OUR CHALLENGE: ecommerce today is stuck as a metaphor of offline retail. Online replications of the offline world may have extreme scale, but are highly disruptable since they are based on brick and mortar paradigms not actual customer/brand relationships. iTunes was the best online record store imaginable, but Spotify is quickly disrupting it. Amazon is a (very, very well run) giant Wal-Mart – ecommerce can be better than massive-scale superstores.
Our software changes the online retail from "superstores" to multi-year, high-value brand/consumer relationships. We do this by facilitating long-term, multi-SKU relationships between brands and customers. The first market we are targeting is household products – because it’s huge, underserved online, and going through rapid channel shift (and, the multi-SKU element works incredibly well in this niche).
MISSION STATEMENT ePantry's mission is to shrink the environmental footprint of American homes by making sustainably produced household products the most convenient option for busy consumers. Our technology provides each individual with customized ongoing delivery of branded sustainable consumables (e.g. soap, laundry detergent, paper towels) simplifying the process of never running out of the products he/she needs. You will enjoy buying toilet paper!
WORTH KNOWING
* High-friction (private) MVP reached $200k run rate in first month with $0 marketing.
* Annual ARPU >$500
* $40 billion niche with <2% ecommerce penetration
* Well-funded by the entrepreneurs & investors behind Hotwire, Friendster, Everfi, and Citysearch
* Team of 4 full time. Founder was employee #1 at twice startups that raised over $100mm
\TECHNOLOGY LEADER: Experienced full stack web developer, knows his/her way around ecommerce, managing teams, lean-loving, not scared of big companies, desire to build something awesome. eco-warrior-ness not required. All titles (CTO, co-founder) are on the table for the right person.
You Get: Competitive cash, above-market equity, full benefits, flexible/fun environment, passionate team, and to leave the world a little better than you found it.
CONTACT Would love to brainstorm about our challenges/opportunities over a coffee/beer any time. [email protected]
We launched in August and were seeded behind a vision of making it easier for busy people to be responsible in how they buy household products. Highlights below:
* Customer Problem: People want to buy (and not run out of) “the right” household products, but busy people don’t want to put time into finding sustainable toilet paper
* What We Do: “Dollar Shave Club” for name-brand, “green” household consumables ($24+bn TAM), with an emphasis on flexibility and customer service
* Customer Value Proposition: 5 min registration = A) never run out of TP, B) never overpay, C) always get products good for people & the earth
* Customer Archetype: ~35 y/o female, kids, busy; “green,” but SUV; Whole Foods, but 365 (private label); iPhone, but not techy; Gilt often, but Gucci rarely
* Our Challenge: Create the most convenient platform in the world for a set of household products with unique purchasing patterns (not a shopping cart site…)
* Competition: Selling a niche product better than Amazon has a surprising track record. e.g. Alice, Dollar Shave Club, Manpacks, Quidsi, Zappos
* Traction: Initial revenue in November through an offline product version. Backlog for >$150,000 run rate bookings through offline version in first 45 days of availability (by mid-Jan).
* Full Time Team: Stu (Biz/PM): Advisor & raised >$2m @ 4 start-ups, >$100m invested in tech, employee #2 twice; Jordan (Mktg): Goodby, Doritos, TD Ameritrade
* Seeders : The entrepreneurs behind companies like Hotwire, CitySearch, Friendster, Cater2.me, Everfi, Vincraft, Augusta Columbia, and Toro IP
* Stage: Funded. Prototype of product being tested compulsively now to acquire alpha users. Lean startup methodology.
* Founding Engineer: A fully empowered co-founder with strong opinions, understanding of lean & MVP tradeoffs, full stack ownership, and a long term vision
* What You Get: Competitive cash, generous equity, full benefits, flexible/fun environment, passionate team, leave the world better than you found it
I would love to grab a coffee/beer and brainstorm about the challenges/opportunities ahead. [email protected]
We launched in August and were seeded behind a vision of making it easier for busy people to make responsible choices. Highlights below:
* Customer Problem: We want to buy (and not run out of) sustainable products, but busy people take the path of least resistance on their household consumables
* Customer Value Proposition: 5 min registration = A) never run out of TP, B) never overpay, C) always get products good for people & the earth
* Customer Archetype: ~35 y/o female, kids, busy; “green,” but SUV; Whole Foods, but 365 (private label); iPhone, but not techy; Gilt often, but Gucci rarely
* What We Do: “Dollar Shave Club” for name-brand, “green” household consumables ($24+bn TAM), with an emphasis on flexibility and customer service
* Competition: Selling a niche product better than Amazon has a surprising track record. e.g. Alice, Dollar Shave Club, Manpacks, Quidsi, Zappos
* Our Challenge: Create the most convenient platform in the world for a set of household products with unique purchasing patterns (not a shopping cart site…)
* Full Time Team: Stu (Biz/PM): Advisor & raised >$2m @ 4 start-ups, >$100m invested in tech, employee #2 twice; Jordan (Mktg): Goodby, Doritos, TD Ameritrade
* Seeders : The entrepreneurs behind companies like Hotwire, CitySearch, Friendster, Cater2.me, Everfi, Vincraft, Augusta Columbia, and Toro IP
* Stage: Funded. Compulsively user testing prototypes. Conversations with suppliers on track. Alpha customers by November 15
* Founding Engineer: A fully empowered co-founder with strong opinions, understanding of lean & MVP tradeoffs, full stack ownership, and a long term vision
* What You Get: Competitive cash, generous equity, full benefits, flexible/fun environment, passionate team, leave the world better than you found it
I would love to grab a coffee/beer and brainstorm about the challenges and opportunities ahead.