Subscribe to the Latest Trend: Subscription Boxes

They’re the latest trend: Subscription boxes. These days you can get almost anything sent to your doorstep in a subscription box. From the looks straight from the runway to the hottest beauty products to video games and toys, the subscription box market is overflowing with options for high-quality box services.

The logistics behind subscription boxes doesn’t have to be complicated. R+L Global Logistics can help you with warehousing and fulfillment for your trend subscription box service. Learn what to consider when seeking a warehousing solution for your subscription box.

What is a Subscription Box?

A subscription box is a recurring delivery of products sent to consumers. Products are usually niche and related. Subscription boxes are used as a marketing strategy and as a way to distribute products. The subscription box industry is based on e-commerce business model.

Subscription boxes are a fairly easy system. In fact, subscribing is so easy, it’s scary. In short, a customer:

• Agrees to sign up for a monthly service
• Fills out a short survey about their likes and personal preferences
• Receives a monthly box in the mail that caters to those preferences.

According to research, 15 percent of online consumers subscribe to at least one subscription box. The subscription e-commerce model is a growing trend, and has scaled 100 percent in the past 5 years. By resonating with customers through individual tastes, subscription box services guarantee that their cancellation turnover rate is extremely low.

There are subscription boxes geared toward all kinds of customers. Boxes can cater to a wide range of interests and needs. There are an estimated 400 to 600 subscription boxes available to consumers in the U.S. alone. These boxes vary in cost and how often they’re distributed. Some subscription boxes cost as little as $10, others cost as much as $100. This means that subscription boxes are available to a wide range of consumers.

Despite the wide appeal, the typical subscription box customer has a profile. E-commerce box subscribers tend to be younger urban dwellers with disposable cash. Subscription box subscribers are likely to live in the Northeastern U.S. They likely have incomes of $50,000 to $100,000. Additionally box subscribers are most likely 29 to 44 years old. Women are more likely to subscribe to e-commerce boxes, making up 60 percent of subscribers.

Popular subscription boxes on the market today include:

• Meal kit services, like Blue Apron, Home Chef and Hello Fresh
• Hygiene product services like Dollar Shave Club, Harry’s and LOLA
• Beauty subscription boxes like Ipsy, Birchbox and Allure
• Fashion subscription boxes like Stitch Fix, Le Tote, Trunk Club and Dia and Co.
• Hobby subscription boxes like Loot Crate, Goddess Provisions and Paper Kitty
• Lifestyle subscription boxes like Fab Fit Fun, Causebox and Yoga Club
• Pet subscription boxes like Bark Box and Kit Nip Box

In most cases, you can buy subscription boxes directly from the company that issues them. You can also find subscription boxes online from a number of different retailers including Amazon, Target and Walmart.
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What Makes Trend Subscription Boxes so Popular?

There are a number of factors that make subscription boxes so popular. In fact, many consumers find subscription boxes addictive. Things that make subscription boxes so attractive to consumers include:

• Value: Subscription box companies are able to negotiate special prices with product vendors and they pass the savings along to their commerce subscribers. The monthly fee for a subscription box might be less than the value of the products contained in the box. In fact, the box’s contents might have value that is triple or even quadruple what you paid for the box.
• Trying out new things: A subscription box catered to your tastes allows consumers to try new things and discover new products they might never have known about otherwise.
• Mystery and fun: There’s something to be said about the mystery that comes with getting a box of surprises in the mail each month or quarter. Subscription boxes let consumers by themselves a gift and still be surprised when they open the box.
• Convenience: Let’s face it. Brick and mortar stores are falling by the wayside. Most consumers do their shopping online, everything from grocery shopping to clothes and electronics. Delivery services like subscription boxes easily fall into that new convenient way of life.
• Curated goods: No matter what you’re interested in, there’s a subscription box on the commerce market for you. You might find that the best boxes come with cards offering a description and explanation for each item. Many boxes have a monthly theme, too.

With some many available options, interesting features and affordable price points, it’s easy to see why subscription boxes are on trend. Subscription boxes and the subscription model are a smart move for many growing commerce businesses.

Most subscription boxes contain between 4 and 7 items. Items can vary from sample items to full size goods, it all depends on the box. If your box contains samples size items, they are usually deluxe samples -- not like the freebies you might get from other vendors.

Staying on Trend: Subscription Box Fulfillment Solutions

If you’re scaling a subscription box service, you might be wondering how to make it easier. One way to make growing your number of subscriptions and business easy to to leave the fulfillment and distribution services of your box to the pros.

When you leave the logistics of sending out your subscription boxes to the pros, you’re getting rid of the legwork. Your boxes are professionally assembled, with each component being carefully added to your specification. From there, boxes are shipping out directly to your customers.

R+L Global Logistics is prepared to offer you a solution to your subscription box fulfillment quandaries. Learn why R+L Global is the perfect partner for your subscription box needs and what you need to consider when choosing fulfillment and distribution services.  

When you’re looking for a fulfillment solution for your subscription box, you’ll want to keep a few things in mind. Most importantly, you should look for fulfillment and distribution partner than provides kitting and assembly services.

• Kitting is the process of putting items together to make a product, like a subscription box, ready to ship. All of the separate items in the box are assembled together and shipped out as a single item. Some fulfillment centers might call kitting product building.
• Assembly is the act to putting a kit together. Your subscription box is assembled and sent out as a single item. Getting the box’s components ready and prepping it for shipment is referred to as assembly.

