Birchbox October 2012

[diana16]

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

MamaCrabbyJ is in town so I don't have to run after the kiddo since my mom is doing all the heavy lifting. So guess what I'm doing for entertainment?

I popped some popcorn and read all of the complaints on the Birchbox Facebook page. LOLz. I guess misery loves company. I feel bad for many ladies this month. Mine wasn't so bad. I don't remember the number. But it was goop and had decent (not awesome) sample sizes, and the Larabar but whatevs. 

I was reading their page too! I wonder what they think of everyone saying they will move on to Ipsy lol

 

[deactivateduser232015]

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

I wrote this comment to them, emailed CS and also posted on their FB. :| I put it under a spoiler tag because it's so damn long.


I'm not really sure what to say to get your attention or to be taken seriously. I do feel like there is a lot of unnecessary and uncalled for griping, but on the other hand, people with legitimate comments and suggestions on how to improve BB are equally brushed off, or just plain ignored.   For example, according to my phone log, I called Birchbox 6 times yesterday, between 1pm-3:30pm, evenly spaced out, and my call was only picked up the 6th time. I understand Monday are very busy for you, but you can't say I didn't make an effort, and I couldn't leave a voice mail and expect to be called back at any point and time because I have to answer and make calls all the time as well.   Now onto the issue of my box: my box, Box 3, was supposedly shipped on the 10th (Wednesday) but it didn't actually update until the 14th, and according to tracking was not expected to arrive until the 19th -- though thankfully it did today. I had called yesterday because I very much wanted to take advantage of my 20% anniversary and I couldn't get enough points to reach $20 worth of points if I didn't review my products, and it would be disingenuous to review products I had not yet received. That put me in a situation of 1) not making a purchase and 2) lying in my product reviews to receive the points (because I wasn't going to purchase without the 20% coupon). Thankfully, I reached Paulina on the phone and she was very helpful and offered to honor my 20% off until after I got to try my products, but thing is -- as nice as she was about that, I know I'm not the only one with the shipping/20% off problem, and that only resolved the issue for ME, while other customers who are in the same boat may just not have been tenacious enough to call 6 times.   In regards to what I actually received -- I am not upset about the products Birchbox CHOSE for me. I understand the point of BB is to try lots of different products and sometimes you don't like them, which is fine, and sometimes you find something new you love.   However, the sample sizes for Box 3 are SIMPLY ATROCIOUS. Disregarding the "deluxue samples" issue which has been beaten to death too many times by too many customers now, I understand that Birchbox is a sampling-to-buy company. If I'm also to understand correctly, we're supposed to try the samples to see if we'd want to purchase the items full-size, preferably through Birchbox.com.   I'm going to let you in on a secret: the only product I purchased from the BB store was a a FULL-SIZED item that was sent to me in a box first. I didn't realize how much I loved this product until 2-3 weeks after receiving it and finding that I used it every day -- because I had enough of it I COULD use it for that long.   Instead in Box 3 I'm given a total of 4 beauty products: a tiny sample of Lulu's dry shampoo -- enough for 1-2 uses at most, which is certainly not enough to convince me to why I should give up the $18 dry shampoo I'm currently using, Lait-Creme which I was super excited about until I realized it was TWO PACKETS which is good enough for 2 uses, a ridiculously small sample of lip gloss, and possibly the only generously sized item: the Karuna treatment mask.   I'm still happy to try these items because I like trying new things. However, that being said, I'm not going to buy them and certainly not through BB because I don't have enough uses of these products to know if I'd be willing to shell out $16, $20, $30 for them. I love lotion and I've gotten generously sized lotions (30mL) for FREE as a sample from a beauty store because I had used it enough times to realize how much I would miss it. Not sending deluxe samples, or at least generously sized samples, is bad business for BB because no one will remember the product enough to actually want to buy it.   Another thing is Box 3's value. I did the math for the equivalent value of the box and, according to BB's store, it's as followed: Luna bar: 1/15 * $18.75 = $1.25 for one bar lipgloss: 0.008oz/0.10oz * $26 = $2.08 for the sample hair powder: 5grams/113.398grams (~4oz) * $30 = $1.32 for the sample Karuna mask: 1/4 * $28 = $7 for the mask Embryolisse creme: 4mL/30mL * 16 = $2.13 for the two packets Which gives us a total value of $13.78, only $12.53 was in actual beauty products.   In other words, I barely got the value I paid for the box, and none of the samples were big enough to make me want to buy the full-sized item. Even more than that, from a competitive standpoint, why should I give $10 to Birchbox when I can buy a $5-7 FULL-SIZED item from Ulta or Sephora that I know I need or want, pay for shipping, and still get 3-5 samples from that which will be the same tiny size as what I'm getting and pay the same amount for?   More than that, there is a sense of injustice in the fact that Boxes 1 and 2 have $30+ worth of items, and the people with the Beauty Blenders get an item that is pretty much worth $13 -- or the entire value of the box I got. And this isn't just a sense of box envy -- I didn't particularly want the Beauty Blender even. I'm not jealous of what other people receive, I'm upset over the fact that they got more than 3x the value of what that paid for and I barely did. Even if you just added on a the Essie polish ($8) which would bump it to just over $20, I would be less upset because even if the value is lower, I would have more things to try and potentially buy.   What I'm saying is, from this month's Birchbox, I got a feeling that the company didn't care about me as a client. Not only were several of my attempts to reach CS ignored or took forever to get to, my box was shipped extremely late, and I really did not get the value of what I paid for. If that's the case, why shouldn't I shop elsewhere where I'm not ignored and I'm appreciated as a customer?   I understand that it's hard to work in CS. Like I said, I receive and make calls too as part of my, and oftentimes I'm on the end of angry yelling about things I can't control. I know it's hard to be both the face/representation of a company and not actually be able to change much, but I hope that my commentary at least gets passed along. I'm trying to be as objective and fair as I can be in this email, but I am frustrated. If I didn't care about Birchbox and want to USE the service, I wouldn't have spent this much time writing out my frustrations and how I think the service could be improved -- I'd just leave and never look back.   The only thing I really want out of this commentary is to be taken seriously as a customer and to have what I said actually be regarded and not just responded to as with mindless PC things to attempt to assuage my frustrations.   Thanks for your time and consideration.
Just watch me get mindless PC bullshit as a response even though I said that's what I DIDN'T want.

