The MSA & KB Limited Edition Beach House Box [Spoilers]

[biancardi]

Yeah, I was surprised too!  They have a bunch of colors on this site: http://www.c21stores.com/product/THURSDAY-FRIDAY-Black--White-Gold-Toe-Everyday-Tote?cm_mmc=GoogleShopping-_-cpc-_-NA-_-6037-1037%20100&utm_source=GoogleShopping&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=6037-1037%20100&utm_campaign=NA&CAWELAID=500002840000232466&CAGPSPN=pla&gclid=CjwKEAjw5J6sBRDp3ty_17KZyWsSJABgp-Oaa1lwbkj5epIdKnp_TNhai0-2FZs6ykeCboZ0W7SEtxoCe0zw_wcB

It's probably my favorite thing in the box (based on your photo), but I bet the low sale price will make it hard for people who don't want it to swap it.

WOW - great price!  I wish they had the green one there, but I purchased the caramel one as I think that is really nice

 

[LadyGordon]

Still waiting for my box to move, still says shipping label created. I know I'm not the only one, so I'm trying to wait patiently  /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

I also bought one of the tote bags for my Mom from the C21 Store (thanks Ranindrop for posting) for her birthday. She goes to the beach for two months every fall so I like to put together a beach themed present for her this year. I'm drowning in sunscreen, so will probably give her that as well. Now to find some other ideas to put into her bag......

 

[itselectric]

@@itselectric I took a few more pictures of the fully fluffed up pillow. Hope it helps! There's no blue showing through the plastic?

No, but I emailed Kloverbox and the response was lightening fast. The cover was folded in the bag with the tote. All is well. /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 

[Saiza]

I got the mint green tote in my box. I like it but wish I'd gotten the beige one. I also can't believe it's on sale for $18. Even with the $9.95 shipping it's still a bargain at $27.95.

I'm still on the fence about how I feel about this box and if it is worth the $100 it cost me.

I love the green one that's what I was hoping to get, I got the "Antler"/beige one instead. 

 

[Saiza]

This was my first and last $100 box. I got both MSA boxes and I've been subbing to KloverBox since December (I think). With this one, I'm incredibly underwhelmed.

I'm afraid to remove the pillow from vacuum seal, because I don't think it looks quality in Anna's pics and I'll prolly swap it. Mine is also missing a pillow cover unless it's folded inside the pillow somehow. Through plastic, I only see the tag and seam of a plain filler pillow and nothing else. It doesn't look like PAAnna's pic. A nicer fabric case for a pillow I already own would've been more my preference (and easier to fit in the box). I know I'm only one person though.

The tote being available online for $18 is kind of a slap in the face for a $100 box.

Overall. the box is boring and not my taste at all. I much preferred Anna's original guesses to what I actually got. A seashell (or any kind of) wind chime or a sea glass jewelry item.Yes! Or Mccarty's suggestions for a poolside waterproof bag or an eco-friendly waterproof watch. Yes! Those are more adventurous and interesting ideas. Again, I know I'm only one voice and it's more important to please the majority of people. If there were a future collaboration, I wouldn't buy again. Especially at that price point.

I agree, I liked the first MSA quarterly box though and was so sad I missed it, so I got the 2nd and wasn't thrilled with it. I should've known better than to get this box, just because my style is very different from Liz's and I think this box is totally her style. I think it's nice and elegant, I would've preferred more beachy/fun things, bright colors. No more $100 gambles for me, I'll wait for the next LE Goodebox. 

 

[itselectric]

Looks like a value of $218 - not bad!  The tote bag is listed as $110, but you can buy it online for $18!?  So I used $18 for that value.

Hi, where are you getting the values from? Did you just Google search the names? I'm surprised the retail values aren't listed on the card . . .

 

[raindrop]

Hi, where are you getting the values from? Did you just Google search the names? I'm surprised the retail values aren't listed on the card . . .

Yeah, just go to the company websites and look up the items.

 

[aniadania]

I am on vacation so I will open my box in one month :-/ But I am very happy to discover/try that sunscreen. We all should reapply sunscreen few times a day, but I never do this because of my make up. Maybe this will be the solution!

