How Uncommon Goods Has Survived—and Thrived—for 26 Years | CEO Dave Bolotsky at Shoptalk 2025

Chris and Anne sit down with Uncommon Goods founder and CEO Dave Bolotsky, live from the Avalara podcast studio, to talk about the company’s origin story, why curation still matters, and how they’re adapting to the latest retail trends. From light manufacturing in Brooklyn to in-house product design and a $25 loyalty program, Dave shares what it takes to thrive in today’s ecommerce world—plus his thoughts on AI, customer experience, and the future of gifting.

📍 Timestamps:

(0:05) Intro from Shoptalk 2025 at Avalara Booth #1554

(0:26) Dave’s background from Wall Street to ecommerce

(1:33) What makes Uncommon Goods “uncommon”

(2:50) How they choose and create exclusive products

(4:56) In-house design and Brooklyn-based light manufacturing

(5:45) The evolution of the maker economy and competitive pressure

(6:56) Popular new product: QR code horoscope mugs

(8:00) Dave’s learning approach to Shoptalk

(9:03) How Uncommon Goods is exploring retail media

(9:45) Testing pop-up stores and the ROI challenge

(10:59) Loyalty: “Uncommon Perks” vs. Prime

(12:01) Using AI in customer service, copywriting, and code

(13:20) Vision for AI in product development

(14:34) Closing thoughts + what’s next for Uncommon Goods

#shoptalk #retailinnovation

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