Birchbox October 2012

[NutMeg19]

I am really having a problem with the shipping issues.  I know other people are complaining about this (as they should be because this is CRAP) so I am sorry if this is a bit of a repeat.  I didn't have time to read the entire thread. 

The past few months I keep getting emails that say "Your blah blah Birchbox has shipped."  YAY YAY YAY...except for the fact that it HAS NOT shipped.  One of my boxes FINALLY updated, and it was not shipped until yesteday Monday 10/15/12.  The email telling me it was shipped was sent 10/10/12.  I know last month a lot were complaining about this, and some were saying it could certainly be UPS's fault.  Whatever.  It is Birchbox's responsibility to tell us when the box ships.  If it is going to ship 5 days after you send me an email saying it shipped, then don't send me the first friggin email in the first place!!!!!!  This has been going on for longer than most have been complaining about it.  This irritates me to no end.  And I think a lot of the irritation is they are just going to keep doing it and there's nothing we can do about it. 

 

[zadidoll]

Originally Posted by NutMeg19 /img/forum/go_quote.gif

I am really having a problem with the shipping issues.  I know other people are complaining about this (as they should be because this is CRAP) so I am sorry if this is a bit of a repeat.  I didn't have time to read the entire thread. 

The past few months I keep getting emails that say "Your blah blah Birchbox has shipped."  YAY YAY YAY...except for the fact that it HAS NOT shipped.  One of my boxes FINALLY updated, and it was not shipped until yesteday Monday 10/15/12.  The email telling me it was shipped was sent 10/10/12.  I know last month a lot were complaining about this, and some were saying it could certainly be UPS's fault.  Whatever.  It is Birchbox's responsibility to tell us when the box ships.  If it is going to ship 5 days after you send me an email saying it shipped, then don't send me the first friggin email in the first place!!!!!!  This has been going on for longer than most have been complaining about it.  This irritates me to no end.  And I think a lot of the irritation is they are just going to keep doing it and there's nothing we can do about it. 

That's my complaint as well. I got my ship notice last Wednesday, by Friday the tracking had not updated and it didn't update until Sunday. To me that means the box actually didn't ship until Monday (yesterday). Looking at the tracking info my box didn't even arrive in UPS MI's hands until Friday! That irritated me because one of the BB Ops said we only get our tracking once the boxes have shipped. My reply, least in my head it was my reply, was "BS, no it doesn't" but my actual reply was that my box did not ship on 10/10 (the date of my tracking) as UPS MI didn't get it until the 12th and my tracking didn't update until the 15th.

 

[kawaiimeows]

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


That's my complaint as well. I got my ship notice last Wednesday, by Friday the tracking had not updated and it didn't update until Sunday. To me that means the box actually didn't ship until Monday (yesterday). Looking at the tracking info my box didn't even arrive in UPS MI's hands until Friday! That irritated me because one of the BB Ops said we only get our tracking once the boxes have shipped. My reply, least in my head it was my reply, was "BS, no it doesn't" but my actual reply was that my box did not ship on 10/10 (the date of my tracking) as UPS MI didn't get it until the 12th and my tracking didn't update until the 15th.

i'm having this same problem as well. i brought it up to birchbox both on their facebook and email and they insist it's only because the tracking takes "3-5 days to update." even though they can't explain why when it finally does update, it shows that it made it to UPS's hands 5 days after they emailed me saying it shipped.

 

[AthenaBolina]

Originally Posted by NutMeg19 /img/forum/go_quote.gif

I am really having a problem with the shipping issues.  I know other people are complaining about this (as they should be because this is CRAP) so I am sorry if this is a bit of a repeat.  I didn't have time to read the entire thread. 

The past few months I keep getting emails that say "Your blah blah Birchbox has shipped."  YAY YAY YAY...except for the fact that it HAS NOT shipped.  One of my boxes FINALLY updated, and it was not shipped until yesteday Monday 10/15/12.  The email telling me it was shipped was sent 10/10/12.  I know last month a lot were complaining about this, and some were saying it could certainly be UPS's fault.  Whatever.  It is Birchbox's responsibility to tell us when the box ships.  If it is going to ship 5 days after you send me an email saying it shipped, then don't send me the first friggin email in the first place!!!!!!  This has been going on for longer than most have been complaining about it.  This irritates me to no end.  And I think a lot of the irritation is they are just going to keep doing it and there's nothing we can do about it. 

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


That's my complaint as well. I got my ship notice last Wednesday, by Friday the tracking had not updated and it didn't update until Sunday. To me that means the box actually didn't ship until Monday (yesterday). Looking at the tracking info my box didn't even arrive in UPS MI's hands until Friday! That irritated me because one of the BB Ops said we only get our tracking once the boxes have shipped. My reply, least in my head it was my reply, was "BS, no it doesn't" but my actual reply was that my box did not ship on 10/10 (the date of my tracking) as UPS MI didn't get it until the 12th and my tracking didn't update until the 15th.

and me too! my 2 boxes says they are being processed by a local post office in NEW JERSEY! with an expected delivery date of today.  Except, I live in WA state. ugh.

