.edu/2017/02/12/rhoback-activewear-startupWashingtonian: www.washingtonian.com/2017/10/23/story-behind-rhodesian-ridgeback-dog-inspired-activewear-line-awesomeChange Climate: explore.changeclimate.org/brand/rhoback-incOther Sites MentionedShoe Dog (Nike Memoir): en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoe_DogChristopher Reeve: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_ReeveAmerican Humane: www.americanhumane.orgReeve Foundation: www.christopherreeve.orgConnect with Matt HertzLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/hertz/Third Person: www.thirdperson.co_______________Have a brand/shopping experience you want us to review? Send us a message at [email protected] Connect with James Marks:www.linkedin.com/in/jameslmarkswww.withtrivial.com Connect with Jennifer Yates:www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferayateswww.workwithroux.com_______________ Coverart imagined and designed by our friend, Melissa Dettloffwww.melissadettloff.com

James and Jennifer are joined by Kevin Lawton, founder of The New Warehouse podcast and blog, which he launched in 2019 to bring awareness to the warehousing industry. With 13 years of experience in inventory control and operations management, Kevin has been involved in multiple new distribution center start-ups and is an adjunct professor at Rider University, teaching supply chain management.Why Brightland? Kevin discovered Brightland while touring a 3PL warehouse and was immediately drawn to its packaging design and branding. Seeing the products firsthand on the warehouse shelves sparked his interest in their visual appeal and packaging quality. This led him to explore the brand further, making it a natural choice for this episode’s unboxing. Explore Brightland: www.brightland.coResearch Included These SourcesBrightland: www.brightland.co/pages/about-brightland-olive-oilEntreprenista Podcast: www.entreprenista.com/podcast/redefining-the-food-industry-with-aishwarya-iyerNew York Post: www.nypost.com/2021/09/14/brightland-olive-oils-review-why-theyre-worth-the-hype/Bristol Farms: www.bristolfarms.com/founders/mtf-aishwarya-iyer-brightland-olive-oilFood & Wine: www.foodandwine.com/brightland-duo-olive-oil-review-8757043Crunchbase: www.crunchbase.com/organization/brightland-3dd6Curated Technology ListCorso: www.corso.comOther Sites Mentioned:Zingerman’s: www.zingermansdeli.com/eventsConnect with Kevin LawtonWebsite: www.thenewwarehouse.comLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/the-new-warehouse_______________Have a brand/shopping experience you want us to review? Send us a message at [email protected] Connect with James Marks:www.linkedin.com/in/jameslmarkswww.withtrivial.com Connect with Jennifer Yates:www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferayateswww.workwithroux.com_______________ Coverart imagined and designed by our friend, Melissa Dettloffwww.melissadettloff.com

This week James and Jennifer are joined by Hillary Hughes, Principal at Foster Garvey, a full-service law firm with 150 attorneys across six offices in the U.S. Hillary is a business, food & beverage, CPG, beauty & wellness, sports & entertainment, fashion & apparel, and technology attorney. She shares insights on legal considerations for consumer brands, including intellectual property, contracts, and the evolving landscape of ecommerce.Why Loop Earplugs?Hillary selected Loop Earplugs after a team brainstorming session, where a colleague suggested the brand for its innovative approach to noise protection. Initially unfamiliar with the product, she was intrigued by its stylish, functional design and the ability to modulate sound flow. The brand’s sleek aesthetic and growing popularity made it a compelling choice for review.Explore Loop Earplugs: www.loopearplugs.comResearch Included These SourcesLoop Earplugs: www.loopearplugs.com/pages/about-loopLoop Earplugs Founders Story: www.loopearplugs.com/blogs/blog/the-founders-storyCNBC Make It: www.cnbc.com/2023/10/10/loop-earplugs-how-childhood-friends-startup-brings-in-millions.htmlFast Company: www.fastcompany.com/91030352/loop-earplugs-most-innovative-companies-2024Curated Technology ListNarvar: www.corp.narvar.comOther Sites MentionedLoop Returns: www.loopreturns.comJeff Kaiden:  Summer Fridays with Jeff KaidenConnect with Hillary HughesLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/hillaryhhughes/Foster Garvey: www.foster.com/people-hillary-hughes_______________Have a brand/shopping experience you want us to review? Send us a message at [email protected] Connect with James Marks:www.linkedin.com/in/jameslmarkswww.withtrivial.com Connect with Jennifer Yates:www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferayateswww.workwithroux.com_______________ Coverart imagined and designed by our friend, Melissa Dettloffwww.melissadettloff.com

This week James and Jennifer are joined by Derek Loftus, Co-Founder of PopCapacity, a platform focused on adding visibility and a modern procurement experience for brands when sourcing and connecting with warehousing partners for fulfillment and storage. With expertise in e-commerce fulfillment and customer experience, Derek shares insights on how brands evaluate and select their distribution partners based on location, capabilities, automation, and more.Why 1st Phorm?Derek chose 1st Phorm because it has been on his radar for a while, appearing in his social media feed and through fitness influencers he follows. A friend also recommended their products, highlighting their high quality. Additionally, as a logistics expert, Derek was curious about how a brand that self-fulfills would handle order processing, especially given their wide product selection.1st Phorm: www.1stphorm.comResearch Included These Sources1st Phorm: www.1stphorm.com/pages/about-usAndy Frisella: www.andyfrisella.com1st Phorm Corporate Apparel: www.1stphormathletics.comAALCO Athletic Equipment: www.aalcomfg.com/products/featured-facilities/1st-phorm-hqFox2 Now: www.fox2now.com/news/missouri/who-is-andy-frisella-founder-of-1st-phormYahoo News: www.yahoo.com/news/andy-frisella-founder-1st-phorm-215438826.html?guccounter=1KSDK: www.ksdk.com/article/news/local/club-fitness-removes-1st-phorm-products-andy-frisella/63-59a3f120-6800-4d8e-9b69-c1227235ccb3OFS: www.ofs.com/explore/case-studies/1st-phorm-corporate-headquartersTracxn: www.tracxn.com/d/companies/1st-phorm/__kVl_2rcuoRqNsK7NES3q7OS5F4OlCLgQbdn8QO0Lhm8Curated Technology ListNarvar: www.corp.narvar.comRebuy: www.rebuyengine.comOther Sites MentionedCompany Towns: www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Company_townMFCEO Podcast: www.andyfrisella.com/blogs/mfceo-project-podcastConnect with Derek LoftusLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/derek-loftus/Website: www.popcapacity.com_______________Have a brand/shopping experience you want us to review? Send us a message at [email protected] Connect with James Marks:www.linkedin.com/in/jameslmarkswww.withtrivial.com Connect with Jennifer Yates:www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferayateswww.workwithroux.com_______________ Coverart imagined and designed by our friend, Melissa Dettloffwww.melissadettloff.com

