Birchbox October 2012

[MissLindaJean]

 Ugh... I have a friend that subs to BB, and she complained about a full-size lipstick (b/c she doesn't wear lipstick) and then complained about tinted moisturizer (ditto). I finally asked her why she subscribed to BB. Basically, there was a very narrow range of stuff she was curious to try, and that basically was only curly hair product and chapstick... Some expectations are whack.

Lol.. tell her to try curlbox or a hair sub. Then go to a drugstore with $10 and buy some chapstick lol.

 

[spmblueeyez]

Originally Posted by AuntOly /img/forum/go_quote.gif

I was one of the people who complained on facebook, in particular about the paper flower sample. I just got off the phone with birchbox who told me people are loving the sample and size and are rushing to their site to buy the product, they also, for some reason, felt the need to tell me that full size lip glosses don't have that much product in them, so the small sample should not matter. Like that makes a difference when they're giving a sample the size of a baby aspirin

I'll be right there with you. As I said before the one box I will use nothing out of, which I mean, I pay to be surprised so hey, but my issue is with that little tiny sample that I already got for free from Sephora. At least in MY birchbox history, this is THE smallest sample ever. And I was one who got the half-empty tube of Dr Jart (which they replaced with two more half empties lol) but that even had more product than this "sample." That is my only complaint with my box, and had I known that would be included in a curated box, I would never have opted in. (And knowing my luck probably would have gotten it anyway.)

 

[yanelib27]

Originally Posted by mjkdior713 /img/forum/go_quote.gif

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

Do you mean me, the original comment maker or both? Myself, I sub.
both, yes. 

Currently a subber yes, and canceled one account so I have 2 left. And I am not sure yet if I will cancel these as well. 

 

[yanelib27]

Originally Posted by katie danielle /img/forum/go_quote.gif

Quote: Originally Posted by yanelib27 /img/forum/go_quote.gif

My thought on the samples being sent out by Birchbox: It seems like their emphasis now is on having people subscribed only to make sales in their shop. Think about it, they send out crap, but people stay subscribed for the points. So they continue to send crap and yet are making tons of sales in their shop. I am assuming that was their plan all along. The shop must be where they make their money (profits), and so they do not care about the sample sizes/quality and satisfaction of their customers. This is just the beginning, it will NOT get better. So we have a decision to make, is spending money to get points worth it? We spend money every month, to get points, to spend even more money with Birchbox. Can you say SUCKERS?? 
The point is to get you to spend your money in their shop, it's not some secret conspiracy.

Read my comment again. I didnt say it was. 

 

[quene8106]

Originally Posted by camel11 /img/forum/go_quote.gif

 Ugh... I have a friend that subs to BB, and she complained about a full-size lipstick (b/c she doesn't wear lipstick) and then complained about tinted moisturizer (ditto). I finally asked her why she subscribed to BB. Basically, there was a very narrow range of stuff she was curious to try, and that basically was only curly hair product and chapstick... Some expectations are whack.

tell your friend to cancel bullshit box birchbox and join curlbox or curlkit. those are monthly curly haired subs and you get two full sized products along with samples every month. 

 

[yanelib27]

Originally Posted by AuntOly /img/forum/go_quote.gif I just got off the phone with birchbox who told me people are loving the sample and size and are rushing to their site to buy the product

lol ... ok! 

 

 

[zadidoll]

Originally Posted by beautynewbie /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Hey y'all I thought I would throw in my two cents as well. I am obviously new to MUT and it certainly has added to my whole birchbox experience. Enjoy readind all of yalls comments and suggestions. I have never been the best at understanding beauty and skincare. Case in point, at 33, I have only started properly removing my makeup for a couple of years( yea, that's pretty bad). That ramble is just to show how green I am in this are and recognize that when I stumbled upon BB I took it as a learning experience. A way to research and find my own beauty routine and try to see what was salvageable hey removing my makeup was a good first step right?

I've been with BB for several months and have found stuff I would have never used on my own. I guess not being a beauty product connoisseur, my expectations were not that high.

