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/

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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
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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

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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

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.com


Research included these sources:

• Skratch Labs: https://www.skratchlabs.com/pages/about-us
• Leeds 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%20Lim
• Aaron Foster Designs: https://aaronfoster.myshopify.com/pages/about-us
• RocketReach: https://rocketreach.co/skratch-labs-profile_b5e0e6d3f42e69c9
• Pitchbook: https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/122270-86#funding
• BFG: 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-menu

Skratch 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-fail
• Tidio: https://www.tidio.com/

Connect with Amanda:
www.gotomarket.studio
www.instagram.com/gotomarketstudio
www.linkedin.com/in/amandagoldfinehofman/

_______________

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 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/about
• The EveryGirl: https://theeverygirl.com/dieux-instant-angel-review/
• Inc: https://www.inc.com/rebecca-deczynski/dieux-skin-charlotte-palermino-joyce-de-lemos-marta-freedman.html
• The Skimm: https://www.theskimm.com/shopping/skimm-tested-dieux-skin-review
• Pitchbook: https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/436294-81#overview
• Beauty 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.co

Mentioned in the episode:

• Pact: https://www.pactcollective.org/

Connect with Mary:
www.boonllc.net
www.linkedin.com/in/mary-wiegand-67484628

_______________

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 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_Beyond
• CNN Business: https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/01/business/bed-bath-beyond-relaunch/index.html
• Crunchbase: https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/bed-bath-beyond/company_financials

Bed 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.com
• Personalized 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-box
• Google is disabling cookie tracking for all users by the beginning of 2025
  https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2024/05/01/the-role-of-googles-privacy-sandbox-in-the-future-of-targeted-ads/?sh=5b8b4f712975

Connect 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 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

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 Marketing
  https://www.bonappetit.com/entertaining-style/pop-culture/article/cake-mix-history
• Return Address ships from LBA
  https://lbalogistics.com/home/
• Packaging from Pratt Industries
  https://www.pratt.com/products/

Appreciation to our special guest:

Cody Berenson, VP of Operations and Services at Siddhi Capital
Siddhi 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 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

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/about
• Today Show: https://www.today.com/video/how-summer-fridays-founders-went-from-online-to-in-stores-162786373733
• Pitchbook: https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/267885-01#investors
• The Industry.Beauty: https://theindustry.beauty/the_directory/summer-fridays/
• Zoominfo: https://www.zoominfo.com/c/summer-fridays-llc/446220785
• CBInsights: https://www.cbinsights.com/company/summer-fridays
• Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/oliviaperez/2022/04/22/the-best-entrepreneurial-lessons-from-summer-fridays-founders-marianna-hewitt-and-lauren-gores-ireland/?sh=506941152df5

Curated Technology List

• Attentive, https://www.attentive.com/ An AI marketing platform to create hyper-personalized SMS and email
• Zendesk, https://www.zendesk.com/ Customer experience solution
• Keras, https://keras.io/ Machine learning developer tool used as a recommendation model
• UserWay, https://userway.org/ Helping websites comply with ADA law and conform with WCAG guidelines
• Route, https://route.com/ Keeps tabs on deliveries

Appreciation to our special guest:

Jeff Kaiden, Founder & CEO of Capacity, LLC

Capacity, 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 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

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.html
• Time: 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-ads
• Wikipedia: 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/UFLPA
• Center for Humane Technology: https://www.humanetech.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