This Week on Unboxing Ecommerce James and Jennifer are joined by Kate Klemmer Terry, Chief Commercial Officer at Outerspace, a 3PL company redefining fulfillment for mid-to-high-end brands. With extensive experience in retail, logistics, and brand strategy, Kate shares her insights into the dynamic world of ecommerce, including emerging challenges and opportunities for brands navigating supply chain complexities.Why Tuckernuck?Kate selected Tuckernuck for its unique position as a multi-brand retailer catering to mid-to-high-end customers. Known for its curated apparel, home goods, and athleisure, Tuckernuck exemplifies a commitment to storytelling and elevated customer experiences.Explore Tuckernuck: www.tnuck.comResearch Included These Sources:Tuckernuck: www.tnuck.com/pages/about-usModern Luxury DC: www.dc.capitolfile.com/tuckernuck-founders-interview-pickleball-athleisure-georgetownCBInsights: www.cbinsights.com/company/tuckernuckWashingtonian: www.washingtonian.com/2024/08/15/how-a-dc-label-became-a-capitol-hill-staplePR Newswire: www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/apparel-company-tuckernuck-joins-whiplash-fulfillment-network-301514922.htmlCurated Technology List:Vela: www.vela.ecoNosto: www.nosto.comElevar: www.getelevar.comOther Sites Mentioned:Nice Laundry: www.nicelaundry.comThe StartOps guide to Ecommerce Returns Cost Mitigation: www.startops.network/media/the-startops-guide-to-ecommerce-returns-cost-mitigationConnect with Kate:LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/kate-klemmer-terry-1a81609/Outerspace: www.outerspace.com_______________Have a brand/shopping experience you want us to review? Send us a message at [email protected] Connect with James Marks:www.linkedin.com/in/jameslmarkswww.withtrivial.com Connect with Jennifer Yates:www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferayateswww.workwithroux.com_______________ Coverart imagined and designed by our friend, Melissa Dettloffwww.melissadettloff.com

This week on Unboxing Ecommerce, James and Jennifer are joined by Robyn Young, an entrepreneur, brand strategist, and founder of Young & Co, an indie creative partner for startups to scaleups. With a career spanning 18 years, Robyn combines strategic thinking with creative magic to build ‘sticky,’ memorable brand ecosystems.Why Ghia?Robyn chose Ghia for its strong visual identity, captivating storytelling, and its role in promoting the non-alcoholic lifestyle movement. As a pioneer in the category, Ghia’s approach combines artistry, functionality, and a commitment to creating a lifestyle brand.Explore Ghia: www.drinkghia.comResearch included these sourcesGhia: www.drinkghia.comFood Republic: www.foodrepublic.com/1361139/ghia-shark-tank-nowShark Tank Appearance: www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1b7kNAqwOEForbes: www.forbes.com/sites/jeanettehurt/2024/01/19/ghia-continues-its-dramatic-growth-in-the-non-alcoholic-marketPitchbook: www.pitchbook.com/profiles/company/399237-13Growjo: www.growjo.com/company/GHIA#revenue-financialsCurated Technology ListRise.ai: www.rise.aiRecharge: www.getrecharge.comOther Sites MentionedLiquid Death: www.liquiddeath.comRecess: www.takearecess.comAnthropologie Volcano Candle: www.anthropologie.comConnect with Robyn:www.thisisyoung.cowww.linkedin.com/in/robyn-youngBrand FUps* Podcast: www.thisisyoung.co/podcastWaitlist for Robyn’s Book: www.thisisyoung.co/book-waitlist_______________Have a brand/shopping experience you want us to review? Send us a message at [email protected] Connect with James Marks:www.linkedin.com/in/jameslmarkswww.withtrivial.com Connect with Jennifer Yates:www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferayateswww.workwithroux.com_______________ Coverart imagined and designed by our friend, Melissa Dettloffwww.melissadettloff.com

Let’s get to the box—and this time, it’s a big one! Jennifer and James are celebrating an entire year of Unboxing Ecommerce, and this special episode is all about reflecting on the 28 episodes so far.From humble beginnings as a one-episode experiment to reaching listeners across 37 countries, this podcast has grown into something far beyond what they imagined. With laughter, gratitude, and a touch of nostalgia, Jennifer and James unpack the stories, surprises, and lessons that have shaped their first year.Whether you’ve been with them since episode one or you’re tuning in for the first time, this episode is a celebration you won’t want to miss.What’s InsideA look back at their first year of podcasting: the challenges, surprises, and wins.Memorable moments that shaped the show and its community.A heartfelt message to listeners and their vision for show in the future.Join the ConversationJennifer and James would love to hear from you! Share your favorite moments, questions, or ideas for future episodes at [email protected]. This podcast is a team effort, and every listener is part of it.Mentioned in the episode:Taryn Sowa Podcast Productions:  www.tarynsowa.com_______________Have a brand/shopping experience you want us to review? Send us a message at [email protected] Connect with James Marks:www.linkedin.com/in/jameslmarkswww.withtrivial.com Connect with Jennifer Yates:www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferayateswww.workwithroux.com_______________ Coverart imagined and designed by our friend, Melissa Dettloffwww.melissadettloff.com

On this episode of Unboxing Ecommerce, James and Jennifer order from Momofuku Goods with special guest, Moni Kupczak Ainslie. Moni is the Founder of Koopslie a consultancy that optimizes Faire stores for brands in CPG, beauty, fashion, and gift. By using her 360 Faire Optimization method, Moni helps awesome brands show up in search, get the click and convert to more sales. Why Momofuku?Moni chose Momofuku Goods for their delicious products, strong branding, and her admiration for founder David Chang. As a Faire specialist, she also wanted to analyze a brand listed on the platform, making Momofuku a perfect fit.Momofuku Goods: www.momofuku.comResearch included these sourcesMomofuku: www.momofuku.com/our-company/teamPitchbook: www.pitchbook.com/profiles/company/99225-01#overviewFast Company: www.fastcompany.com/90945101/momofuku-ceo-marguerite-zabar-mariscal-100-million-food-companyThe Lo Times: www.thelotimes.com/p/momofuku-ko-closed-david-chang-review-restaurantBon Apetit: www.bonappetit.com/story/david-chang-momofuku-ko-closing-explainedThe Guardian: www.theguardian.com/food/2024/apr/04/chili-crunch-trademark-momofuku-david-changCup Noodles Museum: www.cupnoodles-museum.jp/en/osaka_ikeda/about/Forbes: www.forbes.com/sites/meimeifox/2023/03/01/how-ceo-marguerite-mariscal-slayed-by-pivoting-momofuku-from-restaurants-to-consumer-goods/Other Sites mentionedChili Crunch Trademark Discussion:  https://www.theringer.com/podcasts/the-dave-chang-show/2024/04/12/discussing-momofuku-chili-crunch-with-marguerite-mariscalThe Dave Chang Show: https://www.theringer.com/podcasts/the-dave-chang-showThe Recipe Club Podcast:  https://www.theringer.com/podcasts/recipe-clubEat a Peach by David Chang: www.literatibookstore.com/book/9781524759230Major Domo Media: www.majordomo.comConnect with Moni:www.koopslie_______________Have a brand/shopping experience you want us to review? Send us a message at [email protected] Connect with James Marks:www.linkedin.com/in/jameslmarkswww.withtrivial.com Connect with Jennifer Yates:www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferayateswww.workwithroux.com_______________ Coverart imagined and designed by our friend, Melissa Dettloffwww.melissadettloff.com