As someone said before, I made it my goal to give everything a chance and let myself be surprised. A few months ago I cancelled my sub after I got a box that had mostly self tanning products and a lifestyle sample. Being half brown, I had absolutely no use for it, as I am tanned year round. I was livid and felt Wronged. instead of complaining and sending my bad vives for others by bad mouthing the service, I cancelled quietly ( yea, I was punishing them in my mind ha!).

I resubbed 2 months ago and have been content with what I've got. My box this month is 20 and so far I can only see a couple of things in it. I am not blown away but others will get worse. Bottom line is they will never please us all and it is a business.if we were only getting the high value boxes we wouldn't make a peep. If you want full size items all the time, consider saving your ten bucks or more and buying whatever you covet and if BB and you must part ways then do so. If you're like me, you will be back lol.

Finally, I feel so bad for their CS and FB person( bless their hearts as we say around here

)lets all remember that being respectful, calm and adults will get us a better and quicker response than using language, threats or childlike behavior. Sorry my two cents ended up being more like ten.

You have valid points but here's something to consider. By keeping quiet and not complaining does that help the company improve their products or service? While some complaints are pointless and falls under the "you'll never please everyone all the time" the fact is that many complaints are valid and help a company go in a direction that will make the customers happy. Case in point MyGlam/Ipsy. They listened to their subscribers and as a result the products they sent out are much better than the products sent out in the past. While most people are not happy that some items are drugstore quality (like Jane) the fact is they are listening.

I don't blame people for dropping their Birchbox subscriptions - and many are or have - and their complaints and reasons why they dropped their subscription can help Birchbox AND other people contemplating in subscribing. Look at Red Carpet Box, Posh Pod, Box Monthly, GoGo Girlfriend... if members didn't complain people would be scammed out of their money.

 

[katie danielle]

Originally Posted by AuntOly /img/forum/go_quote.gif

I was one of the people who complained on facebook, in particular about the paper flower sample. I just got off the phone with birchbox who told me people are loving the sample and size and are rushing to their site to buy the product, they also, for some reason, felt the need to tell me that full size lip glosses don't have that much product in them, so the small sample should not matter. Like that makes a difference when they're giving a sample the size of a baby aspirin

I think you were a little harsh, to be honest, threatening to ruin their reputation to everyone you meet based on one silly lip gloss sample. But I guess everyone has to pick their own battles. I'm one of the people they referenced who tried the sample and loved it. I hope you find peace with this extreme injustice that has been brought upon you.

 

[starfighter82]

I am getting box #2 and my shipping number still hasn't updated, hopefully by tomorrow. It isn't one of the best boxes, but it certainly isn't the worst. I am excited to try all the items. I just wonder how big the serum/oil samples are.  I see they no longer post pictures of the box with the samples and now they just show a picture of a box. I am guessing they did this so people cannot complain when their sample doesn't match the sample in the picture.  I think overall it makes it a lot less fun, but I get their reasoning. I just hope my samples aren't going to be packets, because if I am spending $85 on a serum, I need more than a packet sample to decide if it's worth it.

 

[Merryone]

Originally Posted by katie danielle /img/forum/go_quote.gif

I think you were a little harsh, to be honest, threatening to ruin their reputation to everyone you meet based on one silly lip gloss sample. But I guess everyone has to pick their own battles. I'm one of the people they referenced who tried the sample and loved it. I hope you find peace with this extreme injustice that has been brought upon you.

Oh Miss Katie, you are a rare treasure, don't ever change!

 

[libedon]

Apparently they had some issues updating my box... Here's the box that shows on my page now. It's def. goop. but it's still saying "products in your september box." My box was one of the last to update, box 15.

I knew I would get the supergoop this time of all times. I've avoided it for the last 6 months they sent and then I get hit with it in the fancy goop poop box. I know the cleanser is a foil packet, but I'm excited to try the conditioner, the caudalie and the sprout. So, excited to try things, not upset, just a little box envy with the subs that got fabulous products and the gigantic DDF.

 

[Squidling]

Originally Posted by keelyknowsbest /img/forum/go_quote.gif


I am in a committed and monogamous relationship with my beauty blender... I use my MAC brush cleaner to clean it and it works perfectly. If I am out of brush cleaner I will just use my daughter's baby shampoo ...works like a charm. No need to spend a bunch of money on the beauty blender cleaner IMO. Oh! And I always use hot hot water! 

