Recently we had an opportunity to speak with Michael Ogden, the Owner at Unboxed about Unboxed

Please share with us the backstory of what motivated you to create this app.

I've always had a huge athletic shoe collection, and found it hard to keep track of exactly what shoes I currently had in my shoe closet. There is nothing more frustrating than buying a new pair of sneakers and finding you already had that exact pair hidden in a corner of your closet. I developed Unboxed to help me track my ever-growing collection, and knowing that I wasn't the only one out there that had a huge collection to track.

What features do you hope to roll out to your app in the future?

Unboxed is looking to incorporate several features including a news feed, a social networking aspect, a larger database of shoes, the ability to export your collection (in the instance you need to turn it into your insurance company), an upgraded camera which allows for editing and many more.

What has been the most rewarding aspect of the creation of this app?

I think the feedback that Unboxed has received is the most rewarding aspect about the creating this app. Thus far, it has received a glowing review throughout the sneaker community and I have gained a tremendous amount of supporters who believe in Unboxed and the idea.

What is the coolest or most innovative feature of your app?

I think the ability to scan the barcode and have all the information about the shoe upload to your mobile device is the coolest feature. Never would I have imagined a tool that could provide a user with so much data and a picture simply based on a UPC scan.

What surprised you most in your journey to create this app?

I think what has surprised me the most is the level of effort that is pivotal to put into the app from a marketing perspective if you want it to succeed. The easiest part about the entire process is building the app however, it's gaining the traction and buzz about your app and convincing people how it can help them which is difficult.

Do you have any recommendations or advice for others wanting to create a mobile app?

My recommendation for anyone looking to create an app is to make sure before you proceed with such an endeavor your carefully vet your idea to individuals who you think would be users of your product to assure it's something people want. Also, if you are not a developer then partner with a company that sees your vision and can help it to exceed levels you never would have guessed it would. A good relationship with the developer can go a long way with how your app looks once completed.

How did you decide which platforms to release your app on and do you plan on releasing your app to other platforms?

As a current iPhone user I wanted to assure that I was able to thoroughly test the capabilities and functionalities prior to releasing it to the general public. Because I wanted that heavy upfront interaction on my part I opted to do the first version of Unboxed on the iOS platform. The goal is to roll Unboxed out onto Android later this year or early next year.

How is your app different than the rest of the market? Which unique need does it fill?

This app offers shoe collectors a quick and easy way to manage their shoe collection. Users simply scan the barcode on the side of the shoebox, and Unboxed instantly fills in all the pertinent information about the shoe.

Once a shoebox's barcode is scanned via the iPhone's camera, Unboxed automatically downloads and fills in details about the shoe; including manufacturer, color, style, materials and more. Users can add their own photos of their shoes, as well as edit information about the footwear, thereby creating a custom entry into their shoe collection catalog. Users can also share their favorite photos with friends and family via text, email, or on popular social networks such as Facebook and Twitter.

Although there are other apps that allow you to manage your shoes Unboxed helps to speed up the process of cataloging your footwear by using the UPC code.

Which other mobile apps or technology have inspired you?

My inspiration for Unboxed came from a couple of apps that also dealt with the sneaker community and provided it's users with a useful service. Those apps are J23, SPG, Stockx and Snupps.

You can view Unboxed here