On this episode of Unboxing Ecommerce, James and Jennifer take an unconventional approach by combining lunch and logistics. With no guest, they order from Taco Bell to explore how this fast-food giant exemplifies top-tier operations and ecommerce practices. From their smooth online ordering experience to insights on Taco Bell's unique branding and efficient systems, they dig into what makes the brand a leader in the space—while also enjoying some guilty-pleasure menu items.Taco Bell: www.tacobell.comResearch included these sourcesTaco Bell: www.tacobell.com/historyWikipedia: www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taco_BellYUM! Brands: www.yum.com/wps/portal/yumbrands/YumbrandsTaco Bell Foundation: www.tacobellfoundation.orgFast Company: www.fastcompany.com/91064275/taco-bell-most-innovative-companies-2024-2Curated Technology ListFullstory: www.fullstory.comNext.js: www.nextjs.orgOther Sites mentionedThe Onion’s satirical coverage of Taco Bell: www.theonion.com/taco-bells-five-ingredients-combined-in-totally-new-way-1819564909/Types of diffusion in Geography: www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_diffusionEnding Trademark on Taco Tuesday: www.bleacherreport.com/articles/10076948-lebron-james-joins-taco-bell-in-effort-to-end-taco-tuesday-trademark-registrationsRetail co-location benefits: www.loopnet.com/learn/4-advantages-of-co-retailing/973314239_______________Have a brand/shopping experience you want us to review? Send us a message at [email protected] Connect with James Marks:www.linkedin.com/in/jameslmarkswww.withtrivial.com Connect with Jennifer Yates:www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferayateswww.workwithroux.com_______________ Coverart imagined and designed by our friend, Melissa Dettloffwww.melissadettloff.com

On this episode of Unboxing Ecommerce, James and Jennifer order from Tracksmith with special guest, Blair Beckwith. Blair has been working in the commerce enablement space for more than a decade. He got his start building the Shopify App Store. Today, he leads growth at Mantle, a company that powers back office and growth tooling for commerce enablement software companies.Why Tracksmith?Blair discovered Tracksmith while working with a reviews platform and was immediately drawn to their aesthetic and approach to running culture. Unlike the typical neon-heavy running gear, Tracksmith's understated, classic New England-inspired design stood out, embodying a vintage track team vibe. Tracksmith: www.tracksmith.comResearch included these sourcesTracksmith: www.tracksmith.com/pages/aboutForbes: www.forbes.com/sites/katiebaron/2022/10/11/tracksmith-expands-how-americas-most-intellectual-running-brand-is-closing-cult-statusOutside: www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-gear/run/tracksmith-running-brand-business-profileCrunchbase: www.crunchbase.com/organization/tracksmithPitchbook: www.pitchbook.com/profiles/company/65264-59#overviewTracksmith Fellowship: www.tracksmith.com/pages/tracksmith-fellowship-programTracksmith Fellowship Recipient, Dinée Dorame: www.groundedpod.com/about/Curated Technology ListDatoCMS: www.datocms.comMNTN: www.mountain.comJustUno: www.justuno.comOther Sites mentionedHow To Pronounce: www.howtopronounce.com/luke-scheybelerUnlocking the Customer Value Chain: www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/562858/unlocking-the-customer-value-chain-by-thales-s-teixeira-with-greg-piechota/Connect with Blair:www.heymantle.comwww.linkedin.com/in/blairbeckwith_______________Have a brand/shopping experience you want us to review? Send us a message at [email protected] Connect with James Marks:www.linkedin.com/in/jameslmarkswww.withtrivial.com Connect with Jennifer Yates:www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferayateswww.workwithroux.com_______________ Coverart imagined and designed by our friend, Melissa Dettloffwww.melissadettloff.com

