Boxed
Boxed was a New York-based bulk retailer founded in 2013 by Chieh Huang. The company aimed to bring wholesale club pricing to consumers through a mobile-first e-commerce platform, selling groceries, household goods, and electronics in bulk sizes with direct delivery.
The Story
Boxed was a New York-based bulk retailer founded in 2013 by Chieh Huang that aimed to democratize wholesale club pricing for everyday consumers.
Unlike traditional warehouse clubs requiring memberships, Boxed operated as a mobile-first e-commerce platform delivering bulk-sized groceries, household essentials, and electronics directly to customers' doors with home delivery included.
The company raised over $200 million in venture capital from investors including GGV Capital and DST Global, growing to serve millions of customers nationwide before ceasing operations in the early 2020s.
Key Facts & Metrics
Company Timeline
2013 — Founded
Launched as a mobile-first bulk retailer in New York, NY with a focus on convenient wholesale pricing.
2016 — Business segment
Introduced Boxed Business to serve office and team bulk orders with dedicated account management.
2019 — Peak valuation
Grew to hundreds of millions in revenue with multi-category expansion across grocery, beauty, and office supplies.
2023 — Shutdown
Ceased operations after failing to secure sustainable profitability despite multiple funding rounds.
Episodes Featuring Boxed
Advice Line: New Offerings, Bigger Markets
Boxed founder Chieh Huang joins Guy Raz to coach three founders navigating product expansion. Christina Latraverse of Seagrass Pottery debates scaling physical studios versus wholesale. Hernan Lopez of Wondery guides Jim Kersley through the retail versus direct-to-consumer tradeoff for Lemur Strap. David Neilman helps William Carroll of Tool Club think through shifting consumer behavior around tool rentals. Every call explores the same question: how to grow without losing what makes the business work.
Advice Line with Chieh Huang of Boxed
Guy Raz and Boxed co-founder Chieh Huang tackle real business challenges from three founders in this Advice Line episode. Alec from Surfing Cow wrestles with scaling his beef tallow skincare brand without losing its soul, Jessica from Tail Cinch debates selling through major pet retailers, and Eli from Makor Coffee balances product formulation with mass-market brewing. Chieh shares hard-won lessons from Boxed's rise and fall, focusing on co-manufacturer partnerships, capital strategy, and finding product-market fit.
