The Beginner’s Guide to Subscription Boxes

If you’re active on social media, chances are you’ve seen subscription boxes on your feed. Subscription boxes are an incredible way to deliver products to your customers in an appealing manner. Custom Boxes Now provides custom subscription boxes for you to fill with your products and send to your loyal customers. With our in-house design, manufacturing and delivery services, you can create boxes that make your brand stand out. 

What Is a Subscription Box?

A subscription box is a curated package delivered to customers regularly — usually weekly or monthly, but the frequency is up to you and your customers! Subscription boxes are generally part of a subscription plan. Each box contains a selection of products tailored to a specific theme, interest or need, offering a convenient and exciting way for customers to discover new items.

Businesses use subscription boxes to build brand loyalty, engage customers, and create a sense of excitement and anticipation with every delivery. Subscription boxes are also a great way to boost content marketing, as some of your loyal customers may share their new items on social media. 

Subscription boxes can be used for just about anything! What goes inside is totally up to you, but some common subscription box themes include:

Surprise style: Surprise your customers with an unexpected assortment — the mystery is part of the fun.
Curated collections: Assemble a cohesive array of products to form an aesthetically pleasing experience.
Big savings: Gather a collection of products at a reduced price so that subscribers can save money with their monthly haul.

Subscription Box Design

Creating a unique subscription box is key to making a long-lasting impression on your customers. With Custom Boxes Now, you can fully customize your subscription boxes to suit your and your customers’ needs. 

You can choose from various materials, print options and strengths to ensure your products are safe, secure, appealing and aligned with your brand. We make it easy for you to design a subscription box that stands out to your customers. 

When to Ship Subscription Boxes

Many businesses choose to send out monthly subscription boxes, but this is not the only option to consider. You might send them out weekly, every other month or even every six months. The timing will depend on your product, business model and customer preferences. Be sure to communicate your schedule clearly and stick to a regular timeframe, as your customers expect consistency.

What Should I Ship in My Subscription Box?

Basically, subscription boxes can either be an entire business themselves or serve as a wonderful incentive for customers who want to try many different products before committing to the one that works best for them. Popular items include things like:

“X” of the month subscriptions.
Samples of more expensive beauty products.
Seasonal houseplants, flower arrangements or wreaths.
Surprise boxes that include something like a perfect date night!
Curated collections of snacks from different parts of the world.

Subscription boxes work well for small businesses wanting to get their names out there and for larger, more high-end companies that offer products many people can’t afford a “full size” of. They’re also a great way for out-of-state customers to get something close to an “in-store” experience — except this time, the store comes to them!

How to Ship Subscription Boxes

One of the most important subscription box business tips? Just because you don’t have a brick-and-mortar store doesn’t mean you don’t have a storefront. It just becomes the box itself! Since customers aren’t coming to your store to pick up their items, the box may be their first interaction with your company. What impression sounds better to you? A weather-beaten, nondescript brown box that they guess might be their subscription package, or a branded, glossy and even personalized box in bright colors that they want to document on social media and share with all their friends? Yeah, we thought so.

Make sure you’re taking advantage of all the “real estate” offered by the boxes themselves — we’ve seen companies print instructions on the inner lid, include confetti inside or even allow the box to be part of the package. For example, we love the idea of folding a box into a flower pot for plant subscriptions!

Subscription boxes are a fun, social-media-friendly way to keep your company’s name in your customers’ heads — and they significantly reduce the majority of costs commonly associated with running a business. Before you commit to running a subscription service of your own, ask yourself the following:

Can your items be easily shipped?
Are you ready to consistently prepare and ship boxes every month, quarter or whatever shipping schedule you decide on?
What image and message do you want to convey to your customers with your box?

Think your business has what it takes to be the next booming success in the subscription box industry? Then, by all means, let’s chat!

Why Customize Your Subscription Boxes?

While the quality of your products is crucial, sticking with standard packaging means you’ll miss out on some of the most valuable benefits of a subscription box system. The benefits of custom subscription box printing include:

Customer experience: Subscription boxes offer a taste of glamor and the thrill of mystery as your subscribers eagerly discover what’s stored inside. They elevate the “unboxing” experience and ensure customers feel like they’re receiving a special gift from the moment they spot your unique packaging.
Bespoke design: A custom box also ensures that your package is tailor-made to fit the products inside, with a clean and professional finish. Your subscription packaging boxes are the first glimpse customers will have of your brand — seize the opportunity to impress and delight them.
Differentiate your offering: Custom subscription box packaging is an essential way to showcase how you’re different. Between books, clothing, cosmetics and craft beers, almost every niche industry offers a multitude of subscription boxes to choose from. To stand out, you need to curate a unique package down to the very last detail. Bright colors and beautiful images will create a memorable first impression that can turn one-time subscribers into loyal customers.
Brand visibility: When you create a custom subscription box, you can tailor every detail to match your brand. Colors, logos, artwork and messaging can help customers recognize your brand immediately. The more familiar they become with your company, the more they will resonate with your product and brand. 
Curated specifically for your products: Your packaging should perfectly complement the products inside. A standard-fit brown kraft box won’t exactly send the right message if your digital brand is built on luxury and aesthetics. With custom subscription box packaging, you can ensure that every detail of your box builds on your theme and aligns with your brand.
Content marketing: An aesthetically pleasing subscription box is far likelier to end up displayed on a customer’s newsfeed. This visual appeal can strengthen your marketing efforts and create a buzz around your service. With the popularity of online shopping and the persuasive nature of social media, creating Instagram-worthy content isn’t just a perk — it’s a must.

Create Your Custom Subscription Boxes With Just a Few Clicks

Custom Boxes Now offers in-house design, manufacturing and delivery services to create the custom boxes of your choice. Using our simple online box configuration tool, you can craft unique packaging that showcases what your brand has to offer. 

Start your own project with our subscription box maker, or contact us today and we’ll answer all your questions.