Originally Posted by
tinkerbll695 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I was really disappointed with my August Birchbox - so much so that I wrote a couple of emails to Birchbox. I was especially disappointed about the "deluxe" sized samples that I received (Stila card, Caldera soaps, Yube Moisturizer, Juicy perfume) that were all marked "Sample only. Not for sale." To me, when I see those words it means that those samples are meant to be given out for free. Sephora specifically had the Stila card and the Yube Moisturizer as free samples. Perfume vials like the ones that Birchbox always includes are given away at perfume counters all the time. And Caldera gives away samples of the soaps on their website (side note: if you wanted to sample the soaps but they weren't in your box, Caldera will send you a whole bunch of samples if you fill out their contact form requesting some). I wrote to Birchbox asking why I was paying for samples that were marked not for sale. Their response was that Birchbox works with companies to provide samples and that it was providing a service so that I didn't have to go round up the samples myself. I understand I'm paying for a service, but I'm also paying for the deluxe sized samples that Birchbox promises. I wouldn't pay $10 every month if Birchbox advertised itself as a service that rounded up free samples and then sent them to me...
I also asked why the values of boxes each month were so unequal. I think that if Birchbox chooses to include different full size samples each month (like in the August boxes with the Pixi products, eyeliners, Beauty Fixation products), that each box should get one full size sample - this would go a long way in terms of customer satisfaction, at least with me. Their response to this complaint was better. The rep explained that Birchbox doesn't look at the values of the boxes for the month and compare them with each other. Rather, they look to make the total value (the lifetime) of a subscriber's boxes equivalent to every other subscriber's total value. So, ideally, we should all be getting the same total value out of our boxes when we look to the long term. The rep also made it sound like we'd eventually all get to sample the same products.
Overall, I think my emails were handled okay. I still want to know why they're including free, not for sale samples because I don't think that those should be considered deluxe sized samples. But now I understand how they handle the value of our boxes and it makes me feel better about keeping this subscription when there are so many other subs out there now.
End rant.
I hope September is a better month!
/emoticons/