I am also happy about Tatcha (really want to try this cream, I love their rice polish powder) and scrub (so necessary in summer)

I could do without pillow (I have no need at all for more single pillows in my house ) and I would prefer something else instead of soap.

Tote is ok, I hope for mint one.

I was so disappointed in MSA2. Sadly I didn't buy MSA1, which was the best box ever. This one is nice, just a bit expensive. $75 would be better price.

Still I would buy fall one if Lis is going to curate one. I guess I am afraid of missing out as I did on MSA1.

 

[Martha.Jimenez]

I didn't buy this box, so I really shouldn't comment on it, but what the heck?  I actually like the box.  I think it is on theme and the products all look very nice.  I would never buy a co-branded box, and it has nothing to do with KB or MSA.  I wouldn't buy a co-branded box, because two parties now have to make money on that box, and that means something has to be sacrificed; in this case, the subscriber who plopped down $100.00.  If you manage your expectations downward, you will probably grow to love the box (it's really not that bad).  If love is too strong a word, then go with "like," but either way, I would think twice before ever buying a co-branded box.  More times than not, they aren't going to measure up to our uber high expectations.  

I'm not really sure why box companies decide to do these types of boxes.  When they announce the collaboration, everyone thinks, "I'm definitely buying that box.  That's a dream team.  What can possibly go wrong?"  The reality is that if they put out an average or even an above average box, their reputation will go south quicker than Robin Thicke's career.  Maybe there's a lot of money in it, and that's why it's done...

 

[Lisa80]

I didn't order this box but I'm confused about the pillow. Is it a bed pillow, travel pillow or what?

 

[TreatChoself]

I didn't order this box but I'm confused about the pillow. Is it a bed pillow, travel pillow or what?

It's a decorative throw pillow for a couch / bed.

 

[itselectric]

1. Out of three boxes MSA was a part of, two contained scrubs and two contained Tatcha products. Remind anyone of MSA01?
2. With all the reviews MSA accomplishes, I can't believe it was overlooked that subbies are drowning in sunscreen already.
3. We JUST got handsoap the April Kloverbox.
4. The tote is heavy and not easily washable for wet and sandy beach trips.
5. As someone mentioned earlier, a lightweight throw type blanket would've been luxe, easy to shake out, and quick to dry. A throw pillow isn't practical or luxury IMO.

@@Martha Jimenez has some thoughtful points on collaboration boxes that I never thought of. Thank you for that.

 

[MoiSurtout]

I remember when Liz did her first two boxes, it seemed like people were too shy to voice any kind of criticism to her face. If they said anything even remotely negative, it was phrased in the most inoffensive way possible. It caught me off guard to see all the complaints and read how angry some people are. 

I think it would've been a better box if one of the beauty products were switched with something else, like an accessory or another home item. But certainly there have been worse boxes lately, and the brands and RV are good even with the tote being on sale. It's clever how they managed to fit the pillow in the box. 

I can see how it's not for everyone, and the shipping issue is annoying, but I'm surprised people are talking about refusing delivery. 

 

[Fashion Diva]

