Subscription series have become ubiquitous. Not only do they offer you the convenience of automation, the customization or personalization of some of these services also helps enhance your life. Businesses love these service offerings since they also provide a consistent stream of revenue and predictability. Having tried a number of these subscription services, here are three that my family currently uses.
FilterBuy
Yep, let’s start with the sexy one. You pick the frequency of delivery for the air filter for your furnace and it sends it to you.
What is great: Whether you put a reminder in your phone or not, you likely don’t do it on a regular schedule. Your filter is probably filthy right now, and if you think you changed it two months ago, it’s probably six.
What is not: It’s a little hard at first determining what filter you actually need. We started with a higher level one but I read that it actually may be too tight of a filter to be effective. We have since downshifted to a less expensive one and have been impressed by the results.
Quip
The parallels between replacing toothbrush heads and filters are palpable, except you are dealing with your mouth, which is probably being scrubbed by a filthy brush head. Yuck. Quip starts you out with an electric toothbrush and brush head and then will send you new batteries and heads on an ongoing basis.
What is great: You are actually going to follow your dentists recommendations on changing out brush heads. You don’t have to worry about charging. The brush is very easy to navigate in your mouth and buzzes when you are done with the required time. You also can flip the brush over and there is a textured side to use on your tongue. There’s also a holder that sticks to your mirror, which is really convenient.
What is not: The light buzzing may be a little too light for some. It you want a more substantial brush it runs around $40, which isn’t cheap.
Stitch Fix
Let’s face it, going to the mall is starting to be a pretty sad affair. More and more vacancies are causing traditional malls to look like ghost towns. It’s also a bit of a challenge if you search yourself on Amazon, just try typing in “chinos”. There’s literally a million to choose from. Stitch Fix makes you fill out a styling profile, you pay a “style pass” fee (around $50) for the year and sends you a personalized box of clothes to you with no shipping or return fees. Even better, your styling fee is applied as credit on your first purchase. You decide how frequently they send you a new box, and they give you a return package for anything you don’t want. You give them feedback on the app and they learn from your preferences.
What is great: The personalized style choices are actually personalized. I have no idea if “Amy” is actually helping curate my box or some pretty cool AI, but when I tell them I need vacation clothes I get t-shirts, shorts, and swim trunks sent to me. I have received exposure to brands or styles I never would of in the past. I have also managed to fall in love with anything that has stretch fabrics in it and now eschew all non-stretch items.
What is not: Although you can select price levels, you can run up a pretty good bill if you’re not careful. This isn’t discount clothing, so you are pretty much paying full price. Sometimes you’ll end up with a clunker of a box and send it all back. Being a guy, there was a little resistance in my brain on whether or not this is a “chick thing”. I got over that pretty quick when my wife complimented me on my new outfit….after all, she was the one I recommended that I try it.
Clint Walkner