Subscription Box Quality vs Quantity

Regarding products received in subscription boxes, which do you value most? Also, does it matter if the cost of the items in the box aren't double or triple the price of the box? What exactly do you look for in a subscription box.

I generally much prefer quality over quantity...for example, though they are at the same price point, I have always preferred Birchbox to Ipsy. I'd rather have a sample size of a good quality brand than a full sized product from a low quality brand.

Value-wise, I don't require a huge value, though of course I do appreciate it. If a box introduces me to something I love, I'll usually find it worth it, whatever the price. But if the value is consistency low than what I pay (except in the case of a specialty sub, etc), then I don't like that.

Basically, I like a box that delivers a variety of products, either by brands I know and like, brands I want to try, or new brands that are good quality and interesting, at least when it comes to beauty subs! 

Lifestyle and food subs are a different beast altogether - food subs are rarely a good value, so their value to me is if they provide interesting snacks that will keep me away from the vending machine.

With lifestyle subs, I appreciate good curation and a decent value.

Generally, I like a good mix of both - but it really depends on the price point. For anything less than $40, I'm not expecting any really wow high quality products and I don't expect to have more than 6 products in a box at or below that price point. But for boxes that are more than $40 my expectations of both quality and quantity go up exponentially.

For example, in the PopSugar Limited Edition boxes I not only expect there to be more items than a typical monthly box I also expect the quality of those items to be above and beyond what they would typically include. 

Definitely quality over quantity, but there needs to be enough of the product in the sample to really get a feel for the product. I think skincare samples should be a bit larger because you really do need to use them a few times to know if they work for you. I appreciate Birchbox for the variety of products they offer - I've sampled every type of "trend" product I might not have tried otherwise: BB cream, highlighter, face primer, serums, hair oils, etc. I've actually had a few foil products I ended up loving and purchasing the full sizes of, albeit larger sample sizes: multiple foils of the same product or just one but a bigger size. I got a 15mL Kerastase foil that lasted 3-4 uses, for example.

BB is only $10 though, so despite smaller sizes, the brands tend to be of higher quality so it's still of great value to me personally. Ipsy on the other hand, also $10, has better sized items of lower quality (on average). Still a great deal, but only if someone wants many bigger sized products (I have too many things as is, I'm really looking for HGs).

I've never subbed to Popsugar or any other higher-price point sub, because the potential for a disappointing box would be more of a hit to my wallet. If I'm paying a lot for a box I want to know what I'm going to get, otherwise it's not worth it to me.

My subscription priorities have shifted dramatically since I started, and now I don't really care abut quantity, and it's not exactly *quality* that I'm interested in, but I do have a definite focus nowadays:  Indie color.  Nail polish and eyeshadow are the big ones, although if an indie lip color sub started up, I would jump on board (and I pre-emptively signed up for a nail wraps sub starting in April.  I'm theoretically subscribed to a different one already, but I haven't been impressed with their stuff lately, so I don't think I've taken one of their boxes since, like, July). 

The big thing for me is exclusivity.  If I buy nail polish or eyeshadow in a store, it's usually a limited edition, whether it's essence, MAC, or OPI.  Indie subs typically send out colors that are exclusively available that month or even just for subscribers that month.  That's exactly my kind of thing.  It's also an ever-changing kaleidoscope, and that's pretty key for me.  I may not always *like* what is sent, but I do like that I received something different that I can't get anywhere else.  And, let's face it, my not-so-inner hipster loves getting asked what I'm wearing, and I get to say, "It's this little tiny indie company out of [insert city] called [insert company].  Have you heard of them?"  I love that blank look I almost always get.  The '90s were all about indie music for me.  The 2000s were indie film years.  The 2010s have turned out to be indie makeup time! 

raisin said:

Regarding products received in subscription boxes, which do you value most? Also, does it matter if the cost of the items in the box aren't double or triple the price of the box? What exactly do you look for in a subscription box.

