We have equity incentive and compensatory plans that provide for the grant of stock-based awards, including restricted stock, to employees and board members and provide employees the ability to purchase shares of our common stock through an employee stock purchase plan. Employee accounting applies to equity incentives and compensation granted by the Company to its own employees. When an award is forfeited prior to the vesting date, we recognize an adjustment for the previously recognized expense in the period of the forfeiture.

Stock-based compensation expense is classified within the corresponding operating expense categories on our consolidated statements of operations as follows (in thousands):


	Years ended December 31,
	2023		2022		2021
Cost of goods sold	$	37	$	132	$	102
Sales and marketing	796		693		987
Technology	8,733		7,659		3,799
General and administrative	13,452		9,834		6,245
Total stock-based compensation expense	$	23,018	$	18,318	$	11,133

The Beyond, Inc. Amended and Restated 2005 Equity Incentive Plan provides for the grant of restricted stock units to employees and directors of the Company and other types of equity awards of the Company. The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors approves grants of restricted stock awards to our officers, board members and employees. These restricted stock awards generally vest over three years at 33.3% at the end of the first year, 33.3% at the end of the second year and 33.4% at the end of the third year; subject to the recipient's continuing service to us. At December 31, 2023, 3.3 million shares of stock remained available for future grants under the Plan.

The cost of restricted stock units is determined using the fair value of our common stock on the date of the grant and compensation expense is either recognized on a straight-line basis over the vesting schedule or on an accelerated schedule when vesting of restricted stock awards exceeds a straight-line basis. The cumulative amount of compensation expense recognized at any point in time is at least equal to the portion of the grant date fair value of the award that is vested at that date.


	2023			2022			2021
	Units	Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value		Units	Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value		Units	Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value
Outstanding—beginning of year	781	$	50.17	663	$	56.37	639	$	17.98
Granted at fair value	1,101	20.92		618	42.75		415	92.29
Vested	(550)	40.27		(295)	43.32		(294)	24.88
Forfeited	(348)	31.43		(205)	57.77		(97)	52.26
Outstanding—end of year	984	$	29.60	781	$	50.17	663	$	56.37

The 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the "ESPP") grants our eligible employees a right to purchase shares of our common stock at a discount through payroll deductions of up to 25% of eligible compensation, subject to a cap of $21,250 in any calendar year. The ESPP provides for consecutive 24-month offering periods beginning March 1 and September 1 of each year. Each offering period shall consist of four consecutive six-month purchase periods. The first offering period under the ESPP commenced on September 1, 2021, with the first purchase date occurring on February 28, 2022.

On each purchase date, participating employees will purchase shares of our common stock at a price per share equal to 85% of the lesser of the fair market value of our common stock on (i) the offering date of the offering period or (ii) the purchase date (the "look-back" period). If the stock price of our common stock on any purchase date in an offering period is lower than the stock price on the offering date of that offering period, every participant in the offering will automatically be withdrawn from the offering after the purchase of shares on such purchase date and automatically enrolled in a new offering period commencing immediately subsequent to such purchase date.

The maximum number of shares of common stock that may be issued under the ESPP in aggregate is 3.0 million shares. For the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, 117,687 shares and 83,570 shares, respectively were purchased at an average price per share of $16.25 and $35.41, respectively. At December 31, 2023, approximately 2.8 million shares of common stock remained available under the ESPP.

The ESPP is considered a compensatory plan and the fair value of the discount and the look-back period will be estimated using the Black-Scholes option pricing model and expense will be recognized straight-line over the 24-month offering period. We recognized $1.7 million, $2.4 million and $863,000 in share-based compensation expense related to the ESPP for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively, which are included in the stock compensation expense table above combined with the expense associated with our restricted stock units.