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 (LVK) 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.comResearch included these sourcesMagic Spoon: www.magicspoon.com/pages/our-storyWirecutter: www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/magic-spoon-cereal-reviewYahoo Finance: www.finance.yahoo.com/news/siddhi-capital-raises-135m-invest-111718550.html?guccounter=1Crunchbase: www.crunchbase.com/organization/magic-spoon/company_financialsForbes: www.forbes.com/sites/daveknox/2023/05/10/how-magic-spoon-brought-innovation-to-the-breakfast-tableModern Retail: www.modernretail.co/operations/being-everywhere-that-people-buy-and-sell-cereal-how-magic-spoon-went-from-online-only-to-wholesale-in-six-monthsFood Institute: www.foodinstitute.com/focus/85-million-to-the-clearance-bin-is-magic-spoon-doneFood Business News: ​​www.foodbusinessnews.net/articles/23178-magic-spoon-goes-big-in-brick-and-mortarCurated Technology ListSegment: www.segment.comMalomo: www.gomalomo.comOther Sites mentionedFTID Fraud: www.startops.network/media/startops-guide-to-ftid-fraudOfflimits: www.eatofflimits.comAllulose versus Monk Fruit: www.thebalancednutritionist.com/allulose-vs-monk-fruit/Connect with Maggie:www.shiphero.comwww.linkedin.com/in/maggiembarnett_______________Have a brand/shopping experience you want us to review? Send us a message at [email protected] Connect with James Marks:www.linkedin.com/in/jameslmarkswww.withtrivial.com Connect with Jennifer Yates:www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferayateswww.workwithroux.com_______________ Coverart imagined and designed by our friend, Melissa Dettloffwww.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.comResearch included these sourcesHugimals World:  www.hugimalsworld.com/pages/companyMojo Nation:  www.mojo-nation.com/marina-khidekel-on-the-origins-of-her-award-winning-weighted-plush-range-hugimalsTime Magazine:  www.time.com/collection/best-inventions-2022/6228865/hugimalsThe Wie Suite:  www.thewiesuite.com/post/marina-khidekel-founder-of-hugimals-on-how-to-launch-a-companyCurated Technology ListFaire:  www.faire.comZigpoll:  www.zigpoll.comOther Sites mentionedDeep Touch Pressure:  www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5612681Benefits of Deep Touch Pressure:  www.appliedbehavioranalysisedu.org/what-is-deep-pressure-stimulationHugimals on QVC:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=VK3OxTRcheYJoyful Heart Foundation:  www.joyfulheartfoundation.orgRyder's unboxing experience study:  https://www.ryder.com/en-us/insights/white-papers/e-comm/2024-ryder-e-commerce-consumer-studyJ2K Logistics:  https://j2kfun-gistics.comConnect with Christina:www.theproductdoula.comwww.instagram.com/theproductdoula_______________Have a brand/shopping experience you want us to review? Send us a message at [email protected] Connect with James Marks:www.linkedin.com/in/jameslmarkswww.withtrivial.com Connect with Jennifer Yates:www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferayateswww.workwithroux.com_______________ Coverart imagined and designed by our friend, Melissa Dettloffwww.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.comResearch included these sourcesVida Bars: www.thevidabars.com/pages/about-usLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/vidabars/aboutMade in OK: www.madeinoklahoma.net/producer/vida-barsRetail Boss: www.retailboss.co/interview-ana-nunez-founder-vida-barsCurated Technology ListShopify: www.shopify.comRevenue Hunt: www.revenuehunt.comWholesale Guerilla: www.apps.shopify.com/wholesale-gorillaSmile: www.smile.ioTolstoy: www.gotolstoy.com/ecommerceOther Sites mentionedBiden-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-scoringThe Body Keeps the Score:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Body_Keeps_the_ScoreMonique Benoit on Unboxing Ecommerce Ep 18Mary Wiegand on Unboxing Ecommerce Ep 16Connect with Luisa:www.linkedin.com/in/luisasalcedowww.theefficiencymaven.com_______________Have a brand/shopping experience you want us to review? Send us a message at [email protected] Connect with James Marks:www.linkedin.com/in/jameslmarkswww.withtrivial.com Connect with Jennifer Yates:www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferayateswww.workwithroux.com_______________ Coverart imagined and designed by our friend, Melissa Dettloffwww.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.comResearch included these sourcesMilk Makeup: www.milkmakeup.com/pages/about-usMilk Group: www.milkgroup.comWikipedia: www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milk_MakeupVMagazine: www.vmagazine.com/article/milk-makeup-founders-on-the-brands-next-chapterCurated Technology ListShopify: www.shopify.comNarvar: www.corp.narvar.comGeolocation: www.apps.shopify.com/geolocationOrbe: www.apps.shopify.com/orbeRecharge: www.apps.shopify.com/subscription-paymentsEye Return: www.eyereturnmarketing.comYieldify: www.yieldify.comWunderkind: www.wunderkind.coOther Sites mentionedHow musical training affects cognitive development: rhythm, reward and other modulating variables:  www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3957486Connect with Tyler:www.linkedin.com/in/tylerdelarmwww.undigital.com_______________Have a brand/shopping experience you want us to review? Send us a message at [email protected] Connect with James Marks:www.linkedin.com/in/jameslmarkswww.withtrivial.com Connect with Jennifer Yates:www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferayateswww.workwithroux.com_______________ Coverart imagined and designed by our friend, Melissa Dettloffwww.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.nycResearch included these sourcesOutlier NYC: www.outlier.nyc/pages/informationOutlier NYC LinkedIn Page: www.linkedin.com/company/outlier-tailored-performancePitchbook: www.pitchbook.com/profiles/company/515198-26#overviewWired: www.wired.com/story/outlier-tech-clothes/Editor Studios: www.editor-studios.com/work/outliernycCurated Technology ListPepperjam (now Partnerize): www.partnerize.comZonos: www.zonos.comBackInStock: www.backinstock.orgLoop Returns: www.loopreturns.comOther Sites mentionedMichigan Central Station:  www.michigancentral.com/developmentCourtney Sofiah Yates (photography):  www.courtney-yates.comConnect with Nima:www.linkedin.com/in/nima3radwww.goshippo.com/_______________Have a brand/shopping experience you want us to review? Send us a message at [email protected] Connect with James Marks:www.linkedin.com/in/jameslmarkswww.withtrivial.com Connect with Jennifer Yates:www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferayateswww.workwithroux.com_______________ Coverart imagined and designed by our friend, Melissa Dettloffwww.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.comResearch included these sourcesPsycho Bunny: https://www.psychobunny.com/pages/about-usWikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psycho_BunnyForbe’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-goldmanCurated Technology ListABTasty: https://www.abtasty.com/Yotpo: https://www.yotpo.com/ Grin: https://grin.co/ Saddle Creek Logistics Services: https://www.sclogistics.com/ Other Sites mentionedSee All Reviews” on Psycho Bunny website points to www.example.comConnect with Aaron:www.linkedin.com/in/aaroncharlesschwartzwww.Orita.ai_______________Have a brand/shopping experience you want us to review? Send us a message at [email protected] Connect with James Marks:www.linkedin.com/in/jameslmarkswww.withtrivial.com Connect with Jennifer Yates:www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferayateswww.workwithroux.com_______________ Coverart imagined and designed by our friend, Melissa Dettloffwww.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.comResearch included these sourcesAlter Eco:  https://www.alterecofoods.com/pages/aboutAlter Eco Foundation:  https://foundation.alterecofoods.com/Crunchbase:  https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/alter-ecoFood Business Review:  https://www.foodbusinessreview.com/alter-ecoPR Newswire:  https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/trek-one-capital-completes-acquisition-of-alter-eco-foods-302051156.htmlThe Good Shopping Guide:  https://thegoodshoppingguide.com/brand-directory/alter-eco/Curated Technology ListRe:amaze:  https://www.reamaze.com/ Other Sites mentionedThe 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 solutionEnviro 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 [email protected] Connect with James Marks:www.linkedin.com/in/jameslmarkswww.withtrivial.com Connect with Jennifer Yates:www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferayateswww.workwithroux.com_______________ Coverart imagined and designed by our friend, Melissa Dettloffwww.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.comResearch included these sources:Anthropologie: www.anthropologie.com/help/our-storyWikipedia: www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AnthropologieUnboxing Ecommerce Urban Outfitters episode 7: www.buzzsprout.com/2365151/15081663Good On You: www.directory.goodonyou.eco/brand/anthropologieBrandzaffair: www.brandzaffair.com/fabula/a-brief-history-of-anthropologie/Mentioned in the episode:Ulta Beauty: www.ulta.comMonique's podcast, Scaling Emerging Beauty Podcast: www.scalingemergingbeauty.comConnect with Monique:www.linkedin.com/in/moniquehbenoit_______________Have a brand/shopping experience you want us to review? Send us a message at [email protected] Connect with James Marks:www.linkedin.com/in/jameslmarkswww.withtrivial.com Connect with Jennifer Yates:www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferayateswww.workwithroux.com_______________ Coverart imagined and designed by our friend, Melissa Dettloffwww.melissadettloff.com

