Image by: Public Domain Pictures
By Robert Spencer
One of the biggest trends that exploded out of nowhere this year is the rise of the subscription boxes. What are these? You can get boxes of random items mailed to you (at given times) for a flat monthly fee. They range from items for your pets (Bark Box), to art tools (Whimsy box), to hygiene items (Birchbox). I’ve come up with this list of the best ones that are available to us guys.
Mostly because upon researching them, I found that most of them are catered toward women. I mean, unless you’re into nail polish. I won’t judge – to each his own.
#1) Birchbox
Birchbox has been making the news because they just opened their first storefront. They started as a mere subscription box service where you can get grooming and hygiene items. Now you can buy these items in their store in New York.
The Men’s Box is $20 a month (or $195 a year) for a box of great test samples. You get to try different types of items: 3-4 grooming samples, plus a full-size lifestyle product. The coolest part is that it’s all catered to you. You fill out a little survey about yourself and they cater the items that they send to you based on your answers.
If you like the samples that you get, you can buy a full sized product in their online store or in their new storefront.
#2) Conscious Box
Conscious Box is for the eco-friendly, GMO-hating guy (or girl). This service offers healthy snacks, grooming, and household products that are GMO-free for a monthly fee. You get one box per month, which come in two different sizes. There’s a smaller box with has 5 – 8 items for $7.95 a month and a bigger box that has 8-12 items per box for $17.95.
Within those options, you also get to choose whether you want a gluten-free box, a vegan box, or the original box. Just like with most of these services, if you find a product that you like, you can purchase more of that specific product(s) on their website.
#3) Bulu Box
Bulu Box is a health, nutrition, and weight loss box that lets you sample about 4 – 5 different premium brands for about $10 a month (it’s cheaper if you buy a 1 year subscription).
They work with brands like Power Crunch, Eboost, Health Logics BioCell Collagen, Prolap, Luna Bar, Optimum Nutrition, and Hydroxycut just to name a few. Seriously, they have a bunch of top brands that they list on their website. A special deal that they have for their customers is that, if you fill out sample surveys, you can earn reward points that will earn you money. For every 50 points is $5 in their store, where you can buy full size items.
#4) BroBox
BroBox is my favorite because the boxes are so varied. While most of these subscription services specialize in one thing in particular, BroBox is a little different. Sure it’s catered toward us, but it comes with personal care (hygiene and grooming) stuff, snacks, energy boosters, apps, games, tech, and more.
Just like with everything else, if you buy in bulk you save more money. That being said, one box is $14.95. A three month subscription is $39. A six month plan is $72. Each box also comes with a “golden ticket” that has a special code on it. Type the code into the website and you earn rewards points.
#5) Dollar Shave Club
Dollar Shave CLub is pretty self-explanatory. Sure it sounds a bit boring compared to the rest of the subscription boxes that I’ve talked about but it is still handy and it’s pretty cheap.
For $1 a month, you get a basic shaver with 2 stainless steel blades, 5 cartridges, and lubricating strip on each shaver. For $6 a month, you’ll get one with 4 stainless steel blades and 4 cartridges per month. For $9 a month, you get 6 stainless steel blades and 4 cartridges, and a special trimmer edge. Still not convinced? Check out this awesome (and hilarious) commercial:
Now it’s your turn. Have you tried any of these subscription boxes? What did you think of them? Do you have a favorite? Is there a type of subscription box that you would like to see one day? Would you consider starting one as a business venture? We’d love to hear your comments! Put your thoughts, ideas, and questions in the comment section below.