I think a lot of those who bought the collab box had developed higher expectations based on both the collaborative partnership involved and due to the fact they expect Liz to have perfect sub box curation experience and intuition, especially in terms of being mindful about shipping issues, engaging in timely/responsive/accurate communication, and most importantly counted on her ability to take into account common sub box feedback, both good and bad, to come up with products that stand out above the offerings sent by other beauty/lifestyle subs. I also think that those who've been MSA regulars for years have come to see her not as a part time, personal blogger but instead as a professional. As a regular etsy shopper I'm a soft touch and more patient than I probably should be at times when dealing with solo artist stores/sellers and the issues that arise in completing a transaction. Over time and as is especially true with sub box addicts, buyers come to view the "little guy" seller who has expanded a great deal as not so much as a "person" in need of patience and pity but start to see them as a business the same as any other they paid $100 months earlier. I think folks expected her to take into account that many subbers were being inundated with sunscreen (with 4 kids we can never have enough living in the desert) and other common beauty products and put the focus instead on brand and product genre discovery as well as not lean as heavily on beauty items in what was partly billed as a lifestyle box. I'm always happy to have a company keep me up to speed on when things will ship if there are delays anticipated. For the most part that happened here but it became a little disjointed in a kicking the can down the road, non-specific way (over promising and under delivering regarding shipping). By shipping in what appear to be waves, there were complaints that bloggers received theirs in the first wave while others hadn't even seen a shipment notice. Then there was the issue of something arriving broken such that another whole wave of boxes were in limbo until replacements arrived at a date TBD. To me it's more professional to say that due to circumstances beyond our control involving vendor shipment delays/damage, shipment has been delayed. We will inform you when we are prepared to ship all boxes and we will provide an update next week. It just doesn't come off as overly professional to talk about having difficulties figuring out how to fit everything into preselected shipping boxes, saying that some items were broken so some of you have to wait even longer....If this was a case of a single artisan with whom I'd placed an order for one unique item I chose and they had a family emergency or a component shipping problem, it wouldn't seem out of place to perhaps go into such detail. But when that information is shared with a large audience, publicly, it tends not to inspire buyer confidence since it can sound akin to "the dog ate my homework, the sun was in my eyes, there was a rock in my shoe...". I did read one comment reminding others that that Liz earlier wrote that she parted ways with Quarterly, in part due to their refusal to accept returns, as she explicitly shared and agreed with subscribers' concerns about the price vs risk. So it seemed a fair comment to me that if Liz's current collaborator is pointing folks to the "all sales are final" fine print- especially to those whose boxes haven't even been assembled let alone shipped- such a policy seems to run counter to Liz's own previously stated position on returns for pricey mystery boxes. I don't really get the unrest about the RV change for the bag since that happens daily when shopping anywhere, other than the aspect that folks might assume MSA+K bought clearance merchandise and then listed them as full value. I doubt that's true but I suppose that might be the source of that particular angst. Overall I think people wanted more unique/fun products both in terms of product category mix (though it seems on point given that the collab was with a beauty sub, to have a fairly even mix, perhaps one less beauty item might have helped in that regard). I loved the first MSA Quarterly box and liked the second though it was decidedly more utilitarian overall, and felt I knew what to expect with this box. To me it's pretty much what I expected, and not in a bad way at all. Everything was perfectly nice for sure, I just knew from experience it likely wouldn't have been my personal taste. I don't know that those who try to dispute the charges however are going to be very successful as they would need to prove they received less than the advertised value/items not as advertised/wrong items/non delivery. Generally speaking, absent some kind of product valuation fraud, "I just don't like what came in my all mystery box" isn't usually sufficient legal (contractual) basis to dispute the charge. Just my take on the situation.

 

[Miccarty2]

I was going to try to quote but I would be quoting several of you! I agree with everyone. And I love that the comments here are so thoughtful and reasoned. (I'm assuming that the chatter about refusing delivery, etc., must be going on at MSA? I haven't been over there in the last 24 hours).

This box wasn't for me - if I had known the contents, I would not have bought it. But I think the value is there and it fit the theme. I love the idea of a spray sunscreen that you can reapply. I was just thinking that with all of my sample sunscreens, I don't have anything that I can reapply over makeup without washing my face and starting over, so I'm actually excited to try that. And while I'm not a scrub person, it does smell delicious, so I'm going to make myself relax and take a few baths and use it - it will be good for me to splurge on something I would not have bought for myself!

I figure these sub boxes are live and learn. I've made a couple mistakes recently, but now I'm going to be more judicious in what I choose to buy. I've been surprised recently by the trend (?) of people being really angry about boxes - I guess it was mostly with the Popsugar fashion box (not to get off topic) I get being unhappy, but you signed up for a mystery box, just don't buy again. Returning it gleefully seemed a bit off to me. And I've seen it in other threads too at MSA, like the recent Fourth of July box at Julep, and a couple of people seemed to have called and demanded a refund when the colors were ugly. Of course they were, they were sending you something like 20 colors for 20 bucks or something, they're not going to send you their best mainstream sellers.

Anyway, I think Kelly and Liz are both fairly new at this, and it sounds like they ran into a few unexpected roadblocks here, at least as far as packing and shipping. I'm sure they are learning their lessons too, and hopefully this wasn't an overall bad experience for them because I think they both have good ideas and connections within the natural products industries.

