We’ve all been there. It’s 11 PM, you’re looking for a unique birthday gift, and you find yourself 47 pages deep on Amazon, staring at the same five drop-shipped products with slightly different brand names. The joy of discovery is long gone, replaced by a dull, screen-induced headache. You just wanted something cool, something with a story, something… not mass-produced. The internet, for all its wonders, has become a very loud, very crowded mall.
So, when I stumbled upon a new tool called Unmess, my curiosity was definitely piqued. The name itself is a promise, isn't it? To un-mess the mess of modern online shopping. It bills itself as an AI shopping assistant for finding indie products. My ears perked up. Supporting smaller creators and businesses is something I'm passionate about, and frankly, it's where you find the really interesting stuff.
But here's where it gets a little weird. And interesting.
So, What Exactly Is Unmess?
At its core, Unmess is designed to be your personal, AI-powered shopper. Forget typing clunky keywords into a search bar and hoping for the best. The idea here is much more... conversational. You’re meant to chat with it, just like you would with a helpful, clued-in shop assistant. You can say things like, “I’m looking for a minimalist leather wallet for my husband, something handmade, under $100.”
The AI, apparently named Tessa, is then supposed to go out and sift through the digital noise to bring you options that actually match your request. The big selling point is its focus on indie products. It’s not just another front for the usual big-box players. It’s a treasure hunter, specifically programmed to find gems from smaller creators and brands, starting with the vast marketplace of Amazon and planning to expand from there.
This is a game-changer if it works. It saves you what they claim is 30+ hours a year. I believe it. The time I've lost to the void of the 'related items' carousel is probably double that. It’s an application of AI that feels genuinely useful, moving beyond novelty to solve a real, nagging problem for conscious consumers.
The Unmess Experience We Can (Hopefully) Expect
Since Unmess is currently on a waitlist, I haven’t gotten my hands on it yet. But based on the information available, here’s what I'm piecing together about how it will work.
Chatting with Your Personal Shopper, Tessa
The whole interaction is built around natural language. This is a trend we're seeing everywhere since the explosion of tools like ChatGPT, but applying it to commerce is smart. It lowers the barrier to entry. You don’t need to learn 'search engine speak.' You just ask. This AI-powered search model feels more human and, in theory, should lead to much better product discovery. No more trying to guess what a seller decided to name their product.
A Goldmine for Indie Brands and Thoughtful Shoppers
I really want to lean into this. For years, the biggest challenge for small online sellers has been visibility. They get drowned out by the massive advertising budgets of huge corporations. A platform that actively prioritizes their products could be a massive boost for the creator economy. For us as shoppers, it means we get access to unique, high-quality items that we’d otherwise never find. It's a win-win.
The Elephant in the Room: Is It Hardware or Software?
Okay, now for the confusing part. When you land on the Unmess website, you see… well, you see something that looks like a sleek, minimalist gadget. It talks about being “Built with recycled materials,” having a “48 hour battery capacity,” and being “All round Weatherproof.” It even gives a shipping date: Batch 1 from 31st December 2025.
Visit unmess
This completely threw me for a loop. Am I signing up for a piece of software or some kind of futuristic AI-powered shopping device? The page also mentions “On device AI without cloud processing” and “Your data in your device,” which are huge wins for privacy but typically refer to a physical product. My best guess? I have a couple of theories:
- A Puzzling Pivot: Maybe they started as a hardware company and pivoted to software, but the landing page is a remnant of that old idea. It happens.
- A Future Gadget: Perhaps the AI shopping assistant is the first step, and the sleek device is a future product that will house the Unmess ecosystem. A bit ambitious, but I’ve seen crazier things.
- It's a Metaphor: This is my favourite theory. Maybe the 'on-device' talk is a clever, metaphorical way of describing how their app will run locally on your phone or computer, emphasizing privacy and security. A bit abstract for a landing page, but it's a possibility.
Whatever the case, the primary offering right now seems to be the AI shopping platform. The hardware remains a delightful little mystery.
The Good, The Bad, and The AI
No tool is perfect, especially not a new one. Based on the details, here’s my breakdown of what looks promising and what might be a little bumpy at the start.
What I'm Genuinely Excited About
The time-saving aspect is massive. But what really gets me is the focus on indie sellers. It’s about more than just convenience; it’s about changing how we shop and who we support. The social features, where you can share finds with friends, also have potential. It could become a sort of Pinterest for products you can actually buy, powered by a smart AI that gets you. I love the idea of curating and sharing lists of cool stuff I find.
A Few Potential Hiccups
Let's be real. The initial launch is only integrated with Amazon. While that’s a huge pool to draw from, the true magic will happen when it expands to places like Etsy, Shopify stores, and other marketplaces. There's also mention that Tessa, the AI, can sometimes be a bit buggy. That's to be expected with any new AI. We’ll have to be patient. My only other reservation is a philosophical one: will an AI that’s too good at finding what you want remove the joy of the happy accident? Sometimes, the best discoveries are the ones you weren’t even looking for. It's a small concern, but one I'll be watching.
What's the Price Tag?
Right now, your guess is as good as mine. With the platform still in a waitlist phase, there’s no public information on pricing. Will it be a subscription model? A freemium service? It's all up in the air. Given the feature set, I could see a monthly fee being very reasonable, especially for power shoppers or folks who do a lot of gift buying.
Frequently Asked Questions about Unmess
- What is Unmess, in simple terms?
- It's an AI-powered shopping assistant that helps you find products, with a special focus on items from independent sellers and small businesses. You chat with it using normal language to tell it what you want.
- Is Unmess a physical device or an app?
- This is a bit unclear! The website shows what looks like a hardware device, but the main description points to a software-based AI assistant. For now, it seems to be software you can join a waitlist for.
- How does Unmess find indie products?
- Its AI is specifically trained to look beyond the big, heavily advertised brands to identify and surface products from smaller, independent creators and sellers on platforms like Amazon.
- When will Unmess be available?
- There's no firm launch date, but you can join a waitlist on their website. The site mentions a hardware shipping date in late 2025, but the software assistant may be available sooner.
- Is Unmess free to use?
- Pricing has not been announced yet. It could be a subscription, a one-time purchase, or have a free tier.
My Final Thoughts on Unmess
So, what’s the verdict? I'm cautiously optimistic. I love the mission. I love the problem it’s trying to solve. The online world desperately needs better curation and tools that empower small businesses. Unmess could be that tool.
Yes, there's some confusing branding and the typical limitations of a new product, like starting with just one marketplace. But the core idea is so strong that I'm willing to overlook the early quirks. It represents a more intentional, human-centric way of interacting with technology and commerce. I’ve already signed up for the waitlist, and you bet I’ll be writing a follow-up once I get to take Tessa for a spin.
What do you think? Is this the kind of tool that could change the way you shop online?
Reference and Sources
- Unmess Official Website: unmess.io (Note: This URL is based on the contact email provided, [email protected])
- A great read on the rise of conversational commerce from Shopify: What Is Conversational Commerce?
