Things to Do
Micro: Three tips for a better subscription box experience
Loot Crate is a monthly subscription service that sends out geeky items such as collectible toys, comic books and video game redemption codes. Credit: Loot Crate, Inc.
I got hooked on subscription box services such as Loot Crate, Birchbox and NatureBox this year. For a fee, you get a monthly box in the mail of curated goods, be it geeky toys, cosmetics and fashion samples, or healthy snacks.
Whether you find you got your money's worth may vary from month to month, but here are three tips I've learned from using them that may be helpful if you're considering trying a subscription box service.
- Learn when to pause. Rather than cancel a subscription, some services give you the option to pause it and skip the fee for a month or longer. I do this when I find my pantry overloaded with NatureBox snacks.
- Give it away. I typically give out half the items in my Loot Crate subscription to friends or co-workers. It keeps clutter from piling up, and I get to pick the stuff I really want to hold on to.
- Mark a cancel date. If you're doing a trial subscription or were gifted a free set of boxes, mark your calendar with the date when your subscription expires so you can decide a few days in advance whether to continue. You don't want to get auto-charged against your wishes if the service has your credit card information.
In this space every week, we’ll define a tech term, offer a timely tip or answer questions about technology from readers. Email ogallaga@statesman.com.
