Birchbox April 2014 - SPOILERS

[meaganola]

I think if BB were to do an allergy category, it would open themselves up to a lot of potential/harmful trouble.. What if they sent a product out that they believed was ok for a nut allergy but there was the 'possible cross contamination from machinery' warning they didn't know about and then someone had a horrible reaction. That's a huge responsibility for a company that is a sampling service.. Know what I mean? My youngest can't have dairy and I read all labels for her.. Many times she can't eat things and that's just how it is. I think the only real solution is if they made an option that would be for you to receive zero food items, ever. Then there is no risk. I have one box that should be here soon and two with clicky trucks but no updated info. I hope I get a liner, I didn't get any liner emails.

Unless someone packing non-food boxes had a peanut butter sandwich and then touched the box contents or breathed on them. I think it's probably just easier to not have any of this because even putting an allergen-free category would open them up to lawsuits, and then they look at the cost and challenges of guaranteeing allergen-free boxes versus not pursuing that market, and that's when they throw up their hands and say, "Screw it. Peanut butter and perfume for all."

 

[meaganola]

I wonder if the allergy problem with BB is that they don't want the responsibility. If they start accommodating for allergies they would probably end up being legally responsible if something accidentally got sent to someone allergic to an item.

You said what I meant much more concisely!

 

[bluemustang]

I wonder if the allergy problem with BB is that they don't want the responsibility. If they start accommodating for allergies they would probably end up being legally responsible if something accidentally got sent to someone allergic to an item.

Yes! That's what I was trying to say.

Unless someone packing non-food boxes had a peanut butter sandwich and then touched the box contents or breathed on them. I think it's probably just easier to not have any of this because even putting an allergen-free category would open them up to lawsuits, and then they look at the cost and challenges of guaranteeing allergen-free boxes versus not pursuing that market, and that's when they throw up their hands and say, "Screw it. Peanut butter and perfume for all."

very true.. And that could happen from any online order from any retailer or even grocery shopping at the store or using a pen at the bank... It's a huge undertaking to guarantee something to be allergen free. I feel so badly for those that are so sensitive. /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 

[KatieKat]

Hi everybody! I've been lurking for a long time now, but finally decided to jump in on the fun. Finally got my tracking info for today and can't wait to see what's in my box this month!

 

[Lorenk]

So can anyone explain why some boxes have 5 items and others have 8? are the boxes with more items all going to be foils? but that still doesn't make it fair as far as the points go

 

[trustlust]

Quote: Originally Posted by Lorenk /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  So can anyone explain why some boxes have 5 items and others have 8? are the boxes with more items all going to be foils? but that still doesn't make it fair as far as the points go
When I was looking yesterday, there were still some 4 item boxes. It's just hit or miss. It's something you should expect and prepare for. Some are going to get more items than others. But no worries, next time, it could be you getting the large box.

 

[trustlust]

Did we ever figure out why some were being shipped USPS and some being shipped UPS? 2 of my boxes are USPS, but my main one is UPS. Hmm...

 

[puppymomofthree]

Quote: Originally Posted by KatieKat /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  Hi everybody! I've been lurking for a long time now, but finally decided to jump in on the fun. Finally got my tracking info for today and can't wait to see what's in my box this month!
Welcome!  Hope you get a great box!

 

[bronzeandblush]

Quote: Originally Posted by trustlust /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  Did we ever figure out why some were being shipped USPS and some being shipped UPS? 2 of my boxes are USPS, but my main one is UPS. Hmm...
I wonder if it has to do with weight?

 

[nikkimouse]

2 accounts still no clicky trucks   one account is getting the silver eyeliner they sent an email about at the end of last month

 

[itsMac]

I'm one of the allergy-bubble-babies....tree nuts are my trigger (youuuu sneaky hazelnut), but I avoid peanuts just to be safe. I know it's not feasible for BB to completely eliminate nuts from their lifestyle products- it would eliminate quite a few protein bars, trail mixes, etc, and then my pesky allergy takes away nuts from everyone else! (I've heard about missing out on PB all my life...ditto nutella...you nut-tolerant people looooove nutella!)

...in an ideal BB world, I could click a button on  my profile that says "No nuts for me! Opt me out of this month's Find!", but they have thousands of subscribers, so it's not logical. Imagine if they had an allergy box for skin care...I would feel super bad for their assembly team!

My best friend and bottomless-pit-of-a-little-brother happily take my stuff with nuts and I play with the beauty stuff /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 

[meaganola]

When I was looking yesterday, there were still some 4 item boxes. It's just hit or miss. It's something you should expect and prepare for. Some are going to get more items than others. But no worries, next time, it could be you getting the large box.

