Birchbox - Always out after samples?

I've had a problem with Birchbox that seems to have intensified over the last 6 months.  I have a sub, and my husband has the Man's sub.  We've hit yet another occasion where a product sampled has been out of stock for months with no stock date coming (I emailed).  I'm an Ace, I've ordered full size often.

I actually do tend to buy a lot from my sample programs.  I use them to FIND stuff because I had no regimen whatsoever in the past.  Almost no makeup, no bath and body, no nice shampoo/conditioners, etc.

Well, I hit yet another product that I fell in love with that a month after sampling, I bought the full version.  A month later when my coupon code came - it's gone.  It's been gone for 3 months.  They offered to "direct me to similar products with similar qualities" but that defeats the purpose of a sampling sub.

Since I only get one sub, am I just having bad luck that everyone is loving the same stuff or are others running into the same problems where they get samples they can never buy full price items for?

I think they must not really keep many things in full stock, nor do they restock items very often.  I was waiting forever for something to come back in stock, and it never did =( 

Offering to direct you to similar products honestly seems kind of bait-and-switchey to me.  

I've noticed the same thing and have to admit, it does get annoying.   They do have a button where you can ask them to notify you when the product comes back in stock.  There was one month when at least half a dozen things I looked out were out of stock. A few weeks later, I started getting emails letting me know the item was back in stock.   

I think it must be hard for them to predict how many people will want to purchase after receiving a sample.  Though other things are almost always sold out, such as the S'well water bottles and Rifle Paper things.   

This seems to have also happened with their summer themed limited edition box.  Last year you could buy Modern Mermaid all the way into the fall. This year's box was out of stock in mid-June, yet all the items are available in the shop as far as I can tell.

Mystery sample packs have also been known to disappear and reappear. 

Thank you guys.  I just wanted to make sure I wasn't crazy.  I had a few items out of stock here and there in the first bit of BB and of course, I was always okay with sampled items being out of stock right after, but when products have been out for endless amounts of time.  When the Camilla Beckman Glycerine lotion was out of stock after samples, I got it - but it had been so long, I'd forgotten and it was something like 6 or 7 months later when I got the email.  I'm on several waitlists as it is.  I went ahead and ordered the hair care from another site.  My hair is so all over the place in color, health, etc. that offering to steer me to full size expensive products that "might" work isn't going to cut it.

Noel S. said:

Mystery sample packs have also been known to disappear and reappear. 

Click to expand...

Those have been in stock for just one of my dozen+ orders.  I actually sometimes get annoyed when I can't use a coupon code for being a sub for so long, with some of the other offers.  I get it, don't get me wrong, but if I can spend $100+ on something... I think being able to toss in the free lip gloss should be okay to do.

I just wanted to update this commentary.  I bought Birchbox Man for my husband last Christmas.  At first and the time of my last posting, we had no real issues with ordering for him.  Supposedly, as an ACE, when products come back in stock, I'm supposed to be notified quicker.  That said, the products that were out-of-stock, never came back - though a review suggests they sent out some samples after it was out for me, even though it would never come back.

The main item was:

Obliphica Intensive Extreme Shine Nourishing ConditionerThe last time it was available was 2/24/14.

Now, for the man's sub?  Not so much.  While it hasn't been as bad as mine (I still have 5 boxes to go on my own annual), he has 1 box left and I've canceled both.  The link to cancel online is also gone (the FAQ directing you how is not valid.).

So a heads up, you must contact them directly to cancel.  There was no email on how to do this and no other place on the site that says this.

I will say, their CS has always been quick and resolves easy, but whomever is managing their product purchasing and sample choices is terrible.

One other thing to note, is that it's a little frustrating they would allow me to put two annual subs on my name, but I don't get any additional coupons, codes, even though the man's box is more expensive.  I cannot also get a ton of things, and get a man's sample pack and a woman's, despite having both subs.  So anyone who is contemplating having both, I suggest getting a separate email.  This way, you'll get the opportunity to build points twice, get two sets of codes for anniversaries and such and be able to actually take advantage of sales.

The best option is to simply use one account to order everything when you get a great code, so all the purchase points are on one account.