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Retail value of the box matters little to me. A manufacturer can slap any price they want on an item, but if it sucks, it's worth precisely $0.00 to me, no matter what size (foil, deluxe, full size) product I receive. I've found HGs through foils, and I've received full-sized 'luxury' brands that I hated. 

For me, what makes a box worth the money is: 

1) Does it excite me to receive it, and try out the products within? 

2) Do I get enough items I like to justify the cost?

3) If something that isn't to my tastes is included, is it something of good enough quality that I would feel comfortable gifting it? 

I resubbed to PSMH recently for the sake of getting some nice things for my house, and for me, and whatever I didn't want or like was still good quality, so I put things into the Christmas gifts pile (and my swap list) for people who I knew would love them. Pure 'miss' items are not that common for me -- just because I don't like a given formula of, say, hand lotion, I know people who might. 

I gave up ipsy because the quality was just too spotty. I have up GlossyBox for the same reason -- when I started getting overlap between a $21 sub and my $10 ones, I decided it wasn't worth it. Sample Society gave me two good boxes and the third just made me go 'meh,' and so far I haven't regretted canceling. BB5 was a complete waste of money because the products were either for a far too specific demographic (into which I didn't fit) or not-great quality.

A 'luxury' brand, from a marketing standpoint, is defined in part by where it's sold, and in part by price. These days, with companies selling products online, the definition of 'luxury' is fluid -- perhaps too much so. I also think many luxury brands are vastly overrated, and some drugstore/mass retailer brands are surprisingly good.

Retail price is a bad metric for one's enjoyment of a box, IMO. If you love fizzigigs, and every month you get a fizzigig from a sub that's curated to be interesting and new and different, you're going to enjoy it even if it doesn't give you a discount on the price of a fizzigig. I lovew a good bargain, sure, but 'bargain' is not defined solely by purchase price, but rather, by the quality and utility of the item when compared to the price. If you love it, it's high-value, even if it costs $3 and not $30.

Agreed with @@gingerneko

And for me, if the things i like, can use, can gift don't add up to at least the retail value of the box, then i am unhappy and think about cancelling, or at least venting. And if the values are hyper-inflated (like all purses special made for sub boxes) i do another iteration of my useable box value based on price i would really pay for said object.

Quality over quantity, within reason

skyflower said:

Agreed with @@gingerneko

And for me, if the things i like, can use, can gift don't add up to at least the retail value of the box, then i am unhappy and think about cancelling, or at least venting. And if the values are hyper-inflated (like all purses special made for sub boxes) i do another iteration of my useable box value based on price i would really pay for said object.

Quality over quantity, within reason

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as long as the value to me is equal to the cost, I am happy /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

skyflower said:

Agreed with @@gingerneko

And for me, if the things i like, can use, can gift don't add up to at least the retail value of the box, then i am unhappy and think about cancelling, or at least venting. And if the values are hyper-inflated (like all purses special made for sub boxes) i do another iteration of my useable box value based on price i would really pay for said object.

Quality over quantity, within reason

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Exactly. It's not what they charge for it -- it's what I'd be willing to pay for it. Most of those purses and jewelry items in boxes have inflated values, IMO. I make jewelry as a hobby, and when they offer, for example, braided-cord bracelets with a retail of $50, I just shake my head, because I could make them for $2-5 in materials and an hour of time. However, some things like that market tote from April's PSMH made the rest of the box a bonus, because I use that tote all the time and love it. It's the perfect size, it zips into a nice little compact shape, and it's super cute and surprisingly durable. 

I don't think I would ever pay $50 for a scented candle, for example. I think $20-$25 would be my limit. 

And for cosmetics' sake (because I don't think Pete has anything to do with cosmetics), no more damn makeup cases in boxes. I have a box full of them. I give them away regularly and they still seem to multiply like bunnies.

Yes, value is definitely subjective! I don't care too much about retail price, it's all about the value to me personally.

