If
someone handed you a box and told you there’s loot inside custom chosen just
for you. What would you imagine the
contents would be?
[Books
perhaps? All your favorite genres?]
When
you were a kid, did you ever wish your birthday came more than once a year? How about once a month?
Ready
to commit $20-150/month to have unexpected goodies with a theme mailed to you
every month? It’s the new book of the
month club. They are subscription boxes.
And I’m not talking about the Dollar Shave Club.
These
little monthly “gifts” offer a general smattering of items each month, gear
related to your interests.
[Like
a book you choose because of your interests.
I remember my father getting Books of the Month-The Godfather, The Happy
Hooker, Joy of Sex. I wonder if he had a
secret life.]
One
of my sons has rated wine choices in his monthly delivery. The other son has,
on top of that, delivered goodies targeted toward hipster guys-Bespoke Post. Among other funky, foodie items, he got gourmet
salts and squid ink which he used to take his homemade pasta dish to the next
level. He chooses from a short list, but
many of these subscription services offer boxes of awesomeness filled with
random surprises.
[like
a great book!]
[Do we not love to go into a bookstore and browse,
collecting a handful of stories we hadn’t planned on getting?]
There’s Birchbox for guys,
delivering a monthly selection of grooming and lifestyle products, from face
cleaner to bow ties.
Awesome
Pack thrills big kids and families with board games,
plush toys and activities.
Some
subscription boxes are higher end--$100 and up--like Wil Wheaton Quarterly Co. curated by
celebrities, style experts, authors and bloggers. You might even open up to a Dungeons
& Dragon starter set. Carrots for
new parents surprises with books and toys for $120/box.
Some
are more focused like TeeBlox and Once Upon a Tee targeting fans of Doctor
Who and The Legend of Zelda with officially licensed t-shirts; Brick
Loot specializing in building items like legos; for college kids, a
care package with snacks and household items called Pijon; BarkBox for dogs; NatureBox for snackers [popular with high Coloradans?]; Tasting Room for wine; and Kiwi Crate for
3-7 year olds who like craft projects. And one I would have loved as a kid,
Tinker Crate, for older kids’ science projects.
The
trend seems to be all the rage among geeks and gamers, who have flocked to
Lootcrate, 1Up, Geek Fuel, Geek Me Box, ComicBoxer, Star Wars Smuggler’s Bounty, Nerd Box.
Power
Up Box, HeroCrate, Super Loot ZBox,
Comic-Con Box, IndieBox. Super Loot and ZBOX from
Zavvi and
VillainCrate.
[Really
want to invite VILLAINS into your house?]
What
do the Geeks and Gamers who pay for them get?
[Just
like a book, they have to crack it open and dip in.]
What
the Geeks can expect to find: South Park
gear, Nintendo exclusive t-shirts, Marvel, Star Wars, DC Comics and Pokemon
figures, prints and figurines, and Horror Collectibles
[…which
made me wonder if it all the elements are legal.]
These
thingies of the month clubs are not companies unique to the U.S.; if you are in
Australia, you can order up Box 51
and Epic
Crateness. Hero Box.
My favorite company name is Bento Box.... clever. 
They
claim to use a panel of experts to pick comic issues around a theme each month,
that the value of each box is at least $60. But the monthly rates: $20 (1
mo.), $18.34 (3 mos.), $17.50 (6 mos.) Shipping: $5
in the U.S. / $12 to Canada
Some
are aimed at female geeks: Fan Mail from
who you may receive a Spider Man necklace and a Superman Comic, Gamer Girl
Monthly (which offers exactly what it sounds like),
Instead
of reading about your favorite manga or movie character, you can wear him in
the form of a t-shirt.
Friend
Alicia Howie enjoys her $20/month with S&H subscription to one of the most
popular subscription box companies, Lootcrate, especially her Labyrinth t-shirt. I wonder if Merle Haggard and Prince have
t-shirts in any company’s box of loot this month?
What
would be in your ultimate loot box? Mine
would definitely have gourmet food items, books, yellow pads, and a great pen.
---
Inkpots
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