This week James and Jennifer order from Skratch Labs with special guest, Amanda Hofman,  the Co-Founder and CEO of Go To Market. Go To Market is a woman-owned branded merchandise business looking to revolutionize the way the world handles swag.  Before Go To Market, Amanda was the Founder and CEO of Urban Girl Squad, the premier social networking group for women in their 20s and 30s in NYC.Why Skratch Labs?Skratch sends THE BEST extra goodies with every order -- really weirdo stickers and sometimes a handwritten note!Skratch Labs: www.skratchlabs.comResearch included these sources:Skratch Labs: https://www.skratchlabs.com/pages/about-usLeeds School of Business Newsletter: https://www.colorado.edu/business/deming/news/2023/01/26/alumni-spotlight-how-skratch-labs-sports-drinks-are-key-success-not-only-athletes-founder#:~:text=Give-,Alumni%20Spotlight%3A%20How%20Skratch%20Labs'%20Sports%20Drinks%20are%20the%20Key,but%20for%20Founder%20Allen%20LimAaron Foster Designs: https://aaronfoster.myshopify.com/pages/about-usRocketReach: https://rocketreach.co/skratch-labs-profile_b5e0e6d3f42e69c9Pitchbook: https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/122270-86#fundingBFG: https://www.bfgpartners.com/Denver Channel 7 ABC: https://www.denver7.com/news/in-good-company/boulders-skratch-labs-cafe-builds-elite-sports-nutrition-into-comfort-food-menuSkratch Lab's selected tech:Shopify: https://www.shopify.com/Gorgias: https://www.gorgias.com/Klayvio: https://www.klaviyo.com/Judge Me: https://judge.me/Mentioned in the episode:What percentage of businesses fail? https://clarifycapital.com/blog/what-percentage-of-businesses-failTidio: https://www.tidio.com/Connect with Amanda:www.gotomarket.studiowww.instagram.com/gotomarketstudiowww.linkedin.com/in/amandagoldfinehofman/  _______________Have a brand/shopping experience you want us to review? Send us a message at [email protected] Connect with James Marks:www.linkedin.com/in/jameslmarkswww.withtrivial.com Connect with Jennifer Yates:www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferayateswww.workwithroux.com_______________ Coverart imagined and designed by our friend, Melissa Dettloffwww.melissadettloff.com

This week James and Jennifer order from Dieux with special guest, Mary Wiegand,  the Founder and CEO of Boon, LLC. Mary brings over 16 years of demand planning experience across a multitude of retail product types and selling channels. She has created an innovative, non-traditional business model that delivers hands-on results to young and start-up brands while simultaneously empowering her team (of nearly all women) to find professional fulfillment and lead robust personal lives.Why Dieux ? After hearing from a Dieux-devoted colleague that the brand seems to be out-of-stock frequently, Mary was curious to see if she’d have a similar take-away.Dieux:  www.dieuxskin.com/Research included these sources:Dieux: https://www.dieuxskin.com/pages/aboutThe EveryGirl: https://theeverygirl.com/dieux-instant-angel-review/Inc: https://www.inc.com/rebecca-deczynski/dieux-skin-charlotte-palermino-joyce-de-lemos-marta-freedman.htmlThe Skimm: https://www.theskimm.com/shopping/skimm-tested-dieux-skin-reviewPitchbook: https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/436294-81#overviewBeauty Independent: https://www.beautyindependent.com/dtc-brand-dieux-skin-ventures-retail-sephora/Dieux's selected tech:AccessiBe: https://accessibe.com Moonship: https://getmoonship.com/Zest: https://www.zest.coMentioned in the episode:Pact: https://www.pactcollective.org/Connect with Mary:www.boonllc.netwww.linkedin.com/in/mary-wiegand-67484628_______________Have a brand/shopping experience you want us to review? Send us a message at [email protected] Connect with James Marks:www.linkedin.com/in/jameslmarkswww.withtrivial.com Connect with Jennifer Yates:www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferayateswww.workwithroux.com_______________ Coverart imagined and designed by our friend, Melissa Dettloffwww.melissadettloff.com

This week James and Jennifer order from Bed, Bath, and Beyond with special guest, Michelle Hsiao, the CEO and Founder of Revenue Growth Advisors. Michelle brings a wealth of experience to the table, having previously led merchandising teams at prestigious companies like Boscov’s, Macy’s, and Gugu Guru. With her extensive background in ecommerce strategy, merchandising, and profitability improvement, Michelle provides invaluable insights into the world of retail and ecommerce.Why Bed Bath and Beyond? Michelle was particularly interested in how Overstock has rebranded itself as Bed, Bath, and Beyond. She noted the intrigue in examining how the customer experience has evolved, especially considering Bed, Bath, and Beyond's past reputation for poor ecommerce and digital marketing. Bed Bath & Beyond: https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/Research included these sources:Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bed_Bath_%26_BeyondCNN Business: https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/01/business/bed-bath-beyond-relaunch/index.htmlCrunchbase: https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/bed-bath-beyond/company_financialsBed Bath and Beyond's selected tech:Freshworks, https://www.freshworks.com/Customer service, IT, and CRM software: Quantcast, https://www.quantcast.com/Measurable Outcomes: Sparkpost, now Bird.comPersonalized interactions on Email, SMS, and WhatsApp: Orita https://www.orita.ai/Emails customers actually see: Criteo, https://www.criteo.com/Mentioned in the episode:Cat Shipped to Amazon (It’s ok!) https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/apr/29/cat-amazon-boxGoogle is disabling cookie tracking for all users by the beginning of 2025https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2024/05/01/the-role-of-googles-privacy-sandbox-in-the-future-of-targeted-ads/?sh=5b8b4f712975Connect with Michelle:https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-hsiao/Revenue Growth Advisors: https://therevgrowthadvisors.com/_______________Have a brand/shopping experience you want us to review? Send us a message at [email protected] Connect with James Marks:www.linkedin.com/in/jameslmarkswww.withtrivial.com Connect with Jennifer Yates:www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferayateswww.workwithroux.com_______________ Coverart imagined and designed by our friend, Melissa Dettloffwww.melissadettloff.com

