GoodBuy Gear, a leading online marketplace for high-quality open box baby and kids' gear, is pleased to announce that Eli Gurock, the esteemed founder of Magic Beans, has joined the company as a Board Advisor and Content Creator.
Having founded Magic Beans with his wife, Sheri, in 2004, Gurock established himself as a prominent figure in the baby and kid gear retail community. Magic Beans quickly became a trusted resource for parents seeking expert advice on products ranging from strollers and car seats to toys and everything in between. After twenty successful years, Gurock has chosen to sunset Magic Bean’s e-commerce and brick and mortar locations to continue creating YouTube content in pursuit of resale-forward endeavors.
In his new role, Gurock will provide strategic guidance and valuable insights drawn from his extensive experience in the baby gear retail industry and digital content creation to support GoodBuy Gear’s mission of empowering brands, retailers and manufacturers to build a more sustainable future for the next generation while minimizing their return investment.
“I am ecstatic to join GoodBuy Gear as a Board Advisor and Content Creator during this pivotal time of evolution within the industry,” said Gurock. “Addressing the rampant issue of baby and kid gear returns is paramount, not only due to its detrimental impact on our children’s future, but also its significant financial burden to brands, retailers and manufacturers, prompting urgent action for more responsible and accessible recommerce practices.”
According to Statista, the cost of retail returns in the United States reached $817 billion in 2022 due to 16.5 percent of $1.3 trillion in registered online sales ending up as returns. Additionally, over 100 million baby and kid gear items were thrown away.
“The fluctuating needs of children and their caretakers, combined with the complexity of choices on the market and the lack of in-person options to test gear before purchasing, often leads to frequent returns within the baby and kid gear industry,” explains Gurock. “Combine a high return volume with a lack of reliable resources to safely and efficiently keep returned goods in circulation and you end up with perfectly functional gear in landfills. That’s where GoodBuy Gear comes in. It’s a massive issue they are solving.”
GoodBuy Gear continually iterates on its proprietary process for inbound returned open box goods. Every item is quality-checked and must pass all inspection points before being photographed, priced and listed for resale. To date, nearly half a million consumers browse the online marketplace every month and over 750,000 items have been saved from landfills.
In addition to his advisorship, Gurock will contribute to the creation of engaging and informative video content on GoodBuy Gear’s YouTube, Instagram and TikTok channels to help parents navigate the vast world of baby and kids’ products and empower them to confidently shop open box gear.
"We are thrilled to welcome Eli to the GoodBuy Gear team," said Kristin Langenfeld, CEO and Co-Founder of GoodBuy Gear. "His unique blend of industry knowledge, entrepreneurial acumen and passion for sustainability will play a key role in delivering exceptional value to our partners and consumers alike.”
