Auto-refill type products and programs have been around as long as I can remember. However, around 2009 the internet made it much easier, and the packaging industry started calling them subscription boxes, or “sub boxes”. It became an ideal way for consumers to receive the products they use on a regular basis, such as personal care, over the counter medications, and even food/treat items like candy and cookies. In many cases a commitment was made by the consumer for an extended length of time in exchange for a reduced unit price, or simply for the convenience.
We started our company in 2007 and soon recognized this as a high growth area for our fledgling company. We quickly became recognized for being on the forefront of the subscription box trend that seemed to explode overnight. In 2011 we started producing a box for a California based company named Conscious Box. They shipped out a variety of healthy snacks and treats to their subscriber customers, on a monthly basis. That company enjoyed great early success, and their business model was copied by many companies, shipping a wide variety of products.
Initially there were two different types of subscription box programs:
Sub Boxes shipping multiples of the same product.
A great example is men and women’s razor blades for shaving. Their popularity and success was all about convenience and a more economical price. These are typically the items we are likely to forget when we are at the grocery store. Another driver was uncommon or hard to find products such as specialty teas and coffees. I admit my wife and I still order our favorite coffee in bulk from Puerto Rico because it is almost impossible to find here in the Chicago area.
Sub Boxes shipping different mixed products.
This is when order fulfillment aka pick and pack operations, came to be. The first generations were often healthy, eco-friendly snack boxes like the ones produced by Conscious Box. These snack boxes often provided a mixed assortment of products like energy bars, nuts, bagged dried fruits or trail mix type, healthy foods. It was an excellent way to try new products to determine your favorites.
The Evolution of Sub Boxes
For a while it seemed everyone was creating and marketing a new sub box. Not only to provide specific products but also for specific markets and people. Over the years we have helped launch markets for parents of new born babies, brides to be, first responders, teachers, grandparents, college students, hair dressers, and just about any career or vocation.
Winners and Losers.
As in any booming market there is a natural “thinning of the herd”, with unsuccessful companies disappearing and others becoming wildly successful. Four of the reasons why some did well, and others didn’t include:
- Esthetics – some boxes looked great, and others quite frankly did not. Brand owners started printing multiple colors, inside and outside their die cut mailers.
- Better, stronger box designs – Shippers realized how a well manufactured box could eliminate shipping damage, and all of the associated replacement costs.
- Internal protective packaging grew in importance – eliminating loose fill or expensive ancillary packaging such as bubble wrap, reduced labor while providing a better presentation.
- Reduced shipping costs – Initially boxes were oversized, as we call it, “just in case”. Shippers discovered shipping cost was a major expense, so they started creating more compact boxes saving packaging, storage and shipping expenses.
How we helped change the subscription box trend.
In the beginning, I recall speaking with a box producer who told me that no one prints the inside of a die cut shipping box. Today, most direct to consumer companies do print the interior, in fact the corrugated printing equipment industry now creates presses that can print the inside and outside of a box in one pass making two-sided print designs more affordable. (See first related post below)
We have led the industry in designing and developing better internal packaging to display and protect products during shipment. Check out our gallery to see just a handful of designs we have created for companies like yours.
In terms of esthetics, no one does it better. Whether your graphic design is best printed litho label, flexographic, digital or any combination of those three, we guarantee you will be thrilled with the finished product. For example, we were on of the first companies to print white ink on kraft board and today, we are the go-to company for unusual colors and finishes.
With low minimums (1,000 for most boxes) and expert personal advice, we have helped thousands of customers create millions of beautiful, cost-effective boxes. Contact us through this link or call us at 630-551-1700 to speak to a real human. You will never reach a voice mail recording or suffer through a DIY program at Salazar Packaging.
Related posts:
https://www.salazarpackaging.com/free-inside-print-on-e-commerce-boxes/
https://www.salazarpackaging.com/the-e-commerce-white-ink-on-kraft-board-people/
https://www.salazarpackaging.com/creative-dtc-packaging-design-now-can-create-huge-savings-later/
https://www.salazarpackaging.com/3pl-fulfillment-friendly-packaging-design/