Subscription Boxes for Father's Day:
A Great Gift Idea or More Trouble Than They're Worth?
A subscription box seems like such a perfect gift for Dad this Father's Day.
But before you sign him up, be sure you're making the right decision.
Here, I warn about the dark side of the trendy forever transaction that keeps on giving, and giving, and giving.
By Robbie Kellman Baxter
With Father's Day coming up on Sunday, people everywhere are scrambling to find a great gift for Dad. Subscription boxes seem like the perfect present for fathers and with good reason; subscription services are busy heavily marketing to this consumer group. A quick online search this time of year offers a multitude of specialized subscription offers curated just for Dad. From personal care boxes loaded with manly products, to monthly microbrew deliveries, to frozen pasture-raised meat memberships, there's an offering available for every father out there. Subscription boxes are popular because they seem like such an easy, smart gift idea, but a word of caution to would-be subscribers everywhere: Get the facts about subscription boxes before you sign Dad up for a membership.
Subscription boxes aren't the no-fail gift idea they're cracked up to be—especially when you'll be gifting them to your father. In theory, they're a great Father's Day gift option. But often they're not a perfect fit for every consumer. Further, subscription box companies know you need to get your dad something for Father's Day, so they are marketing to that need right now. So before you sign him up for that razor subscription, be sure you're making the right choice.
With more than 9,000 subscription boxes promising curated selections optimized for specific interests, more and more people are prone to subscription fatigue. Consumers struggle to keep track of all their memberships while bemoaning the fact that many businesses are now forcing them to subscribe instead of buy. After a while, managing all those subscriptions becomes exhausting, overwhelming, and unnecessary.
Your father could very well be delighted with a subscription box gift. But be sure to think carefully about which subscription you end up choosing, because there are a lot of options available, and unfortunately they are not all created equally.
If you do decide to buy a subscription box package for your father on Father's Day, you'll likely be able to find a great one that will delight Dad. But first, ask these important questions:
Is Dad going to appreciate the subscription box model? Does your father enjoy frequently getting new stuff, or is he hard to shop for because he doesn't really need or want much?
Dad may not want a monthly subscription for more stuff. Does he really need a scent of the month each month? Or a series of new pocket squares? Probably not. If this is the case, make sure that whatever subscription you choose will truly resonate with him. Otherwise, it could miss the mark horribly.
Is it a product and community he really cares about (and will use)? First of all, make sure that the items in the box are the kinds of things your dad will actually use. If he loves milk chocolate, but the box contains chocolates of all varieties as well as chocolate-themed t-shirts, posters, and socks, he might not enjoy it as much. At that point, it's just more junk in his house that he doesn't want or need. But if the box contains new varieties of milk chocolate—you might hit a bull's-eye with Dad!
Who is going to continue the payments—you or him? The tricky thing about subscription boxes is that someone will be dealing with a monthly charge. Unless you plan to pick up the tab forever, Dad is going to wind up getting harassed to subscribe himself. It's important to think about this factor before you sign him up.
Remember, your father has not given permission for the subscription box company to mail, bill, or otherwise contact him. So protect your dad's inbox, mail, and phone by making sure all communications about billing go to you and not to him. If he likes the box and wants to subscribe after your gift runs out, you can always help him set it up. And it gives you a reason to reach out to him again, which of course is what he really wants anyway!
Do the quantities make sense? One shortfall among some subscription services is that they force you to receive more product than you can use in a month's time. Certain companies have made a (bad) name for themselves by sending products faster than their customers can use up their previous shipments. Don't sign your father up for boxes that can't be customized to suit his needs.
Does the company hide the cancel button? Many subscription box services make it difficult to unsubscribe by hiding the cancel button or the customer service contact information. Be sure to choose a highly rated service that makes it easy for your dad to manage his subscription or cancel outright when the time comes.
Companies should never build brand loyalty by making it hard for customers to manage their relationships or end those relationships when they aren't working. Before signing your father up, check out their cancellation policy. It should be very easy to unsubscribe or get in touch with customer service whenever there's a problem. But if you can't find the cancel button, steer clear!
Is the company committed to keeping the customer at the center of its business? Many subscription boxes fall short on providing a well-curated product. A good subscription has a forever promise—that the company will "help you achieve your goal" and "treat you fairly and like a friend" in exchange for recurring revenue commitment. But too many of these companies either serve a goal you don't really have or take advantage of your trust—and that gives memberships a bad name.
Subscription boxes look like a win-win solution at first blush, but the reality can be much trickier. Make sure that the subscription you choose for your father really does suit his needs and lifestyle, and will continue to do so month after month. And remember that in the case of subscription boxes, a seemingly great forever subscription could end up being a big headache that Dad doesn't want or need.
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About the Author:
Robbie Kellman Baxter is the author of The Membership Economy: Find Your Superusers, Master the Forever Transaction, and Build Recurring Revenue. She is the founder of Peninsula Strategies LLC, a consulting firm based in Menlo Park, CA, that helps companies excel in the Membership Economy. Her clients have included large organiza¬tions like Netflix, SurveyMonkey, and Yahoo!, as well as smaller venture-backed start-ups. Over the course of her career, Robbie has worked in or consulted with clients in more than 20 industries.
Before starting Peninsula Strategies in 2001, Robbie served as a New York City Urban Fellow, a consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton, and a Silicon Valley product marketer. As a public speaker, Robbie has presented to thousands of people in corporations, associations, and universities.
Robbie has been quoted in or written articles for major media out¬lets, including CNN, Consumer Reports, NPR, and HBR.com. She has an AB from Harvard College and an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.
For more information, visit www.peninsulastrategies.com.
About the Book:
The Membership Economy: Find Your Superusers, Master the Forever Transaction, and Build Recurring Revenue (McGraw-Hill Education, 2015, ISBN: 978-0-071-83932-7, $28.00, www.membershipeconomy.com) is available from major online booksellers.
