Not too long ago, I was doing my weekly skim on Groupon when I came across an awesome new (to me) concept. The Subscription Box... I was hooked. I signed up for a 3 month trial of what is now my favorite monthly gift to myself, a box that sends you 6-8 new and unique snack foods. (I'll elaborate more on that box in a future post, as I'm still waiting on this months box)
This post however is about another box I subscribed to on a whim... tee hee! :)
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| *All photo's from the April Box I received on 6/10/13* |
Whimsey box is a monthly craft subscription that will send you a craft project to do for just $15 a month. I fell in love with the idea of having a surprise craft sent to me every month. And with everything I needed to complete it delivered right to my front door, no extra trip to the craft store necessary! I bubbled with excitement as I waited for the first box. However, it was taking quite some time so as the website had stated, I emailed customer service for the tracking info. I didn't receive a reply until the day I actually got my box in the mail...
Finally, the box came in the mail... At first sight, I had the highest expectations, the packaging itself was such high quality and beautifully assembled. And that's where my excitement ended. I opened the beautiful white box, undid the big silky bow, and lifted the crisply folded tissue paper to find, wait for it...... A BLOCK OF WOOD, a dozen or so nails, and some string and wire.... Seriously?!? Granted, some people may have enjoyed this "String Art" craft. However, I was highly upset that this box that i had anticipated for so long was filled with items I could get at my local dollar store for much less than $15. I almost felt as if the very box itself was worth more than the items inside.
I decided to send another email to customer service. I politely explained my disappointment in a short but sweet letter, providing some constructive criticism for the company. After all, I LOVED the concept of this box, it held such potential. I didn't want to base my entire opinion of the box on one bad month. But, I had already paid for another by the time my first one came. So, I canceled my subscription and decided to wait it out until my next box came. I received a reply to my email from a gentleman in their customer service department shortly after.
He expressed his apologies for my experience and thanked me for my opinion on how they could better their product. He said they are a relatively new company and were relying on customer opinion to direct their improvements. It seemed they were well aware that the packaging was trumping the quality of the contents. He assured me that improvements were being made, and that he hoped I would come back once they worked out a few kinks. He even gave me a $10 credit to use towards anything on their site!
Well, I received my 2nd box and boy am I impressed at how they improved over just one month! They switched to a lighter box using less material (meaning less waste!) and even added a fun label sticker for you to reuse the box if you wish. The project was fun and totally functional: Peppermint Lip Balm!
The contents are totally worth the $15! Bee's wax and Oils tend to be on the pricier side, and I love the little containers they provided. They also give you more than enough material to make several batches of lip balm. I also like that they feature an artist on the direction card for your project. You could even frame it for a fun little decor piece! I am excited to possibly renew my subscription within the new couple of months, as I really feel Whimsey Box will continue to improve. I'll be keeping an eye on their blog, as they provide tutorials for other crafts you can try and other fun goodies!
Artfully Yours,
Amethyst