James, Jennifer, and their guest Cody Berenson (Siddhi Capital) order Cometeer Coffee and are captured by its specialness.Why Cometeer Coffee?  A Food/Beverage Operator thought this disruptive product delivered in an unconventional way would present an interesting exploration into supply chain, packaging, and logistics.Research included these sources:Cometeer Coffee:  https://cometeer.com/Wikipedia:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cometeer_Coffee and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Howell_(entrepreneur)Forbes:  https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexkonrad/2023/01/30/cometeer-coffee-pods-layoffs-ceo-switch/ Sites Mentioned:Impact of the Cold Chain on Sustainability https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2023/01/27/expanding-global-cold-chains-effective-adaptation-or-dangerous-contribution-to-climate-change/ Cake Mix, Eggs and Marketinghttps://www.bonappetit.com/entertaining-style/pop-culture/article/cake-mix-history Return Address ships from LBAhttps://lbalogistics.com/home/Packaging from Pratt Industrieshttps://www.pratt.com/products/Appreciation to our special guest:Cody Berenson, VP of Operations and Services at Siddhi CapitalSiddhi Capital:  Growth equity firm investing in food tech and emerging CPG brands in food and beverage._______________Have a brand/shopping experience you want us to review? Send us a message at [email protected] Connect with James Marks:www.linkedin.com/in/jameslmarkswww.withtrivial.com Connect with Jennifer Yates:www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferayateswww.workwithroux.com_______________ Coverart imagined and designed by our friend, Melissa Dettloffwww.melissadettloff.com

James, Jennifer, and their guest Jeff Kaiden (Capacity, LLC) order Summer Fridays' hero product and then some.Research included these sources:Summer Fridays:  https://summerfridays.com/pages/aboutToday Show:  https://www.today.com/video/how-summer-fridays-founders-went-from-online-to-in-stores-162786373733Pitchbook:  https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/267885-01#investorsThe Industry.Beauty:  https://theindustry.beauty/the_directory/summer-fridays/Zoominfo:  https://www.zoominfo.com/c/summer-fridays-llc/446220785CBInsights:  https://www.cbinsights.com/company/summer-fridaysForbes:  https://www.forbes.com/sites/oliviaperez/2022/04/22/the-best-entrepreneurial-lessons-from-summer-fridays-founders-marianna-hewitt-and-lauren-gores-ireland/?sh=506941152df5Curated Technology ListAttentive, https://www.attentive.com/ An AI marketing platform to create hyper-personalized SMS and emailZendesk, https://www.zendesk.com/ Customer experience solutionKeras, https://keras.io/ Machine learning developer tool used as a recommendation modelUserWay, https://userway.org/ Helping websites comply with ADA law and conform with WCAG guidelinesRoute, https://route.com/ Keeps tabs on deliveriesAppreciation to our special guest:Jeff Kaiden, Founder & CEO of Capacity, LLCCapacity, LLC:  Fulfillment (retail, ecomm, international), plus kitting, assembly, and gift wrap._______________Have a brand/shopping experience you want us to review? Send us a message at [email protected] Connect with James Marks:www.linkedin.com/in/jameslmarkswww.withtrivial.com Connect with Jennifer Yates:www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferayateswww.workwithroux.com_______________ Coverart imagined and designed by our friend, Melissa Dettloffwww.melissadettloff.com

James and Jennifer wrap their heads around Temu.Why Temu? We wanted to understand how this Chinese app came out of nowhwere and its influence on American shoppers.Research included these sources:Temu:  https://www.temu.com/about-temu.htmlTime:  https://time.com/6243738/temu-app-complaints/ZDNet:  https://www.zdnet.com/article/is-temu-legit-what-to-know-about-this-wildly-popular-shopping-app/NPR:  https://www.npr.org/2024/02/14/1230907159/temu-shopping-app-super-bowl-adsWikipedia:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temu_(marketplace)Sites Mentioned:Lings Cars:  https://www.lingscars.com/Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act:  https://www.cbp.gov/trade/forced-labor/UFLPACenter for Humane Technology:  https://www.humanetech.com/_______________Have a brand/shopping experience you want us to review? Send us a message at [email protected] Connect with James Marks:www.linkedin.com/in/jameslmarkswww.withtrivial.com Connect with Jennifer Yates:www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferayateswww.workwithroux.com_______________ Coverart imagined and designed by our friend, Melissa Dettloffwww.melissadettloff.com

James and Jennifer order from Rooted and admire the iterations.Why Rooted?  Perishable items add complexity to shipping that would be fun to explore.Research included these sources:Rooted:  https://heyrooted.com/pages/our-storyRooted’s Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/p/CCqzCQsD_oN/Air.inc:  https://air.inc/blog/on-brand-no-11The Pitch podcast:  https://gimletmedia.com/shows/the-pitch/wbhjx5gPlantboy:  https://www.withplantboy.com/Point of References:  https://www.pointofreferences.com/2019/01/kay-kim-of-rooted-nyc.htmlTechnology List:Shoplift, https://www.shoplift.ai A/B Testing, Conversion Rate Optimization for ShopifyPosthog, https://posthog.com Analyze, test, observe, and deploy new featuresGorgias, https://www.gorgias.com Support with AI-fueled customer service for Shopify storesKlaviyo, https://www.klaviyo.com/ Marketing automation platform turns customer data into growthDatadog, https://www.datadoghq.com/ See inside any stack, any app, at any scale, anywhereMicrosoft Clarity, https://clarity.microsoft.com Free tool that captures how people use your siteAttentive, https://www.attentive.com Personalized SMS and Email for performance marketing506, https://www.506.io Shopify app developer. Automate and schedule promotions, upsell and manage discounts in cart, add gifts or products to cartBonshore, https://bonshore.com/ Agency from Santa Barbara, California that helps Shopify brands manage storefronts and simplify operationsCommerceIQ, https://commerceiq.ai/ (formerly Boomerang) Unified machine learning platform to optimize sales, supply chain, brand, etc.or possibly Boomerang Shopify App https://apps.shopify.com/boomerang? Incentivize customers to post on social media, create reviews and other UGC (User Generated Content)Also mentioned:The City Beautiful Movement:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_Beautiful_movement_______________Have a brand/shopping experience you want us to review? Send us a message at [email protected] Connect with James Marks:www.linkedin.com/in/jameslmarkswww.withtrivial.com Connect with Jennifer Yates:www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferayateswww.workwithroux.com_______________ Coverart imagined and designed by our friend, Melissa Dettloffwww.melissadettloff.com