 

[AthenaBolina]

Ok, just checked the tracking # on the USPS website. Well, la de da...i'm not supposed to get my boxes till October 24th. WTF!!!

 

[NutMeg19]

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


That's my complaint as well. I got my ship notice last Wednesday, by Friday the tracking had not updated and it didn't update until Sunday. To me that means the box actually didn't ship until Monday (yesterday). Looking at the tracking info my box didn't even arrive in UPS MI's hands until Friday! That irritated me because one of the BB Ops said we only get our tracking once the boxes have shipped. My reply, least in my head it was my reply, was "BS, no it doesn't" but my actual reply was that my box did not ship on 10/10 (the date of my tracking) as UPS MI didn't get it until the 12th and my tracking didn't update until the 15th.

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

i'm having this same problem as well. i brought it up to birchbox both on their facebook and email and they insist it's only because the tracking takes "3-5 days to update." even though they can't explain why when it finally does update, it shows that it made it to UPS's hands 5 days after they emailed me saying it shipped.

They really need to change something (well it is becoming a lot of things, but I'll save that for another time, haha..).  Mainly they need to not send emails saying our boxes have shipped, when no matter what spin you put on it, they HAVE NOT.  Plain and simple.  If that means they need to institute a new system for sending emails when boxes DO ship, well that is their issue.  If that means using a different shipping service, or simply just saying "hey your box will ship out 5 days from now"...I don't know what the answer is.  I do know that I really don't appreciate feeling lied to.  And that is happening more and more with this company.  This might not be a so big a deal to me if it wasn't sitting on top of a pile of a bunch of other nagging little things.  I don't care what time of the month I get my box.  I do care that it actually ships when I am told it ships.

I get to the point where I think "Oh well, I know this happens now, so whatever."  But then I think of all the little white lies and "misinformation" that has been fed to me personally BB employees over the past 6 months specifically and I just get so mad. 

And before anyone says it, I don't want to cancel, and I am still going to witch about the things I do not like.  I still like Birchbox.  And I am hoping they'll go back to being awesome.  Not looking good, but I am still hoping!

 

[mjkdior713]

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



and me too! my 2 boxes says they are being processed by a local post office in NEW JERSEY! with an expected delivery date of today.  Except, I live in WA state. ugh.

I'm having this problem with my glam bag--I live in Philly though so it's not too far, but I'm like "why's it say local post office in Jersey?"

 

[FormosaHoney]

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

i'm having this same problem as well. i brought it up to birchbox both on their facebook and email and they insist it's only because the tracking takes "3-5 days to update." even though they can't explain why when it finally does update, it shows that it made it to UPS's hands 5 days after they emailed me saying it shipped.

I bet BB prints their own labels and once the label's slapped on the box the UPS SW marks it 'shipped' because they received payment when the label is generated.  UPS most likely assumes that any business would bring the packages to the post office within the same day of the label printing rather then let it sit at the packaging center for days.  

Birch box must be having labor issues.  Last year at the end of June BB had a reported 45,000 subscribers and I'm sure they've doubled that by now.  They had a projected combined revenue of $7MM from subs and sales in June of 2011, I'm sure they surpassed it.

http://www.inc.com/30under30/2011/profile-hayley-barna-and-katia-beauchamp-founders-of-birchbox.html

They are probably doing $1MM in revenue each month now with our subs and the sales of products.  They just purchased JolieBox in France and I bet their top priority right now is getting France up and running in BB style ASAP and... operations (delivery) back in HQ and DELUX sample procurement is no longer their priority, they probably have exceeded the projections they provided to the JVs to secure expansion capital so we are seeing a decline in both delivery and sample procurement.  In other words...  well, you fill it in....

 

 

 

 

[FormosaHoney]

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


I'm having this problem with my glam bag--I live in Philly though so it's not too far, but I'm like "why's it say local post office in Jersey?"

 

 
OMG, their processing center must be in Jersey City!  The office is in Manhattan, real estate dollars is expensive there.  Jersey City is through the tunnel with lower real estate costs.  

The generating of the UPS label for a specific account must be linked to also trigger an automatic email to the receiver of package being 'shipped' updating with the assumed path of travel?  But until it actually makes it to the PO within the alloted day or two, the PO tracking SW's status will reflect its actual positioning to it still being in Jersey City (i.e. have not been received, label printed and package sitting at warehouse) so as not to incur a liability on behalf of the PO for not delivering it within the standard period.  

Okay, I now change my position, I believe the delay is on BB's part and not the PO.

BB's got a huge bottle-neck.  

 

 

 

 

[NutMeg19]

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

I bet BB prints their own labels and once the label's slapped on the box the UPS SW marks it 'shipped' because they received payment when the label is generated.  UPS most likely assumes that any business would bring the packages to the post office within the same day of the label printing rather then let it sit at the packaging center for days.  