Your  move, Birchbox.

Hey y'all. So I finally got a response to this email.

Hi Amy,

Thank you for writing in and I am so sorry for your disappointment. I would love to address your concerns over the phone. Is there a time that I can call you on Monday?

Thank you,

Molly

I mean other than my frustrations, what else would you like me to say to them, box 3 gals /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> I promise I will be polite and professional and calm. Like I said, it's my job to do phone stuff too so I can be scolding and professional at the same time.

 

[dearestmelody]

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



Would you like to see all my products from box 3 sitting in ONE HAND.

LOL well i do admit that box #1 is probably the best of the boxes out there...from what i see in this thread anyway. I guess its because I got glossybox and luxebox as my first subscription boxes so that's what i was comparing it to. hehe

 

[deactivateduser232015]

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


LOL well i do admit that box #1 is probably the best of the boxes out there...from what i see in this thread anyway. I guess its because I got glossybox and luxebox as my first subscription boxes so that's what i was comparing it to. hehe

BB is also half the price of those.

 

[mermaidly]

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


Hey y'all. So I finally got a response to this email.

Hi Amy,

Thank you for writing in and I am so sorry for your disappointment. I would love to address your concerns over the phone. Is there a time that I can call you on Monday?

Thank you,

Molly

I mean other than my frustrations, what else would you like me to say to them, box 3 gals /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> I promise I will be polite and professional and calm. Like I said, it's my job to do phone stuff too so I can be scolding and professional at the same time.

Definitely tell them all the products from box 3 can fit in one hand, it's full of the dreaded foil packets, and the biggest product is FOOD. Ugh. AND our box has the lowest value out of all of them (I think $13 something while other boxes were worth $30!). I am mostly pissed about the foil packets. Just NOT WORTH $10!!!!!!

 

[lorizav]

Oh Birchbox, you just can't get it together can you?  I liked 2 of the items in my box so much that I went to go buy the full size.  Both out of stock.  If you are going to feature a product you might want to actually have it available for sale.  Bought them both somewhere else.  Watch out BB- Ipsy blew you out of the water this month!!!

 

[gingerjenny]

Anyone else addicted to ddf brightening cleanser?? I now love this stuff.  Thanks a lot bb for making me like such an expensive cleanser.  I have noticed a huge difference already in my dark acne scars as well as pore size.

Anyone else try the miracle cream foundation? its a tint more with built in primer, hydration and some other stuff i can't remember.  I'm really wanting to buy it but its 48 bucks.  anyone know of a similar foundation? It left such a nice matte finish on my face

 

[Stdanzy]

Anyone else addicted to ddf brightening cleanser?? I now love this stuff.  Thanks a lot bb for making me like such an expensive cleanser.  I have noticed a huge difference already in my dark acne scars as well as pore size. Anyone else try the miracle cream foundation? its a tint more with built in primer, hydration and some other stuff i can't remember.  I'm really wanting to buy it but its 48 bucks.  anyone know of a similar foundation? It left such a nice matte finish on my face

Me!! I love it, I have been using since I first got it in my August box, and my dark spots are dramatically lighter! Check the trade boards, I got about 11oz of it through trades, paying the small fee for shipping sure beats $38!