And I feel you on the inflated prices - things like candles especially confuse me, because I love a good scented candle, but some of the prices on candles some of these subs send out are crazy! I'll stick with my Bath and Body Works candles when they're on sale, thanks, haha.

Relevancy of the box to my want's and need's is the main factor. That's why I prefer boxes that sent out larger number of box variations. I feel that they are at least trying, even if not succeeding (looking you Ipsy).

I'll always take quality over quantity, but quality (and value) often mean different things to different people. Over last few months I received 3 or 4 different hair serums from my subscription boxes. Including fairly expensive and well liked by many Davines OI. They are absolutely useless to me, because my hair doesn't like silicone based leave-in products.

Bottom line: relevancy is a key.

I do feel like values are inflated for a lot of the items in some boxes, but if the overall box seems like the value is at least matches what I paid for the box, I'm happy. I live in a very rural area, 2 hours from anything but Wal-Mart, (and 45 minutes even from that!) so I get personal value from being able to try things that I otherwise wouldn't be able to. 

[SIZE=14.3999996185303px]And as an admitted candle ho, I will confess that I have spent well over a hundred dollars on a candle, mainly some of the original DL&Co Belle Epoque Collection, but they come in satin lined silk hatboxes, and the candles themselves are practically art glass, plus the fragrances are very unique. That being said, I'd say half the candles in my Top 10 favorites are $25 and under. Pacifica candles are very nice for the price; heck, they're nice for any price! My favorite is Persian Rose and when they discontinued it several years ago, I may or may not have panicked and bought Every Single One I could find on the interwebz. Into four figures I got, yes I did. [/SIZE]

Needless to say, they brought it back about a year later. Just my luck.

I think if the quantity of a sub box is going to be fewer than 5 items, it should be made clear up front.  The Cate & Chloe box is 2 items, and you know that going in.  Square Hue is 3 items.  I have seen some boxes where the quantity of items fluctuates from 3 to 8 items.  I don't care for those boxes because I anticipate I will not appreciate the value of some of the items.  I already know that I don't have dry skin or processed hair and I don't care for home decor items so a lot of boxes are going to contain things I won't be able to use.   If half the items are things I can use and that pays for the box, I'm going to stay with it.  

raisin said:

Regarding products received in subscription boxes, which do you value most? Also, does it matter if the cost of the items in the box aren't double or triple the price of the box? What exactly do you look for in a subscription box.

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Defiinitely the quality!!! Both in product and service. Some people here may remember Gogo Girlfriend. Their selling point was a box chock-full of stuff, sometimes exceeding 20 small items. A lot of people rushed to cancel Birchbox (this was before Beauty Army, Sample Society, and others were a thing at all, and Ipsy was brand-spanking-new) because it seemed like so much more. People got an introductory box, and maybe one afterward, and that was about it--they kept withdrawing the monthly fee, then telling people the fee was for membership to a site to buy slightly discounted products and they weren't guaranteed a box to begin with. On top of this, half the contents or more were pure crap, horrible quality, and potentially counterfeit. Gogo Girlfriend ended up imploding upon itself after customers rushed to cancel and dispute charges, and I think all of us who were involved in that mess emerged both wary and wiser.

My ideal sub box will contain five or six products in a good balance--color, skincare/treatment, hair, body/perfume, bath/home, the occasional "lifestyle extra" like jewelry. I do not mind inexpensive or drugstore brands if they are decent quality; you can give me all the Maybelline or Revlon because I know what I'm getting, they have a tried-and-true track record, and as a general rule they don't smell like burning plastic doused in rancid used cooking oil (I'm pointing at you, Ipsy!)I'd like to get at least a little more in value than I paid for the box--I think if, for instance, Sample Society did an all-L'Oreal box, it would definitely exceed $15 in retail value.

One of my biggest peeves is that when foils get sent, they only send one. I would prefer two to five foils of a given product, depending on its size. My hair used to be past my hips, and one foil of shampoo or conditioner was not going to do it (except for Miss Jessie's, which are huge and contain enough for several uses.)