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.com

Research included these sources

• Momofuku: www.momofuku.com/our-company/team
• Pitchbook: www.pitchbook.com/profiles/company/99225-01#overview
• Fast Company: www.fastcompany.com/90945101/momofuku-ceo-marguerite-zabar-mariscal-100-million-food-company
• The Lo Times: www.thelotimes.com/p/momofuku-ko-closed-david-chang-review-restaurant
• Bon Apetit: www.bonappetit.com/story/david-chang-momofuku-ko-closing-explained
• The Guardian: www.theguardian.com/food/2024/apr/04/chili-crunch-trademark-momofuku-david-chang
• Cup 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 mentioned

• David Chang Podcast: www.podcasts.apple.com/ke/podcast/discussing-momofuku-chili-crunch-with-marguerite/id1375877915?i=1000652284807
• Eat a Peach by David Chang: www.literatibookstore.com/book/9781524759230
• Major Domo Media: www.majordomo.com

Connect with Moni:
www.koopslieconsulting.com
www.linkedin.com/in/monikakupczakainslie

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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 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.com

Research included these sources

• Taco Bell: www.tacobell.com/history
• Wikipedia: www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taco_Bell
• YUM! Brands: www.yum.com/wps/portal/yumbrands/Yumbrands
• Taco Bell Foundation: www.tacobellfoundation.org
• Fast Company: www.fastcompany.com/91064275/taco-bell-most-innovative-companies-2024-2

Curated Technology List

• Fullstory: www.fullstory.com
• Next.js: www.nextjs.org

Other Sites mentioned

• The 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_diffusion
• Ending Trademark on Taco Tuesday: www.bleacherreport.com/articles/10076948-lebron-james-joins-taco-bell-in-effort-to-end-taco-tuesday-trademark-registrations
• Retail 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 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 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.com

Research included these sources

• Tracksmith: www.tracksmith.com/pages/about
• Forbes: www.forbes.com/sites/katiebaron/2022/10/11/tracksmith-expands-how-americas-most-intellectual-running-brand-is-closing-cult-status
• Outside: www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-gear/run/tracksmith-running-brand-business-profile
• Crunchbase: www.crunchbase.com/organization/tracksmith
• Pitchbook: www.pitchbook.com/profiles/company/65264-59#overview
• Tracksmith Fellowship: www.tracksmith.com/pages/tracksmith-fellowship-program
• Tracksmith Fellowship Recipient, Dinée Dorame: www.groundedpod.com/about/

Curated Technology List

• DatoCMS: www.datocms.com
• MNTN: www.mountain.com
• JustUno: www.justuno.com

Other Sites mentioned

• How To Pronounce: www.howtopronounce.com/luke-scheybeler
• Unlocking 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.com
www.linkedin.com/in/blairbeckwith

_______________

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 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.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

_______________

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

_______________

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