Sunday Study: Subscription Boxes

Backstory: I get to select a subscription box service as a late Christmas present, which has led me to fall into a bit of a comparison shopping haze.

Before the haze, I knew of only Loot Crate, Stitch Fix, and FabFitFun due to family and friends. All great boxes, but they didn’t leave me with the impression that I’d be achieving that Goldilocks moment of “just right.”

So I went to Google for suggestions.

And Google oh so helpfully introduced me to My Subscription Addiction, a blog turned communal review site, and Cratejoy, a subscription marketplace that reminded me of the catalogues of my childhood. Categorizing everything from box themes to price points to reviews, the latter serves as a one-stop shop for seasoned subscribers and initiates alike.

And thus I was overtaken by the haze. There are subscriptions for everything: beauty, clothes, sports, anime, comics, books, DIY… the list goes on.. and on.

A few that initially caught my eye were:

♦ Wonder and Company’s “Wonderful Objects”

• Theme: As they explain on their main page, they are “Mystery boxes that ask ‘What if…?'”
• Subscription includes: Teasers to entice and then a main box of objects, including handcrafted items.
• Delivery: Every 3 mos.
• Price: $72/quarter

♦ The Mysterious Package Company

• Theme: From what I gathered, the subscriber dons the role of unwitting pawn after receiving a MacGuffin by post.
• Subscription includes: A mysterious letter to set the story in motion, a strange wooden box, and then a concluding letter to wrap-up the mystery.
  • Note: First, you have to apply for membership. Applying doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be offered a chance to subscribe.
• Delivery: A mystery (^_–;;)
• Price: Anywhere from $29.99 – 200+*
  • *Cost is dependent on the mystery you go for.

♦ Quarterly Co.

• Theme: Special featured curators – experts, writers, scientists, celebrities, musicians – handpick items for subscribers. They have 4 primary subscription types: Biohack, Culinary, Literary (Fiction and YA Fiction), and Maker.
• Subscription includes: Dependent upon the box and the curator.
  • Note: Some boxes are so popular (i.e. Literary Box: Fiction) you might have to go on their waitlist first.
• Delivery: Quarterly
• Price: $59 – 99/package

♦ FanMail

• Theme: A geek-themed mystery box geared towards ladies.
• Subscription includes: Dependent upon the theme, one might get art goods, books/bookmarks/notebooks, jewelry, clothes/clothing accessories, etc. Some items are FanMail exclusives.
  • Note: It is possible to purchase past boxes.
• Delivery: Bimonthly
• Price: $21.99 – 23.99*/box
  • *Price is dependent on clothing size.

♦ SinglesSwag

• Theme: A box of random goods for single ladies*.
• Subscription includes: 3 – 4 (Petite) to 5 – 7 full-sized products that might fall under bath, beauty, artisan food, fashion accessories, or books and includes inspirational quotes for single ladies*.
  • *The name and the (in my opinion) unnecessary, filler-doubling quotes make me cringe slightly.
• Delivery: Monthly
• Price: $39.99/box

♦ Neko Box

• Theme: Curated items made in and from Japan based upon a monthly theme.
• Subscription includes: A little zine that describes an area in Japan and Japanese culture, in addition to such Japanese goods as homeware, ceramics, stationery, washi tape, sticker sets, and fabrics (handkerchiefs; furoshiki wrapping cloth).
• Delivery: Monthly
• Price: $34.99*/box
  • *Shipping: As this ships from Tokyo, I’m not sure how much more will be tacked on top.

Realizing I was in over my head after wasting an entire evening, I took stock in what I wanted from my potential subscription. Having just moved back to Illinois after 5 years in Japan, becoming something of a KonMari Method expert in the process, I wanted to avoid subscriptions that would mean more bulky items to either find a place for, sell, or donate. This nixed a lot of lovely book subscriptions I was really captivated by (specifically: Owlcrate and LitJoy Crate).

Coupled with my desire to avoid excess junk is my pickiness over books, TV shows, anime, etc. If there was a Studio Ghibli goods subscription box, I’d be all over that, but recent* hit series like Sword Art Online or Attack on Titan haven’t drawn me in enough to gush over them if they were to be a box’s featured monthly theme. This was a problem I saw with a lot of the fandom subscriptions.

*Are these even considered recent anymore? Gah, I’m behind on everything…

At this point, I started thinking it might just be easier to go for a food subscription. Then, I found out Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson was doing Quarterly’s May Maker box. The Maker box gives subscribers the opportunity to learn and make things, whether it’s something involving plants or computers. As I’m at a bit of a crossroads career-wise, I’m open towards learning a few new skills outside of my comfort zone.

I’ll keep you all abreast of how my first subscription box turns out. To be continued…

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※ Additional Reading:

• Check out this handy infographic, created by Shorr Packaging Corp., detailing the subscription service industry (June 2016).
• The Subscription Commerce Insider has an “Ultimate List of Subscription Commerce Companies” from around the world, which you can scope out here.