James and Jennifer order from Warby Parker and feel trusted.Why Warby Parker?  Counterpoint to Sunglass Hut (Oakley, Ray-Bans, LensCrafters, Pearle Vision) dominance.Research included these sources:Warby Parker:  https://www.warbyparker.com/historyThe Business Model Analyst:  https://businessmodelanalyst.com/warby-parker-business-model/Knowledge at Wharton:  https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/what-eyewear-startup-warby-parker-sees-that-others-dont/Wikipedia:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warby_ParkerGoogle Finance:  https://www.google.com/finance/quote/WRBY:NYSE?sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjYnbeey4OEAxWkvokEHZCSAncQ3ecFegQIJBAf Technology ListOutbrain, https://www.outbrain.com Drive Better Business Results by Predicting EngagementGladly, https://www.gladly.com Combines the strengths of AI and human agentsCriteo, https://www.criteo.com/ Connects advertisers with retailers and publishers to drive commerceRockerbox, https://www.rockerbox.com Simplify the complexity of multi-channel marketing leverage MMM, MTA, and other analyses to enhance strategic decisions and drive growthKetch, https://www.ketch.com Easy privacy compliance for data driven brandsRoeye, now Acceleration Partners, https://www.accelerationpartners.com Creating and nurturing partnerships for clientsAbly, https://ably.com Realtime experience infrastructure to support Chat, Multiplayer Collaboration and NotificationsRevcontent, https://www.revcontent.com/ Native advertising empowering publishers and advertisersAlso mentionedLensCrafters founder E. Dean Butler interview with  Los Angeles Times https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LuxotticaBritish Post Office Scandalhttps://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Post_Office_scandalUS marshals lure fugitive killer of Texas cyclist out of hiding with yoga adhttps://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/jan/29/texas-cyclist-killer-caught-yoga-ad-costa-rica_______________Have a brand/shopping experience you want us to review? Send us a message at [email protected] Connect with James Marks:www.linkedin.com/in/jameslmarkswww.withtrivial.com Connect with Jennifer Yates:www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferayateswww.workwithroux.com_______________ Coverart imagined and designed by our friend, Melissa Dettloffwww.melissadettloff.com

James and Jennifer go off-format to discuss Returns with a panel of experts at Manifest Las Vegas. Special guests Jeff Wolpov (SVP, Ryder Ecommerce), Jonathan Poma (CEO, Loop), and Kyle Bertin (CEO, Two Boxes).Recorded, edited, and mastered by Matt and Alex, Podcaster Studios, Las Vegas_______________Have a brand/shopping experience you want us to review? Send us a message at [email protected] Connect with James Marks:www.linkedin.com/in/jameslmarkswww.withtrivial.com Connect with Jennifer Yates:www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferayateswww.workwithroux.com_______________ Coverart imagined and designed by our friend, Melissa Dettloffwww.melissadettloff.com

James and Jennifer order from Bloomingdale's and guest Maia Benson (ex-Shopify) gets free shipping from Bangalore, India.Why Bloomingdale's / Macy's?  Our first guest ever Maia Benson talks about nostalgia, experiencing something “special”, and the desire to tap a certain use case in her online shopping.Research included these sources:Bloomingdale’s: https://www.bloomingdales.com/b/about-us/history/Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloomingdale%27sClassic New York History: https://classicnewyorkhistory.com/history-of-new-yorks-bloomingdales-department-store/Macy’s:  https://www.macys.com/s/brand-heritage/history/Technology ListTealium, https://tealium.com/  DoubleClick, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DoubleClick  bambuser, https://bambuser.com/  Clinch, https://clinch.co/  Full Story,  https://www.fullstory.com/  Also mentionedMacy’s Net: https://macysnet.com/Campus Sutra: https://campussutra.com/Malls and Gen Z: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-01-19/gen-z-leads-the-charge-in-revitalizing-the-mall-experienceTRADE FACILITATION AND TRADE ENFORCEMENT ACT OF 2015: https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/644/text$200 in 1930 has the same purchasing power as $2,838.53 in 2015: https://www.bls.gov/data/inflation_calculator.htmExplainer on Section 321: https://www.easyship.com/blog/us-duty-free-threshold-increases-takeaways-you-must-knowExtended Tech List, not mentioned on the episode:Akamai mPulse: https://www.akamai.com/products/mpulse-real-user-monitoringWERCSmart: https://www.ulwercsmart.com/SmarterHQ: (now Wunderkind Audiences), https://www.wunderkind.co/Special Guest:  Maia Benson_______________Have a brand/shopping experience you want us to review? Send us a message at [email protected] Connect with James Marks:www.linkedin.com/in/jameslmarkswww.withtrivial.com Connect with Jennifer Yates:www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferayateswww.workwithroux.com_______________ Coverart imagined and designed by our friend, Melissa Dettloffwww.melissadettloff.com

James and Jennifer order from Urban Outfitters and James falls apart.Why Urban Outfitters?  They are a sophisticated family of demographic-oriented businesses.Research included these sources:URBN:  https://www.urbn.com/homeWikipedia:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_OutfittersFinancial Times:  https://markets.ft.com/data/equities/tearsheet/profile?s=URBN:NSQGlobal Data:  https://www.globaldata.com/company-profile/urban-outfitters-inc/Salesforce Buys Krux for $700 Million:  https://www.businessinsider.com/salesforce-buys-krux-for-700-million-2016-10Skimlinks is acquired by retail marketing platform Connexity:  https://techcrunch.com/2020/05/28/a-12-year-journey-ends-as-skimlinks-is-acquired-by-retail-marketing-platform-connexity/Taboola Completes Acquisition of Connexity:  https://connexity.com/taboola-closes-connexity-acquisition/ Sites Mentioned:UO MRKT:  https://www.urbanoutfitters.com/uo-mrkt-faqsRakuten - https://www.rakuten.com/:  Cash Back, deals and shopping rewards on the world’s largest selection of products and services.Clarity by Microsoft - https://clarity.microsoft.com/:  Clarity is a free tool that captures how people use your site. Setup is easy and you'll start getting data in minutes.Qualtrics - https://www.qualtrics.com/:  Experience Management (XM) software.Krux (now Salesforce Data Cloud for Marketing) - https://www.salesforce.com/products/data-cloud-marketing/?mc=DMP:  Activate your customer data with Data Cloud for Marketing.Skim Links - https://skimlinks.com/:  Skimlinks affiliates product links from commerce content._______________Have a brand/shopping experience you want us to review? Send us a message at [email protected] Connect with James Marks:www.linkedin.com/in/jameslmarkswww.withtrivial.com Connect with Jennifer Yates:www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferayateswww.workwithroux.com_______________ Coverart imagined and designed by our friend, Melissa Dettloffwww.melissadettloff.com

Community and connection come up more than once as James and Jennifer consider Powell's e-tail backend like an archaeological dig into the past. Once they get their packages, they go absolutely bananas over the branded packing slip, supporting their theory that Powell's might just care more about the physical, tangible, in-person connection to their customers than updating their technologies.  Or maybe it's a nod to their identity as an independent retailer.Research included these sources:Powell’s Books:  https://www.powells.com/info/about-usTravel Portland:  https://www.travelportland.com/attractions/powells/The Franklin Post (Franklin Highschool):  https://fhspost.com/the-history-of-portlands-beloved-powells-books/Zippia:  https://www.zippia.com/powell-s-books-careers-577500/history/Wikipedia:  ​​https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Powell%27s_BooksSites Mentioned:Hawksearch - https://www.hawksearch.com/HubSpot - https://www.hubspot.com/CrazyEgg - https://www.crazyegg.com/ASP.net - https://dotnet.microsoft.com/en-us/apps/aspnetJQuery - https://jquery.com/Mentioned, but not associated with Powell’s that we can tell.React - https://react.dev/:  The library for web and native user interfacesVue - https://vuejs.org/:  An approachable, performant and versatile framework for building web user interfaces.Elastic - https://www.elastic.co/:  Search and observability engine for business_______________Have a brand/shopping experience you want us to review? Send us a message at [email protected] Connect with James Marks:www.linkedin.com/in/jameslmarkswww.withtrivial.com Connect with Jennifer Yates:www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferayateswww.workwithroux.com_______________ Coverart imagined and designed by our friend, Melissa Dettloffwww.melissadettloff.com