 

[denise89]

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

Anyone else addicted to ddf brightening cleanser?? I now love this stuff.  Thanks a lot bb for making me like such an expensive cleanser.  I have noticed a huge difference already in my dark acne scars as well as pore size.

Anyone else try the miracle cream foundation? its a tint more with built in primer, hydration and some other stuff i can't remember.  I'm really wanting to buy it but its 48 bucks.  anyone know of a similar foundation? It left such a nice matte finish on my face

The DDF cleanser is so popular right now! Maybe I should try it haha, I have acne scars as well and no cleanser ever makes them fade!

 

[Meshybelle]

I would be happy to see ANY box at this point. I still have nothing!

 

[TinaMarina]

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

Anyone else addicted to ddf brightening cleanser?? I now love this stuff.  Thanks a lot bb for making me like such an expensive cleanser.  I have noticed a huge difference already in my dark acne scars as well as pore size.

Anyone else try the miracle cream foundation? its a tint more with built in primer, hydration and some other stuff i can't remember.  I'm really wanting to buy it but its 48 bucks.  anyone know of a similar foundation? It left such a nice matte finish on my face

I think someone else may have already mentioned this, but if you have a Marshall's near you, check there for DDF products. I picked up a 6oz brightening cleanser for $13.

 

[Cathie]

I am definetly addicted to the DDF!!! I tried to trade for more of it but I was only successful with one trade.So,I went on ebay and got 2/2oz bottles for 6 dollars and 2 dollars for postage. I guess they will last till I have enough money to get a full size...like the other lady said "Thank you for the addiction BB !!!

 

[mellee]

One of the Etsy shops has 5 yards of the 5/8 fold over elastic in Old Gold (metalic) for like a buck-fifty and a few bucks shipping.  I've no idea why it's so cheap, but I was all over it!

Edit - if you search "fold over elastic old gold" you'll find there are actually a couple of sellers who have it for around the same price.

 

[hindsighting]

still haven't gotten my box /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> it usually comes the day after it's due, hoping it's here Monday...

 

[prachisrk]

Give them grief from all of us Box 3 victims /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

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


Hey y'all. So I finally got a response to this email.

Hi Amy,

Thank you for writing in and I am so sorry for your disappointment. I would love to address your concerns over the phone. Is there a time that I can call you on Monday?

Thank you,

Molly

I mean other than my frustrations, what else would you like me to say to them, box 3 gals /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> I promise I will be polite and professional and calm. Like I said, it's my job to do phone stuff too so I can be scolding and professional at the same time.

 

[kat46]

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

I would be happy to see ANY box at this point. I still have nothing!

same here!

 

[Babs]

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


Hey y'all. So I finally got a response to this email.

Hi Amy,

Thank you for writing in and I am so sorry for your disappointment. I would love to address your concerns over the phone. Is there a time that I can call you on Monday?

Thank you,

Molly

I mean other than my frustrations, what else would you like me to say to them, box 3 gals /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> I promise I will be polite and professional and calm. Like I said, it's my job to do phone stuff too so I can be scolding and professional at the same time.

Wow they are proactive. Will you tell them to answer my email? LOL but on a serious note, I would say that it's not up to them that some samples are foil packets because companies make them..not BB. That is something that is out of their hands.. and I get that. BUT and it's a big BUT.. while they might not have enough good sized samples or full size samples for all 100K of their subscribers, they can AT THE VERY LEAST put MULTIPLE foil packets (and i'm not talking 2) in punishment boxes so that we can actually try out the products on multiple days. It'll also make us feel better that we got let's say 5 packets of one time use eye cream while my BFF down the street got a beauty blender or some lucky gals on MUT got a full sized Essie. 

 

[lovelockdown]

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


I think someone else may have already mentioned this, but if you have a Marshall's near you, check there for DDF products. I picked up a 6oz brightening cleanser for $13.

I've been using the cleanser too! It's nice! I just ran out of purity and am waiting for them to ship me more- I might alternate between the two. it's funny because I thought purity was expensive, but I finally found something I like and it costs more! ah! and thanks for the tip I will check it out. Hopefully my marshalls carries it.

 

[considerately]

Sorry what is MUT?   /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 

[zadidoll]

MUT = Makeup Talk