When you’re looking for a gift that keeps on giving, gift subscription boxes are ultra-popular. Everywhere you turn, there seems to be a new company enticing you with an onslaught of monthly goodies centered on a specific theme.
While some of the most popular and longest-running gift box subscriptions include Conscious Box, KlutchBox, and BirchBox, we’ve decided to provide a basic gift guide for monthly subscription gift boxes.
You’ll see that there is literally a gift box subscription for everything, including adults, kids, men, women, babies, and pets.
How Does a Gift Subscription Box Work?
The process of gifting a box subscription is pretty easy…you select from whatever themes, sizes or other options are available from the company, such as a Deluxe box for Men.
Your next step is to choose the frequency of your gift boxes, which are delivered on a monthly basis. Your options include a one-time monthly gesture, and generally offer 3-month, 6-month, and 1-year subscriptions. Typically, the longer the subscription you initially purchase…the greater the overall savings you will encounter.
After choosing the subscription frequency, simply enter your gift recipient’s mailing details, and pay for the subscription. When given as a gift, your loved ones and friends don’t have to worry about cancelling their subscription. If they wish to continue, they may do so on their own, but their subscription will stop after the number of months you have selected has ended.
What Type of Subscription to Gift?
Sometimes, you can use a special occasion to make a gift box selection easier. Monthly gift subscription boxes are ideal for birthdays, college students away at school, Christmas gifts, and Valentine’s Day. They offer a fun pick-me-up for someone who is down in the dumps, which means they’d make the perfect get well gift, or creative way to say ‘I’m sorry.’
Paying attention to the type of person you are shopping for will also make the process much easier to accomplish. Ask yourself: Do they like fashion? Are they beauty product fanatics? Do they like to cook? Are they on special dietary restrictions (gluten free, vegan, etc.)? Do they like to travel?
Reward Programs
Many gift box subscriptions offer a variety of ways to earn reward points, which can go towards getting free boxes or purchasing full-size versions of the samples (many times at discounted prices). For example, subscribers of BuluBox earn 50 points ($5) or more for each month they share their thoughts; KLUTCHClub awards KlutchBucks when subscribers complete various activities (where they can redeem for gift cards, free boxes, and full-sized products); and referring friends to Food with Love earns a subscriber 500 points.
Just a Tip of the Iceberg…Possible Gift Box Subscription Options
To get an idea of the different types of available gift box subscriptions, consider the following:
Food Gift Boxes
Food gift subscriptions are quite popular, and make an ideal gesture for foodies, avid cooks, and those who enjoy sampling lesser-known ingredients (sometimes from around the world).
With a focus on introducing gourmet foods and organic, all-natural snacks, the relatively affordable Love with Food subscription is perfect for the foodie in your life. The Tasting Box includes around 8 new snacks per month, while the Deluxe Box is packed with 16-20 snacks per month. Also, for every box sent out as a gift, the company will donate a meal to feed a hungry child in the U.S. A more expensive, exclusive option to consider is The Fare Trade, which delivers artisanal culinary goods.
Don’t want to commit to a monthly subscription? Consider gifting a candy box from Old Time Candy – which highlights retro candy gifts representing a specific decade. A fun birthday gift for all ages, you can choose to send treats from pre-1920s to 1990s.
Travel-Related Gift Boxes
If you have someone in your life who longs to travel, but just doesn’t have the time (or means) to get away, then a travel gift box subscription could prove a winning gesture. For example, Escape Monthly offers destination-centric gift boxes that allow subscribers to explore a different locale every month – from the excitement of Las Vegas to discovering the international beauty of Tahiti, Rome, Sicily, and Barcelona.
It’s like gifting a “vacation in a box,” as stated on their website.Gift Subscriptions for Pets
People aren’t the only ones who benefit from a monthly gift subscription…you can also give a dog lover or new pet owner a subscription.
Bark Box: As one of the most popular pet-related gift boxes, this monthly assortment of canine goodies may include dog treats, dog food samples, hygiene products, bones, all-natural items, and toys galore. They even donate to charity.
Happy Dog Box: Offering 5-6 full-size artisan personalized according to the type and size of dog, 10% of proceeds also go towards supporting a rescue group. Oftentimes, the boxes follow seasonal themes, such as football season and Christmastime.
Eco-Friendly Gift Subscriptions
For the eco-conscious, Conscious Box comes highly recommended and concentrates on celebrating an eco-friendly lifestyle with many of the products offered in the monthly boxes centering on gluten free and vegan products. These boxes are packed with 5-8 items every month.
Health and Wellness Gift Boxes
Typically focusing on diet, weight loss and promoting a healthier lifestyle, there are gift box subscriptions that provide an array of vitamins, supplements, and nutritious food samples – such as protein bars, wheatgrass drinks, trail mix bars, energy drink mixes, and fiber chews.
Bulubox: After choosing between their regular box and the one geared towards weight loss, some of the 4-5 premium samples found in the Bulubox include food samples and supplements, as well as DVDs, gym gift cards, fitness gear, and workout gadgets.
KLUTCHClub: Offering themed boxes for men and women (and sometimes holiday-related subscriptions, such as Mother’s Day boxes), and ‘Best of’ boxes, KLUTCHClub includes food, drinks, supplements, beauty products, and other goodies in a wide-ranging box filled with 9-12 items.
Beauty & Fashion Gift Boxes
BirchBox: Available for men and women, subscribers also gain access to a shop and magazine – in addition to providing about 4-5 deluxe monthly beauty, grooming, and lifestyle samples.
FabFitFun Box: In partnership with E! News and Fashion Police host Giuliana Rancic, this gift subscription box offers a VIP box filled with full-size, premium beauty, fitness, fashion and wellness products delivered four times a year.
Gift Subscriptions for Men
With all of the beauty-, fashion-, and food-related gift boxes on the market, you’re probably wondering what’s in it for men. While some gift box subscriptions do offer separate selections for men and women, there are a few that cater specifically to men. Dubbed the ‘modern man’s pantry,’ the Mantry gift subscription box caters to the male foodie – offering 6 full size artisan food products packaged in a handmade wooden crate with custom detailing. Past products have included Wondermade Guinness Marshmallows, Reginalds’s Bourbon Pecan Butter, and Olli Salumeria Calabrese Salami.
Another cool gift idea is Loot Crate, which provides 6-9 items for serious gamers and geeks that include game-related gear, tasty snacks, and geeky gadgets.
Clothing-Related Gift Boxes
From funky-designed socks to designer ties, gift a fashionista or clothes hound with a gift subscription to something related to boosting the versatility of a wardrobe.
Wantable: This gift box subscription option may provide a unique gift idea for Valentine’s Day or an anniversary. In addition to offering a Makeup box and Accessories box subscription, the company also reflects a more intimate approach with its Intimates box, which includes socks, panties, loungewear and tanks. Boxes include 4 to 5 premium essentials that are “handpicked” to match the preferences you choose.
Sock Panda: For sock fanatics, half the fun is seeing the sock surprises in the mail and the other half is showing off the unique designs and styles that come on a monthly basis. Gift subscriptions are available for both men and women.
Creating a pickURgift Reverse Wishlist™ truly comes in handy as you browse the endless number of gift subscription boxes. Select a number of options for a loved one and friend, and send them a list so they can choose what they’d like the best.
To help with your gift list-making, a helpful resource for choosing the best gift box subscriptions is found here, a site comprised of numerous user reviews.
If you’re interested in any of the gift boxes mentioned above, check out the pickURgift extended list of gift subscription boxes, which has all the links and additional suggestions.
Have you ever bought or received a gift box subscription?
Do you have one to recommend?