What does the concept of “Gift boxes with subscription” mean?
It's a thematic box of products that you receive regularly (monthly, bimonthly, quarterly) in your mailbox. This surprise gift box contains several items whose nature is not revealed in advance. These monthly boxes are offered in the form of online subscriptions, where the consumer subscribes at a fixed rate and chooses the rate of delivery of a box containing products corresponding to the theme of their choice. It is possible to end your subscription depending on the formula chosen, and consumers tend to easily change from one box to another to experiment with them or due to weariness.
A little over 70% of boxes cost between €20 and €50.
Part of the sales is due to the search for the original and ideal gift during the holidays: as a Christmas gift, a gift for Mother's Day, Father's Day, Valentine's Day and even as a birthday gift.
The offer of gift boxes in France has become plethoric, more than 400 different models are sold online each month. You have the choice among: Beauty box, Women's box, Children's box, Teen's box, Game box, Gourmet box, Men's box, Couple's box, tasting box, Chocolate box, Wine box, Dog box, Cat box, Creative leisure box, Sports box, birth gift box, jewelry box…etc.
What explains the popularity of the subscription gift box?
Themed gift boxes have been popular for many years, and their success stems from various elements:
1- The first is the surprise effect which takes up the concept of the surprise bag from our childhood. The regressive side of returning to childhood which feels good.
2- The second is the need to have fun . Since the arrival of Covid, all leisure activities have been closed and opportunities to treat yourself are rare. Receiving a gift box in your mailbox has become a real privilege . The pleasure of unwrapping a gift box is a real experience that becomes the pleasure ritual of each month (which we will soon no longer be able to do without?).
3 – The promotional effect with a very attractive quality/price ratio : To be credible, a €25 box must display a product value twice as high, i.e. €50. This gives customers the impression of being ultra-privileged and helps build their loyalty.
all-inclusive surprise gift box effect . As the end of year holidays approach, it is always complicated to find a gift suitable for each person. With the different existing themes, easy to please, you are sure to find the gift box suited to the person. If your father-in-law likes organic wines or fine wines, there is a box. There is a box for each theme, even for 'niche' products such as old school toys, old sweets (roudoudou candies, etc.), local artisanal products, etc.
5 – Rarity . The “ limited edition” encourages people to order otherwise they will no longer have access to the offer of the month and the opportunity to receive the unique garnished box. 6- The staging around the opening of a pretty box. The items are generally well packaged in pretty tissue paper or in small gift bags. The pleasure of unpacking must be maximized . The phenomenon of unboxing (the act of filming yourself unboxing the products you have just received) has also developed a lot around subscription boxes.
What is the target of the monthly Boxes?
According to studies, it is a very feminine consumer product. Today, 3/4 of customers are women and Beauty Boxes are the best-selling gift boxes and the most represented theme.
In terms of age groups, 40% of Monthly Box customers are between 25 and 34 years old. Then follow the 35-44 year olds who represent 20% of Box consumers. A new trend is arriving with the box dedicated to children.
What are the best-selling Boxes?
The monthly box market is mainly driven by the cosmetic products sector . It is the beauty product boxes that sell the best and the food boxes that best build customer loyalty.
Far behind among the most popular themes: Children's Boxes are the second most searched theme . Next come the Culinary Boxes, then the Wine Boxes.
The most popular box after the women's beauty box
Purchased by parents (and especially mothers) but used by children. The Children's Box must meet a double challenge : pleasing children but also their parents! Parents want to spoil their child but not with just any product!
This is why the children's box is generally a creative and educational or a box more intended for the young mother (ecological diapers, baby fashion, baby meals, etc.).
The aim is to keep children intelligently occupied and to develop their creativity through the discovery of manual activities . A way to effectively combat all the screens at their disposal on Wednesday afternoons at home.
For the child, receiving a box is a bit like having a birthday or seeing Santa Claus every month! The pleasure of unwrapping a gift is exhilarating at their age.
The boxes concern all age groups and are on various themes: books, creative hobbies, DIY kits, baking, magic, toy rental, nature, etc.
The risk: Passing off as a simple surprise bag
Building customer loyalty and continuing to create a surprise effect every month is a real challenge for players in this market. This is why product quality two factors to never lose sight of .
Indeed, the first major risk is to get bored or come across as a surprise bag if the items offered are of poor quality .
– Consumers don’t want simple goodies . Products for monthly boxes must be original, unusual , that is to say they must not have already been seen 100 times in previous boxes or in competing boxes. The quality of the products must be there every month.
– Customers don’t buy gadgets, they want items with real value on the market. The perceived quality must be high enough to create an effect of satisfaction among the consumer making them want to continue the subscription .
How are the products included in the boxes chosen?
Box creators must redouble their efforts every month to select products to surprise and retain their customers.
For a successful Box like Birchbox , nothing could be simpler, because beauty product brands use this communication vector to test their products and provide free samples for customers to test. This allows cosmetic brands to get customer feedback even before launching their product on the market! A godsend. For the moment, this remains an exception reserved for the beauty sector and boxes distributed on a large scale.
For box creators, product research is an activity in its own right. To retain and win new customers, you have to surprise! And therefore find each month the right mix of products creating the surprise effect, which respects economic imperatives while having quality products and respecting the measurements of the sending box. A real headache! This is why research is partly subcontracted via suppliers and wholesalers .
This new Box that will be all the rage: The Kids Box!
Gift boxes with subscriptions for children have become an essential communication tool through objects for companies wishing to attract a young audience while strengthening their visibility. Goodies , accessories and other fun games can be discovered in this type of box on the same scale as organic boxes or for women, men, etc. As a company specializing in the creation of promotional items for children, we support marketing strategies in the creation of this type of product which offers multiple advantages.
First of all, gift boxes arouse children's enthusiasm, thus guaranteeing a positive reception of your message. In addition, these boxes are a perfect showcase for your brand , as they can be personalized with your logo, your colors and even tailor-made products.
By creating a subscription to a children's gift box, you create a lasting bond with families, thus strengthening loyalty to your brand.
It’s a fun, effective and long-lasting communication strategy through objects, ideal for reaching a young audience in a memorable way!
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The role of suppliers in product selection!
They must be responsive partners , integrating the latest developments in the sector and providing strength in original, new and quality products.
This ability to continually renew oneself is not given to everyone, especially as consumers are increasingly demanding regarding the quality of products and their origin. This is even more true when it comes to organic boxes or boxes incorporating eco-responsible objects.
Suppliers and wholesalers of promotional items play a role in this research process. Having the experience of managing the tailor-made creation and personalization of objects for brands at very tight prices and within short deadlines, they are essential players in the value creation chain.
This is why the company Marketing Création has positioned itself in this sector. With 10 years of experience in the creation of unique and tailor-made advertising objects, notably for prestigious clients (Dior, JolieBox, IKKS, Ikea, Givenchy, Sephora, Catimini, Mac Donald's, Accor Hotels, Vinci, Timberland, Kickers, Kenzo, Hugo Boss, Haribo, Lutti…etc) the company has adequate human, technical, logistical and sourcing resources.
Marketing Création is an Agency that develops numerous tailor-made advertising and promotional items for children and helps Brands control their communication costs.
Do you have a product idea for Gift Box and you don't know how to develop it?
Or would you like to be guided in the search for your product to include in a monthly box? Our team is available to help you create unique, quality pieces or personalize existing items to best reflect the DNA of your brand.