The benefits of letting a professional fulfillment and distribution partner handle your subscription box abound. The reasons you might choose to leave the logistics to the pros include:

• No more counting and sorting: Your fulfillment and distribution partner will keep inventory of your stock before packing. They’ll count it and sort it, getting it ready to be assembled into the box. You’ll have a third-party managing the entire inventory process. This is less work for you and your growing subscription box company.
• Less staffing needs: Instead of paying a people to prepare your boxes for shipment, you’ll be paying a company. This means you’ll be paying an expense and not an employee. No more managing people, checking timesheets, tax forms and human resources needs.
• Quality services: When you’re working with an experienced fulfillment and distribution partner, you’ll get quality services each and every time. Working with a fulfillment and distribution partner means less errors.
• No need for storage space: Working with a fulfillment and distribution partner means that you won’t have to store your items on site. The components of your subscription box are in a 3PL warehouse, eliminating your need for storage and security.

Now that you know the benefits of working with a fulfillment and distribution partner, let’s look at some of the things to look for in a partner.
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What to Look for in a Fulfillment and Distribution Partner

Many subscription box companies handle the packing, fulfillment and distribution of their boxes internally. As subscribers grow, this can became a daunting task. When the subscriber rolls reach 500 or so, it might be time to leave the logistics to the pros.

Other signs it's time to start looking for outsource your fulfillment and distribution include:

• Not enough time: If you’re spending more time working on fulfillment distribution than you are on scaling your business, it might be time to outsource these services.
• Uneven sales: If your business is booming around the holidays but slower in the summer, it  might be wise to outsource warehousing, fulfillment and distribution. It might not make sense for your business to run and staff its own warehouse, especially during the slower times.
• Not the right infrastructure: If you’re growing and scaling your subscription box business, you’re probably more focused on sourcing products and curating goods than warehousing. Let your fulfillment and distribution partner meet your logistics needs and take advantage of their established infrastructure.

Choosing a fulfillment and distribution partner can be a big deal. No one cares about your business as much as you do, so it can be difficult to find a partner you can trust. How do you know what to look for when choosing a professional fulfillment and distribution partner? Consider the following items when looking for an outside company to handle the legwork for you.

Accuracy and Timeliness

You want your subscription box to get to consumers at the same time each month. Additionally, you need your box to be accurate. A professional fulfillment and distribution partner should be able to accommodate both of these needs. R+L Global Logistics can ensure the accuracy of your shipment by relying combined decades of warehousing and fulfillment experiences. Additionally, our network of distribution and fulfillment centers can ensure quick delivery.

Additionally, R+L Global Logistics can leverage the latest in warehousing technology to keep your inventory, orders and distribution timely and accurate. The items are picked accurately, placed in the correct box, and finally sent out to the correct customer.

Professionalism and Experience

You want to choose a warehousing, fulfillment and distribution partner with values similar to your company. You customers care about receiving their products accurately and on time, but they also care about the experience. They want to see the attention and care that go into each box to make it perfect. R+L Global Logistics understands this and shares your values. If your customers are happy, R+L Global is happy.

Easy to Use

Your warehousing, fulfillment and distribution partner is there to make managing your subscription box service easy. Through technology, R+L Global can integrate with your platform to take advantage of easy management. R+L Global Logistics can pick up your inventory and bring it to the fulfillment center or you can send it directly. After arrival at the fulfillment center, R+L Global Logistics staff take inventory and store your items. Professional staff take care in assembling your boxes, printing and applying labels and sending out boxes to the right consumer. To oversee the process from the business’s end, all you have to do is click a mouse.

Customer Service

R+L Global Logistics is dedicated to providing exceptional customer service. As a specialized organization, your business is a meaningful part of what happens in R+L Global’s fulfillment and distribution centers. R+L Global is connected to customers it a unique was and maintains open lines of communication and transparency throughout the entire warehousing, fulfillment and distribution process.

Why Take Advantage of R+L Global’s Services for your Subscription Box?

R+L Global Logistics offers the services you are looking for in a warehousing, fulfillment and distribution partner. With R+L Global’s kitting and assembly services, you can leave the logistics of your subscription box to the professionals.

There are a number of reasons why you might work with R+L Global to scale your subscription box business. These reasons include:

• Locations to serve you: R+L Global Logistics has fulfillment and distribution centers located across the country. Chances are there’s a R+L Global warehouse or partner facility located somewhere near you. Learn more about R+L Global Logistics fulfillment and distribution, including their facility locations.
• Control and visibility: R+L Global offers customers access to unique logistics management software. This lets you track your subscription box components in the warehouse. You can have instant access to inventory information and more through this state-of-the-art software solution.
• Cost-effective packaging: Your costs are reduced when your subscription box ships out as a kit in your brand’s packaging. This can result in a cost savings to you.
• Customer service and quick response to demand: R+L Global Logistics 3PL warehouses and partner facilities rely on efficient design and processes to make assembly your subscription boxes simple and effective. These process ensure accuracy and decrease packing times. You’ll be able to respond to growing demand with top-notch service.
• Mistake and hassle-free services: R+L Global has the experience and professionalism to make your warehousing, fulfillment and distribution processes simple. Errors are practically non-existent. When items are shipped out in a kit or subscription box, the need to weigh and label each item is removed. Labels for each box can be preprinted to make the process even smoother. Taking advantage of these streamlined steps can reduce the chance of error.

There’s more to managing your subscription box than sourcing items and putting them in a box. Outsourcing your subscription box kitting and assembly can save you both money and hassle. However, it’s important to know that subscription box  kitting and assembly takes experience and expertise. A skilled kitting and assembly provider like R+L Global can help put your subscription boxes together in a way that resonates with your consumers.

There are many reasons why you might rely on R+L Global’s kitting and assembly services to make the most of your subscription box business. Value-added services like kitting, assembly and repackaging are valuable parts of fulfillment and distribution. Call R+L Global Logistics at (866) 989-3082, email or chat today for additional information or to get started with logistics services.
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