In my experience, things do balance out in the long run. Someone might get an eight-item box this month while you get five, but then they will get five-item boxes for three months in a row after that while you get six-item boxes. Or the eight-item boxes will have foils of a skincare system no one is excited about for any reason other than the points, and the five-item boxes will have awesome coveted items.

 

[trustlust]

Quote: Originally Posted by bronzeandblush /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  I wonder if it has to do with weight?
Well, I just looked, and the UPS site wasn't picking up my tracking info. I plugged the numbers into USPS tracking and voila! There's my shipping info. But when I click my email it says 'UPS' and when I click the tracking link, it takes me to the UPS site.

 

[Brianna448]

I agree that it would be a huge liability for BB to claim that products were free from major allergens.  Especially with all the natural plant-based products, it would be impossible to know for sure that there was no trace of say, peanut in any of the processing facilities or cross-contamination for all the products they send out.  

Sidenote:  Am I late to the game on this one, or is there a bunch of new Cynthia Rowley stuff in the shop?  I'm pretty excited about that!  

I got an eyeliner email, and I'm impatiently waiting for the boxes to update!  

 

[notapoet]

This was my second month getting two boxes. I got box 10 for both of my boxes. I'm kind of okay with that because it has products I really wanted to try(Supergoop! CC cream and Beauty Protector detangler. I'm meh about the eyeliner and food, but definitely do not want the nail polish. It is a great box, I just think getting two was too much of a good thing. If I e-mailed Birchbox, how do they usually respond to questions duplicate boxes?

 

[AshJs3]

Ugh. I feel like we're having the allergy conversation every month. As long as it is sealed, I don't see a problem. People with allergies go into grocery stores just fine. I think a reasonable accommodation like having stuff in a sealed package is plenty. If you are allergic, don't open it, throw it away. I don't like any kind of nuts, so anything I get from any sub box with nuts gets thrown away. Simple.

 

[bwgraham]

Received one of my boxes today. The shampoo and masque seem to be one item? It says on the card that it was added as a bonus under the shampoo so will have to wait to see if we gets points tomorrow

 

[jennm149]

Quote: Originally Posted by Lorenk /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  So can anyone explain why some boxes have 5 items and others have 8? are the boxes with more items all going to be foils? but that still doesn't make it fair as far as the points go

I got a box that had 7 items in it one month, but three were considered a "kit" (it was the Davine's products).  Seems to be the same this month ...

Quote: Originally Posted by bwgraham /img/forum/go_quote.gif

Received one of my boxes today. The shampoo and masque seem to be one item? It says on the card that it was added as a bonus under the shampoo so will have to wait to see if we gets points tomorrow

Those of us who got the Davines kit could only review the kit as a whole.  So while there were 7 things in my box that month, I could only do 4 review.

 

[jesemiaud]

This was my second month getting two boxes. I got box 10 for both of my boxes. I'm kind of okay with that because it has products I really wanted to try(Supergoop! CC cream and Beauty Protector detangler. I'm meh about the eyeliner and food, but definitely do not want the nail polish. It is a great box, I just think getting two was too much of a good thing. If I e-mailed Birchbox, how do they usually respond to questions duplicate boxes?

They don't guarantee that you won't get duplicate boxes. It's the risk you take for having more than one sub.Perhaps you can do a full box trade with someone.

 

[Bizgirlva]

Quote: Originally Posted by itsMac /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  I'm one of the allergy-bubble-babies....tree nuts are my trigger (youuuu sneaky hazelnut), but I avoid peanuts just to be safe. I know it's not feasible for BB to completely eliminate nuts from their lifestyle products- it would eliminate quite a few protein bars, trail mixes, etc, and then my pesky allergy takes away nuts from everyone else! (I've heard about missing out on PB all my life...ditto nutella...you nut-tolerant people looooove nutella!)

...in an ideal BB world, I could click a button on  my profile that says "No nuts for me! Opt me out of this month's Find!", but they have thousands of subscribers, so it's not logical. Imagine if they had an allergy box for skin care...I would feel super bad for their assembly team!

My best friend and bottomless-pit-of-a-little-brother happily take my stuff with nuts and I play with the beauty stuff /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />
I'm slightly allergic to pecans, which is weird because, prior to allergy testing I never knew it.  I still can eat/handle them etc. but when I had allergy testing last year they popped on my arm.  I'm also allergic to my cat, but I still keep him around too.  

Point is, I agree, it seems it would be impossible to eliminate all the potential allergy causing products in a service like Birchbox.