There’s no way this won’t sound trite or cliché, but it’s true: we really do like hearing what customers think. We’ll confess: there is a little part of us that cringes checking email for fear of anyone unhappy. But the upshot there is being pleasantly surprised so many times over—whether by inventive suggestion, hilarious commentary, wicked-cool showcase, or just nice people being nice. So thank y’all, again.

Many of you have sent us unboxing videos—basically just the first 1-2 minutes as you open your package and “meet” your notebook for the first time. We think of them almost like teeny, tiny Creative Exposés... anyone’s unboxing video can tell us something about our peoples’ impressions, wants, needs, and philosophies of use, and in just a few seconds.

By now we’ve seen some patterns, so we’ve compiled them to share! Here are 10 things (roughly in order) likely to happen when someone opens their first Code&Quill notebook:

1. They notice the packaging.

We've had lots of people say the packaging is what makes our notebooks more "giftable" than they expected. Even if you buy it as a gift to yourself—as most people do—we've tried to give you some kind of presentation and experience.

  

2. They have a (very brief) struggle with the plastic front.

It's never been a source of complaint, so it's just kinda funny to us how most everyone has the same miniature "struggle moment" with the front plastic packaging. Then again, that's probably made trickier for them because they're trying to shoot a video at the same time.  

Jordan here has the right idea: for a smooth drop, turn it upside down. 

3. They see the notebook “fresh” for the first time.

A different Jordon (with different spelling) captured this pretty well in his unboxing video, which opts for a nice setup and music instead of narration.  

It's a fun moment for anything you've been waiting for: you finally get to see it in person, pick it up, turn it over, and touch it.

4. Some people smell the book.

Bibliophiles get it: books smell good. Not all of them, but most of them. Even if there's not really a smell, it's a temptation we can't resist. 

 

What do your ideas smell like? Let's find out...

 

We don't smell it anymore—we have our faces in them constantly—but a fresh notebook does smell nice. (Don't worry if you smell a bit of glue when you first open it.)

5. They pick it up and are sometimes surprised by the weight.

First, James says his Monolith looks better than he thought it would. Then he picks it up and immediately adds: "It's heavier than I thought it would be."

For what it's worth, we had the same first impression, way back when Monoliths were first made. It's a 2-pound notebook—which, for reference, is about the weight of 3 cans of soda. It's why we say that, in a pinch, Jason Bourne could kill a man with one. (That particular reference because of this fight scene from The Bourne Ultimatum.)

6. They open it, look at the liner pages, then fan through the rest.

We don't think it's a temptation anyone can resist when holding a notebook: you gotta flip through those pages to see how they feel under your thumb. (And it looks cool.) 

 

7. They test the spine, giving it a little press and watching it stay flat.

This is a silent test we all enact upon any non-spiral notebook: is this going to be obnoxious to write in? Are you going to have to pin the book down with one hand so you can write with the other? 

Nope, our covers actually lay flat. As Melissa illustrates, just a little press and it'll work anywhere in a Code&Quill. Write the paper, don't fight the paper!

8. They write their name on the first page.

Several of the folks in these videos actually took the time in their videos to stop and write their names in the front. Partly it's symbolic for the camera, but it's also how you officially claim the book as yours (and give it some way back home if it's lost). 

Don't know what to write first? Here's a good place to start, though (hopefully) it won't take you long to finish. 

9. They get excited, especially if they had a specific use in mind.

In her video, Theresa took a few seconds at the end to explain that she got her white Monolith for a theology class she was about to start—and now she's excited to use it. She mentions wanting to order another in the other color, and we infer she's got something else that's exciting and worth a notebook to her.  

James (mentioned in #5) showed his intentions right up front: writing a 10,000-word chapter based on the stack of books shown on his desk. He notes at the end, of his own Monolith: "Oh yeah, this is going to work out nicely."

10. In some cases, they commit to an a cappella movie soundtrack for well over a minute.

Mark's video was one of our favorites because his had the most pomp and circumstance. Within the first few seconds, he's announced that "this needs a soundtrack," and apparently John Williams came to mind: we got the theme from Jaws, then the Imperial March AND the main theme from Star Wars IV: A New Hope.

We'll take it.

If they're lucky: They go back to pet the ADORABLE PUPPY. 

Not gonna lie, Denise, it was hard to pay attention during your unboxing video because OHMIGOD LOOK AT THAT FUZZY BABY FACE.  

 

We'll be back to share more—but if you want to throw your own hat in the ring, just email us and we'll be happy to see you. Until next time! 

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