 

[boxesandboxes]

It's a decorative throw pillow for a couch / bed.

for a BEACH HOUSE. 

 

[LadyGordon]

I'm one of the people who hasn't received their box yet, I'm assuming i'm in the last wave. It is on its way, and should get it tomorrow or Friday. I'm very new to sub boxes, so to me I don't have a problem with the shipping issues. I know I will be getting it, so I can wait on it, although I understand how everyone feels about the lack of communication.

I knew it was a gamble when I paid the $100, and its the first one I've bought at this price. I personally like all the items that I have seen, and really had no idea what to expect from this box, being a newbie. All of these products are new to me, and that's why I subscribe is to find new products to try out. Of course not having much experience, most products are new to me! I'm fine with getting more sunscreen, I live in the hot and humid south and frankly I can never get enough sunscreen. I won't have to buy any at all this season, so that works for me. I plan on being very careful about spending this kind of money in the future however, as it is definitely a gamble.  

I do understand why some people are not happy with the curation of this box and the shipping issues. I'm glad we have a safe place to express our opinions, and I really respect all the thought that has gone into the comments in this thread. I am learning so much from all of you, and its great to hear about your experiences. I love this forum! 

 

[PA Anna]

There's a lot of good commentary on this thread. I enjoy reading it.

I noticed that people are being careful when it comes to $100+ boxes. I think it began when the PopSugar Neiman Marcus 2014 box was a bust. Oui Please was introduced around the same time which excited a lot of people. Then the PopSugar CFDA had value issues and wasn't what people expected. The last Oui Please box had a value variation from $150-$350 with some subscribers still waiting for promised items. I also feel that people (not all) expect Liz to know intuitively what to put in a box. The thing is what works for some,  may not work for others.

It seems that there are 4 issues that keep coming up. 1. Shipping delays. 2. Tote price reduction 3. Perceived value 4. Item selection. don’t know how much control they have over the shipping delays especially if fulfillment is outsourced. It takes tome to vacuum seal the pillows. I doubt they have control over the tote price. Would people feel different about the box if the price wasn’t reduced? Or if the weekender wasn’t in the PopSugar summer box? I thought they did a great job on value. Eco boxes generally don’t have an insane high value. I found the selection comments interesting. Free market research. Would more people be happy with an out of the box type thinking in item selection? It’s hard to say.

There is good information in the comments on the blogs and forums. I hope they can reap from the information provided and not to take to heart all the other stuff.

 

[Samantha Lading Marwick]

I recieved my box yesterday and I liked it more than I thought I would. I'm happy with the tote and the price change doesn't bother me much. The shipping issues were frustrating and I don't think they would be acceptable at all coming from another company but oh well, what's done is done.

I do think they should have switched out the hand soap or sunscreen for a "fun" item like a piece of jewelry and people would have been happier and felt the box was a little more well rounded.

My only issue now is with the sunscreen. I partly purchased this box because Kloverbox is supposed to be all natural, but the sunscreen contains benzophenone which is labeled as the most toxic sunscreen ingredient by the environmental working group. Here's a quote describing it: "it penetrates the skin very easily and gets absorbed into your bloodstream. Once inside your body, it mimics the hormone estrogen, which, over the long term, can lead to reproductive issues and thyroid problems, and autism researchers suspect that the chemical is also neurotoxic." They highly recommend avoiding it. Yikes. I won't be using this.

Overall, lesson learned. I probably won't be buying another box curated by Liz just because I don't think our tastes mesh well, but I do think she did her best in this situation. I need to cut back on boxes anyway /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 

[LadyGordon]

I'm getting my box today, I'm excited! I can't wait to see the items for myself.

Thanks @, I didn't know that about sunscreens and benzophenone. I already have thyroid issues and I'm also on an estrogen patch, don't need more estrogen! I think I won't be using that item. Oh well, I already have plenty of other sunscreens, but now i'm going home and reading the ingredients on all of them!

I also got my shipping notice for the regular Kloverbox, so glad to see that it is going out as well. Hopefully next month shipping for the regular sub will go more smoothly.