Research Outline

Jetblack

Goals

To prepare for an interview by obtaining information about Jetblack, including an overview of the company, its competitive landscape, customer feedback or perception, and brand positioning.

Early Findings

About Jetblack

  • Located within Store No. 8, Walmart's incubation arm, "Jetblack is a stand-alone, startup company" that offers "a members-only personal shopping and concierge service that combines the convenience of e-commerce with the customized attention of a personal assistant."
  • The company was co-founded by Jenny Fleiss in March 2017. She leads a team focused on creating shopping experiences that are highly-personalized and delivered in a one-to-one style. Before starting Jet black, Fleiss co-founded Rent the Runway.
  • Jenny Fleiss has been honored with several recognitions, including Fortune Magazine’s “Most Powerful Women Entrepreneurs”, Fortune Magazine’s “40 Under 40”, and Inc. Magazine’s “30 Under 30”. She has also been recognized as one of the “Most Influential Women in Technology” by Fast Company.

Leadership Change

  • In October 2019, Walmart replaced Jenny Fleiss as the chief executive officer (CEO) of Jetblack. Fleiss was replaced by Nate Faust (known officially as Nathan Faust) who is a senior vice president of supply chain and logistics at Walmart's e-commerce unit.

History and Target Audience

  • While Jetblack was officially founded in 2017, it began as a startup incubated by Walmart. It was initially known as Code Eight before rebranding as Jetblack.
  • Recode reveals that Jetblack (Code Eight) was originally conceived as "a personal shopping service for "busy NYC moms"". The goal was to let these mothers obtain product recommendations and purchase items by simply sending text messages.
  • The company's target audience is a “high net worth urban consumer”. Household items purchased through the platform are delivered within 24 hours for free. Other purchases are usually delivered within two business days. All product returns are picked up free of charge at the customer’s house or apartment building.