At first I felt on top of the subscription box situation. I knew the main players and what the differences between them were. And then came the box explosion.
Happy box lady via Shutterstock
Now there are subscription beauty boxes, hair boxes, jewelry boxes, wellness boxes, lifestyle boxes, pet boxes, boxes of organic products, boxes for bacon lovers, adult boxes, and boxes for that time of the month. Here a box, there a box, everywhere a box box. Chescaleigh’s parody was dead on.
Just saying – there are an overwhelming number of boxes for women on the scene. (Check out SubscriptionBoxes.com to get an idea of the scope of the scene).
The boxes I’m most familiar with have been created by start-up companies and entrepreneurs with vision. Many of the boxes cost between $10 and $20 for a monthly subscription, and many people sign up for these boxes for an opportunity to try little known, up and coming, brands that have growing buzz, brands that beauty lovers and hair obsessives can look forward to trying for the first time. And now here comes a heavy hitter to switch up the game – Target has entered the subscription beauty box arena, and their box is a mere $5 including shipping and handling.
Via Target Style’s FB page: “The Beauty Box by Target boasts beauty, skin care and nail care brands you already know, and a few that may be completely new to you. Shipping is included, plus each order includes a special offer to keep you looking fab while staying on budget.” Sounds promising, right? A few spoiler posts have gone up online, so the brands included in box #1 are out there already – click here to see!
Box #1 apparently includes mainstream brands, but there are a few products that piqued my interest even though I’m pretty much drowning in beauty products (those Sally Hansen nail strips, and the Effaclar stuff). I’m thinking if there’s enough interest, Target’s upcoming boxes will include items from their in-house beauty brands, which could mean a $5 box including the best of Pixi, Sonia Kashuk, Napoleon Perdis or Umberto Beverly Hills. If you’re strictly into indie brands, obviously this isn’t the box for you. But if you want to try out the latest from mainstream beauty and personal care brands, this sounds like a sweet deal.
The Target Beauty Box is only available online via Facebook, there are 20,000 Beauty Boxes available, and they cost $5 including shipping and tax. Click here to get yours before they’re gone!
What are your thoughts on the subscription box phenomenon? Are you a fan? Do you think there are too many? Would you sign up for this new Target box, and what do you think about big brands entering the subscription box arena?
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