Birch box must be having labor issues.  Last year at the end of June BB had a reported 45,000 subscribers and I'm sure they've doubled that by now.  They had a projected combined revenue of $7MM from subs and sales as of June, though I'm sure they surpassed it.

http://www.inc.com/30under30/2011/profile-hayley-barna-and-katia-beauchamp-founders-of-birchbox.html

They are probably doing $1MM in revenue each month now with our subs and the sales of products.  They just purchased JolieBox in France and I bet their top priority right now is getting France up and running in BB style ASAP and... operations (delivery) back in HQ and DELUX sample procurement is no longer their priority, they probably have exceeded the projections they provided to the JVs to secure expansion capital so we are seeing a decline in both delivery and sample procurement.  In other words...  well, you fill it in....

 

 

Agreed!!  I think we all really saw this coming, especially long time subs.  The partnered boxes always bring in more subs, and there has been more of those lately (Teen Vogue, Goop, Glamour, etc), then BirchboxMan, and JolieBox.  They are really alienating a loyal base by trying to reel in as many subs as possible.  And the labor/staffing issues are out of control in my opinion.  Too big too fast, and the undertrained staff cannot keep up.

 

[messjess18]

I'm ready for November already /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

Sooo over October!

 

[elleystar]

Originally Posted by jannie135 /img/forum/go_quote.gif


YES! I got my email too!! The best part about this sub is that... I forget about it all the time! Then the email comes in and I'm like OH YEAH I FORGOT ABOUT YOU!

Last box was my first box and I got this really pretty lip shear gloss whatsits from h. wood in poppy and it was so pretty /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

I wonder what they'll send now???

YES! And that goat milk bath fizz cube thing was great. It did wonders for my skin. I'm definitely ordering a load of those for this winter. The month before that, they sent out full sized Ellis Faas lip glazes. Their first few months were rough, very rough. But I'm glad I stuck with them because they are miles ahead of BB now!

 

[messjess18]

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

I got my horrible box 30 yesterday. I'm not going to try any of it.  In the 6 boxes I received, I only got one makeup product - the Jouer Birchbox pink lipgloss. (and that was TINY) I did, however, receive all kinds of crap, including tit tape, 2 paperdoll coasters (which promptly went into the recycling bin), a fancy Ziploc bag, Shalimar (I'm in my 30s, not 80s).....I bought into their service because I wanted to try makeup, not coasters.

I did cancel my account, but I'm just so angry that I never received any color. Has anyone else had that problem?

Hahaha tit tape! I haven't gotten any makeup for the last two boxes.

 

[deactivateduser232015]

Originally Posted by messjess18 /img/forum/go_quote.gif

I'm ready for November already /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

Sooo over October!

We say this every month.

And then we're angry and disappointed again.

 

[deactivateduser232015]

Just a question -- did anyone actually get this in their box? http://www.birchbox.com/shop/per-fekt-beauty-brow-perfection-gel It was in the shop under the month's stuff, but I haven't seen it in anyone's boxes.

I'm tempted to get it, but I don't feel like it'd be worth it unless if I knew if it was any good...

 

[prachisrk]

I got my second box. I got different items than what showed on my page. I was supposed to get box #22 but not sure which # the one I got was.

 

[deactivateduser232015]

Also, did this happen to anyone else? I deleted all my products from my check out too and then readded them, and it was still 2x more expensive than the number of items in my cart.

 

[heatwebb000]

this is my lipgloss and mascara with stella eyeshadow and pixie lip that i got from the look gag.  I really do like the lip gloss and I could get a couple of more uses out of it the mascara isn't anything great. So all in all I am happy with the lip gloss and I did try the DDF wrinkle resist last night and tonight (I got tow samples) it was okay I did notice that my skin was smoother, and it shined.  I also tried the eve lim cleanser and muslin cloth.  I would not pay money for the cloth its nothing besides a very think face cloth the cleanser said to do it 3 xs so it used all the product in one use and i didn't see anything that would make me buy. I liked my The look bag product more but I think the DDF might be a keeper ffor full size.

 

[zadidoll]

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

Also, did this happen to anyone else? I deleted all my products from my check out too and then readded them, and it was still 2x more expensive than the number of items in my cart.

That happened to me as well. I had to email Paulina about it but I was never ever able to replicate the problem. Email them about it and let them know that Paulina is aware of it so she knows who to send the issue to. Tech dept needs to figure out why that happens. Are you using Firefox or IE? If you're in FF try IE, and if you're using IE try FF.

 

[deactivateduser232015]

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


That happened to me as well. I had to email Paulina about it but I was never ever able to replicate the problem. Email them about it and let them know that Paulina is aware of it so she knows who to send the issue to. Tech dept needs to figure out why that happens. Are you using Firefox or IE? If you're in FF try IE, and if you're using IE try FF.

I'm in FF but I'm at work right now so I'm going to see if it helps when I try on Chrome at home. : I want to use my 20% off coupon so this is really obnoxious. They told me to call them on FB but I called 5 times yesterday (sigh only getting through last time) so I don't want to waste my time right now... I have an email to Paulina so I'll let her know too.