 Get's that baby sparkling 

Really? I use Sephora brush cleaner and my blender is still stained. Definitely going to try the baby shampoo though, thank you for the suggestion!

 

[zadidoll]

Try Mona Lisa's Pink Soap (available at craft stores and some Walmarts).

 

[Meshybelle]

Originally Posted by katie danielle /img/forum/go_quote.gif

I think you were a little harsh, to be honest, threatening to ruin their reputation to everyone you meet based on one silly lip gloss sample. But I guess everyone has to pick their own battles. I'm one of the people they referenced who tried the sample and loved it. I hope you find peace with this extreme injustice that has been brought upon you.

lol

 

[AuntOly]

Originally Posted by mjkdior713 /img/forum/go_quote.gif


To not hate the size, Ok, but do you really think they had people call and email and go "hey BB, I reallllly love this product.  The size is so great."  Really?  And it's kinda obnoxious that they say the full size doesn't have much in it.  I'd be pissed to hear them admit that if I went ahead and purchased it assuming it would be full. 

She meant all full size lip glosses - not only the Per-Fekt - she said full size lip glosses dont contain much producr (???)

 

[JLR594]

Today I got a Groupon offer from the goods section for a two pack of makeup blending sponges.  $9 plus $3 shipping. 

I cannot understand why these sponges are so expensive!  Especially that Beauty Blender.

 

[mjkdior713]

Originally Posted by AuntOly /img/forum/go_quote.gif

She meant all full size lip glosses - not only the Per-Fekt - she said full size lip glosses dont contain much producr (???)

oohhhh well that's sad too. lol.

 

[keelyknowsbest]

BOOOOHOOO I just got my shipping updated and it's not getting here until the 16th! Poop!

Damn you...I wish they had a location here on the West Coast, I mean they are in France now, how hard is it to open up a shop here in San Diego 

 /sarcasm

That mens my review vid will be bottom of the barrel and I will die alone and crying. 

 

[wadedl]

Originally Posted by starfighter82 /img/forum/go_quote.gif

I am getting box #2 and my shipping number still hasn't updated, hopefully by tomorrow. It isn't one of the best boxes, but it certainly isn't the worst. I am excited to try all the items. I just wonder how big the serum/oil samples are.  I see they no longer post pictures of the box with the samples and now they just show a picture of a box. I am guessing they did this so people cannot complain when their sample doesn't match the sample in the picture.  I think overall it makes it a lot less fun, but I get their reasoning. I just hope my samples aren't going to be packets, because if I am spending $85 on a serum, I need more than a packet sample to decide if it's worth it.

I think their photographer quit. They are hiring a photographer if you look on their careers page.

From the way they keep making more boxes each month it is a lot work they keep piling on. My husband used to run a children's boutiques website and I would end up having to help with the photoshop so I know how it feels to just have more and more pictures being asked of you within the same amount of time. He at least had me to help when things got crazy.

 

[emmakey9]

Originally Posted by katie danielle /img/forum/go_quote.gif

I think you were a little harsh, to be honest, threatening to ruin their reputation to everyone you meet based on one silly lip gloss sample. But I guess everyone has to pick their own battles. I'm one of the people they referenced who tried the sample and loved it. I hope you find peace with this extreme injustice that has been brought upon you.

Wars, hunger, religious genocide, TINY LIP GLOSS SAMPLES! Chaos!

Talk about first-world problems. I definitely don't make a lot of money and still I think when I read these posts, "It's 10 freakin' dollars." We all love getting fab samples, but with BB, it's a crapshoot, and we know that going in. Don't like the odds? Unsubscribe.

Furthermore, I work in customer service and I know what being put on blast feels like. Not that some of you don't have valid complaints, but just remember these are folks like you and me trying to handle of hundreds of angry women. There is a difference between constructive criticism and being a brat.

Listen, I enjoy ranting (as you can see) just as much as the next person. I find some of your stories hilarious! But this just isn't a big deal in the scheme of things.