Shopportunist: Subscription box services perfect for those who like to get nice surprises in the mail .
“Mom, I want to join Ipsy,” my ever-resolute teenage daughter declared as she emptied the dishwasher. “Huh?” I said. If not, maybe Wickbox, she continued.
There it was. A teenager now, she was ready to profess her fidelity to some far-flung secret society, like a clandestine social media circle for celebrity stalkers. She had become extremely obsessed with the CW television drama, “Riverdale,” especially that Cole Sprouse guy. Next stop, a tattoo. Or maybe a cult.
My quantum leap into crazy was just that, crazy. As it turns out, my daughter is far hipper than I to shopping fads and was alluding to subscription box services.
For the similarly unaware, subscription box services are like Christmas morning crammed into a mailbox. These niche postal pleasures are personally tailored packages that arrive monthly or seasonally to those who subscribe.
The whole subscription box service thing was born in 2010 when a company called Birchbox began delivering beauty box samples to subscribers’ homes for a flat $10 monthly fee. Hundreds of companies, predominantly ecommerce sites, have climbed aboard the subscription service train to expand their reach, launch new products and lure new customers.
Companies that host subscription box services showcase goods that run the gamut. Cartons are curated and filled with samples and gifts for foodies, fashionistas, beauty buffs, pet owners, Disney aficionados, Oreo cookie connoisseurs, junk food junkies, you name it.
Businesses love this unique, low-overhead marketing strategy and people love subscription boxes for their convenience and the thrill of getting a surprise package each month, says Andrew Schrage, co-owner of Money Crashers Personal Finance.
“Consumers are drawn to subscription box services because they’re something they can set and forget, so to speak, and also because as part of the subscription, you usually receive a free gift or two along the way,” says Schrage. “Some services are pretty affordable as well.”
Stitch Fix, Barkbox, Fabfitfun, Dollar Shave Club, Sephora Play, Rock the Runway and Ipsy (which turns out, peddles popular beauty products, not propaganda) are among the most popular services. Prices range from $10 for Ipsy’s monthly makeup delivery to more than $100 a month to have Rent the Runway’s designer, loaned digs dropped on your doorstep.
Most of the subscription box websites that have popped up in recent years feature premium products, says Schrage, but as with everything, some may be better than others. You’ll want to be sure the service is worth the commitment.
“There are two methods to uncovering whether or not a subscription box is a good value,” says Schrage. “One is to actually try the service out - just make sure there’s a trial offer available without signing a lengthy deal. The second is to look for online reviews, which you should be able to find for just about any subscription box service.”
You’ll want to make sure you can cancel without issue. Bowing out of a box subscription can be tricky. Some services allow you to cancel your subscription online but others require you to make a phone call or jump through flaming hoops.
Schrage also recommends poring over the return policy. In most cases, you’re stuck with what you get. Surprise. A few companies do welcome returns, but most don’t. This is why, most importantly, you need to research to make sure you’ll receive items you can actually use. Otherwise, you may be stuck with a bunch of stuff you don’t actually want and not enough of the stuff you need, says Schrage.
Mysterious monthly parcels can not only be fun to receive, but also give.
“Subscription boxes make great gifts as long as they are matched to the preferences of the recipient,” says Schrage. “Make sure they’re going to actually want what the subscription box has to offer on an ongoing basis.”
Also, make sure the ongoing cost is something you’re going to be comfortable with, says Schrage. Canceling that once-monthly present midway through could be pretty awkward, kind of like a mother/so-called savvy “shopportunist” who needs to be schooled on consumer trends by her teenage daughter.