James and Jennifer order from netflix.shop.  Jennifer is not impressed with the shopping experience, surprising James, who didn't have the same visceral reaction.  They talk about localization and get a bit emotional as they embrace the moniker MLP.  In the end, they are kind of delighted with the tech stack and the story it told.Research included these sources:Netflix:  https://about.netflix.com/en/news/introducing-netflix-shopReuters:  https://www.reuters.com/business/netflix-launch-online-store-selling-show-related-merchandise-2021-06-10/Smithsonian Magazine:  https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/netflix-house-stores-open-2025-180983085/Medium:  https://davidjdeal.medium.com/how-netflix-is-cashing-in-on-squid-game-1998608f2c6cNo Rules Rules:  https://www.norulesrules.com/ Sites Mentioned:Shopify - hosted webstores:  https://www.shopify.com/Klaviyo:  https://www.klaviyo.com/One Trust - GDPR compliance:  https://www.onetrust.com/Elevar - Conversion Tracking:  https://www.getelevar.com/Google Translate - localization:  https://translate.google.com/GTranslate:  https://apps.shopify.com/multilingual-shop-by-gtranslateTranslify:  https://apps.shopify.com/translifyCarro - Drop Shipping:  https://www.getcarro.com/Printful - Print on Demand:  https://www.printful.com/Geo Location - localization suggestion:  https://apps.shopify.com/geolocationRoute - Branded Tracking:  https://route.com/ShipBob:  https://www.shipbob.com_______________Have a brand/shopping experience you want us to review? Send us a message at [email protected] Connect with James Marks:www.linkedin.com/in/jameslmarkswww.withtrivial.com Connect with Jennifer Yates:www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferayateswww.workwithroux.com_______________ Coverart imagined and designed by our friend, Melissa Dettloffwww.melissadettloff.com

James and Jennifer order from Bombas and receive their first-ever package without a packing slip.  They get emo over workers in ecomm, about dry, healthy feet, and about their orders generating goodness in multiples.  There's a lot of love and heart-feels in this episode.Research included these sources:Bombas website:  https://shop.bombas.com/pages/about-usBombas Impact Report, 2022:  https://beebetter.bombas.com/impactCapitalism dot com:  https://www.capitalism.com/bombas/Business Insider:  https://www.businessinsider.com/how-ceo-bombas-socks-keeps-meetings-productive-2022-6RocketReach:  https://rocketreach.co/bombas-profile_b55f7744f6cf0bff Sites Mentioned:Shopify - e-commerce storefronts:  https://www.shopify.com/Pepperjam - affiliate marketing:  https://www.pepperjam.comOptimizely - content marketing manager:  https://www.optimizely.com/Algolia Search Insight - search engine:  https://www.algolia.com/Yotpo - ecommerce retention:  https://www.yotpo.com/Taboola - Advertising platform:  https://www.taboola.comDatadog - App monitoring:  https://www.datadoghq.com/Shopify and React:  https://shopify.dev/docs/custom-storefronts/hydrogen-reacthttps://shopify.dev/docs/api/app-bridge/previous-versions/app-bridge-from-npm/using-reactSophia Roe:  https://www.iamsophiaroe.com/Central Place Theory:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_place_theory_______________Have a brand/shopping experience you want us to review? Send us a message at [email protected] Connect with James Marks:www.linkedin.com/in/jameslmarkswww.withtrivial.com Connect with Jennifer Yates:www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferayateswww.workwithroux.com_______________ Coverart imagined and designed by our friend, Melissa Dettloffwww.melissadettloff.com

James and Jennifer talk about a recent dog-sitting adventure and a Mattress Factory mystery before they order socks from Stance. They get into Stance's ties to skateboarding, Rihanna, and artists then go deep into their packages' journeys, pixels, QR codes, and bare-bones packing slips. They haven't gotten over their disappointment with the Fenty lipstick "debacle".Research on Stance included these sources:WikipediaTracxnStance_______________Have a brand/shopping experience you want us to review? Send us a message at [email protected] Connect with James Marks:www.linkedin.com/in/jameslmarkswww.withtrivial.com Connect with Jennifer Yates:www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferayateswww.workwithroux.com_______________ Coverart imagined and designed by our friend, Melissa Dettloffwww.melissadettloff.com

James and Jennifer order refillable lipstick (and mascara for Jennifer) from Fenty Beauty to analyze the shopping experience, then reverse engineer the storage, logistics, and packaging details to understand their order's journey.Research on Fenty Beauty included these sources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fenty_Beautyhttps://440industries.com/fenty-beauty-history-case-study-rihannas-story/https://www.marketingsociety.com/think-piece/how-rihannas-fenty-beauty-delivered-beauty-all_______________Have a brand/shopping experience you want us to review? Send us a message at [email protected] Connect with James Marks:www.linkedin.com/in/jameslmarkswww.withtrivial.com Connect with Jennifer Yates:www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferayateswww.workwithroux.com_______________ Coverart imagined and designed by our friend, Melissa Dettloffwww.melissadettloff.com

James and Jennifer order a base-layer garment from Patagonia to analyze the shopping experience, then reverse engineer the storage, logistics, and packaging details to understand their garments' journey.Research on Patagonia included these sources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patagonia,_Inc.https://brandminds.com/patagonia-the-story-behind-the-brand/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/14/climate/patagonia-climate-philanthropy-chouinard.htmlhttps://www.patagonia.com/culture.html_______________Have a brand/shopping experience you want us to review? Send us a message at [email protected] Connect with James Marks:www.linkedin.com/in/jameslmarkswww.withtrivial.com Connect with Jennifer Yates:www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferayateswww.workwithroux.com_______________ Coverart imagined and designed by our friend, Melissa Dettloffwww.melissadettloff.com

Unboxing Ecommerce is coming soon to your favorite podcast places.Episodes drop every other Tuesday starting November 7th.James and Jennifer order products from brands to analyze the shopping experience, then reverse engineer the storage, logistics, and packaging details to understand their order's journey._______________Have a brand/shopping experience you want us to review? Send us a message at [email protected] Connect with James Marks:www.linkedin.com/in/jameslmarkswww.withtrivial.com Connect with Jennifer Yates:www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferayateswww.workwithroux.com_______________ Coverart imagined and designed by our friend, Melissa Dettloffwww.melissadettloff.com