Subscription Services: Your Monthly Surprise in a Box
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During this technological revolution that we currently live in, I rarely shop at brick and mortar stores anymore. I love shopping online. Amazon, Target, Walmart, and Modcloth are always on the tip of my fingertips. My ordered products are usually at my doorstep in less than two days.
One of the new trends is that if you dream it, there is a subscription program that can deliver it to your door. Dinners, clothes, cars, razors, dog treats, and anything else you can fathom. I am not a lover or hater of subscription programs. I have signed up for each of them on my own accord, and I received the products or services that the companies promised. With all the programs that I have subscribed, there have been moments of sheer happiness and moments of disappointment.
It took me a while, but I understand why I am drawn to subscriptions. I love items that have more than one purpose. A few years ago, I fell in love with Switch Flops. I still own quite a few pairs of these shoes (check them out on Amazon). Switch Flops range from dressy to extremely casual, and you can switch the straps or snaps out and have a completely new pair of shoes. I can own one pair of wedges and have ten different straps for those shoes. It feels like I wear a new pair of shoes to work every day. That is how I am with subscription programs- I like something, use it, change it (or mail it back), and get something different!
I wanted to review a few types of the different kinds of subscription services that I have personally experienced in case you are interested too!
Clothing
I have subscribed to two different clothing programs in recent years. The first one I signed up for was Stitch Fix. I liked Stitch Fix, but I would have liked it more if I wore a size 2-8 and had an allotted clothing budget each month like I did in my younger years. Stitch Fix sent a new box of outfits and accessories once a month or I could tailor the program so the packages would arrive more frequently. I didn’t know what the outfits were going to look like; the selections were based on my style profile. I then purchased the outfits or accessories that I liked and sent back the rest. However, it was a few months before I realized that there was a $20 styling fee for each box. This meant that when I liked nothing in the box, I was still was charged $20. That $20 was credited towards anything I purchased, but it was lost if I did not buy anything.
The second clothing subscription that I used for almost two years was Le Tote. Le Tote has clothing for both slim and curvy figures. I had a virtual closet where I was able to pick my clothes each week. I timed it where I was able to get 2-3 new outfits weekly, and the program was worth every penny. I pretty much stopped buying clothes during this time. I sent all my worn pieces back in a pre-paid bag, and they laundered them at Le Tote. Occasionally, I would receive a piece that was damaged, but that was not very often. I was grandfathered into my program, but Le Tote changed their policy, and now they only have plans where you received totes once or twice a month. This would not have been economically valuable to me because I was used to receiving totes each week.
For the Kids
For a while, Lucy belonged to Raddish Kids. Raddish Kids is a superb program that teaches children the basics of cooking. Each month, Lucy received a themed box that included a step-by-step recipe guide for three dishes, the history of the theme, tips for cooking or baking, a kitchen utensil such as measuring cups so that the child can build their collection, a badge to sew on the child’s apron, and dinnertime conversation cards. In the beginning, Lucy was extremely excited to receive a box in the mail. Sometimes there were recipes that she didn’t care to make, but she loved most of them. However, like with anything, the new and shiny wore off, and I am not sure if Lucy even opened her last kit. I spoke with Lucy, and she had no sadness canceling the subscription. However, this one is excellent for any child learning to cook!
Cars
Yeah, this was the costliest subscription program that I ever used. I belonged to Clutch for about seven months. Instead of buying a new car, I signed up to flip different cars whenever I felt like it. I definitely had rose-colored glasses on with this one. Don’t get me wrong, there was nothing wrong with the subscription, but if the car didn’t have the amenities that I expected or if it was not the car I was hoping for, I would have heart pangs full of disappointment. More than anything, the subscription made me realize that the car that I was considering selling was a really nice car, and I was not going to get a better value for my money than what was sitting in my driveway. If you are considering a car subscription, there are some definite benefits including that you don’t have to pay car insurance, worry about mileage, or complete any maintenance.
Although I am not currently subscribed to any programs at the moment, that could change tomorrow when the next best thing comes along. I want to share my experiences in case anyone is contemplating a subscription program in the near future.
Do you have/had a favorite subscription program? We would love to learn about it. Please drop us a line in the comment section below!
