Out of the Box: My Subscription Love Affair
In a world gone widely digital and in a city gone largely sustainable and paper-free (SF, I’m looking at you), I still harbor a deep love affair with my mailbox.
I look forward to my Sunset Magazine, Darling Magazine, and yes, even Fast Company subscription arrivals each month, burying my nose in the sweet-smelling pages, dog-earing articles I love and crinkling the paper between my fingers with fervor.
But lately I have noticed I am not alone in my monthly mailbox excitement queue. Regular rounds of boxes arrive on stoops across the nation as the subscription services trend takes over. And suddenly, as with our magazines, we can order deliveries of everything from manly cooking supplies to baby bath products to statement jewelry to organic tampons.
Yes, there really is a subscription box for everyone.
So, what is it about subscription services that draw us in? What makes us agree to sign up for automatic monthly charges only to receive a box full of goods in the mail we may or may not even like?
I decided to give this trend a try and find out for myself.
During my month of subscription studies, I have boiled it down to four reasons why the subscription trend is here to stay — and why I just can’t get enough of my monthly deliveries.
It Surprises
Whether or not we love every item sent to our doorstep, there is a certain satisfaction in pulling open the mail to find a surprise package just waiting to be opened up.
Just like wrapped presents underneath the tree, subscription boxes are a weekly, monthly (or quarterly) gift to ourselves. Anticipation for delivery collides with the delight of discovery for a sense of pleasure that extends beyond the traditional store shopping experience.
Didn’t know you could prepare steaks au poivre on a weeknight? Surprise, Blue Apron knows you can. Didn’t think sleeveless sweaters were your thing? Your Stitchfix stylist certainly thinks so. Jumping on the organic bandwagon but don’t know where to start? There’s a box for that.
And that moment when the sweater fits just right and happens to be available 30% off with your membership discount? Priceless.
Allows for Discovery & Trend Setting
With subscription services, we consumers gain the satisfaction of discovering the next best thing before anyone else — a life-changing hand cream, an organic cotton t-shirt, a trending hot sauce — to eagerly share with friends and Instagram followers.
I fully admit I like to be the one in the know of the latest and greatest, and subscriptions allow me to discover new products I love and want to share without the exhausting energy of the initial hunt. We subscribers act as influencers catapulting the next trend (even the trend of subscriptions) to the top.
And brands benefit by connecting with a highly specific, highly targeted audience that may just become loyal fans. Rather than fighting for attention amongst hoards of other items on brightly lit store shelves, the box allows brands to cleverly slip into our bathroom counters, closets, kitchens, and eventually, our daily routines.
Simplifies & Delights
After the initial sign-up, continuing with a subscription is all too easy. Between automatic payments and goodies delivered right to our front door, what do we have to lose?
Not only are subscriptions easy to join and continue due to automatic payments and front-door delivery, they can simplify our lives.
Blue Apron delivers the proper measurements of all ingredients and easy step-by-step meal-making instructions, turning both kitchen novices and aficionados alike into weeknight chefs. Le Tote and Stitch Fix shake up our wardrobes and keep us on-trend with fresh apparel and accessories hand-selected just for us by a stylist.
Dollar Shave Club keeps the men in our lives (ok, and maybe my legs) smooth and stubble-free without the weekly drugstore run. Barkbox keeps the fur monster content with new toys and treats arriving just in time to replace those he just demolished last week.
We no longer have to do the legwork of new product research, shopping for new clothes or even shopping for our own groceries or treats for Fido when subscriptions can ship them right to our doors.
Community Creation
We are all searching for a sense of belonging. Between the steady stream of Snapchats, Instagram updates and Facebook posts, it is no secret many of us love to share our lives with others.
Subscription services play right into these feel-good emotional needs by considering their consumers as members, offering up exclusive deals and encouraging social shares at every turn. Pretty packaging, trending hashtags and clever endorsements by popular bloggers and YouTube stars continue to fuel this sense of belonging to a more elite set.
These sentiments extend outside the box (pun intended) with an online community ripe with content. These hubs are rich in how-to videos and articles offering tips for how to best use your new swag along with lifestyle pieces and discussion boards where members can meet other members.
And once a brand becomes integrated into the user’s lifestyle, well, they’re there to stay for a while.
Before I knew it, I somehow allowed my cancellation periods to expire and found myself inviting boxes of clothing, organic beauty products and meal preparation kits to pile up on my doorstep each month.
And I’m loving it.
The subscription trend is about more than receiving a box of things you may or may not use. It delivers surprise and delight, simplifies our days and builds a community box by box.
By cultivating a community of users in a way that feels personal and attentive, these services continue to remain at the cusp of the way the consumer experience is transforming. They enrich the buying experience in a fresh, lifestyle-focused way through surprise, connection and the delight of discovery.
Now if you’ll excuse me, the postman is here.
Avery is the resident Lifter wordsmith and harbors a deep appreciation for paper magazines and spin class. She’s also on a mission to discover the best pizza in SF. Learn more about LIFT Agency.
