Subscription Boxes: The Good and the Bad
Well, we can’t plan without talking about all the planning goodies that are available in the planner community, can we? One of the biggest “controversial” topics in the planning community are subscription boxes. If you are a creator, do you sell subscription boxes or not? If you are a planner and love to try out new things, which company do you choose? There are many options available, some with smaller shops and some larger, more established companies as well. How you choose is all about how you plan, what you can afford and how much research you do.
First, you need to think about what a subscription box is. Basically, it’s a selection of items made available during a certain period of time that you can “subscribe to” and have delivered to you on that timeline. Most planner companies have monthly subscription boxes, but there are a few out there that do quarterly boxes as well. (Some companies do both).
Next, finding a company that you jive with is all about the amount of research you do. For example, you may be a planner, but also may have never heard of a subscription box before unless you watch “unboxing” videos online. There are larger companies, which most people have heard of that may be more popular due to ads and simply being around for a longer time. Examples of these are Happy Planner and Erin Condren. Smaller companies, such as Cloth and Paper, Janes Agenda, CoffeeMonsterzCo, the HoneyBShop and many more advertise using Facebook Groups and word of mouth. The best way to research is to join some of those Facebook groups and find out what other people are saying about the products. Also, go to the company’s website and browse through the products. Each company has a completely different style and there might be one you instantly love.
Now you have to determine your budget. Some companies, such as Janes Agenda, Planners Anonymous, Cloth and Paper offer different levels of subscription boxes. They start small, with the smallest amount of product for the cheapest price. Sometimes this is a good option if you’re new to subscriptions and just want to try the products out. Some levels of subscription boxes are also curated for certain things. For example, Planners Anonymous offers many different levels of subscription, based on what you want. There’s one for just stickers, one for just the basic box of items, or you can add on additional items if you choose.
I have had a variety of different subscriptions, including Cloth and Paper, Simply Gilded, Planners Anonymous, and CoffeeMonsterzCo. With some of these companies, I have been off and on, meaning I’ll cancel for a bit (some companies offer “skips”, meaning you can stay subscribed, but can skip an upcoming kit if you don’t like that month’s theme). Some companies will offer cheaper rates if you have been subscribed with them for a long time. (i.e. grandfather plans). As the cost of living increases, so do products. Some companies have had to increase their costs due to the recent rising cost of shipping rates.
My biggest problem with subscription boxes is not knowing what you’re going to get. Some companies offer great transparency about what will be in that month’s kit. Some others do not, and you might get a surprise. I find, even with companies that I love, there are some products in their subscription kits that I don’t find useful. Then, the products are building up and sitting on my desk and collecting dust. It’s important to find a company that you know the products they offer will be used.
The great thing about subscriptions is that it’s basically a monthly present to yourself. You might like getting surprises each month, not knowing exactly what will be coming. You can also gift things to your friends and family if you know you’re not going to use them. It’s always exciting to get something in the mail!
As always, thanks for reading. Tell me what subscription boxes are your favourite!
❤️ SAN
