College is an important time for many people. It’s a time for exploration, experimentation, personal reflection, personal growth, and fun. In recent years, subscription boxes have become popular–and for good reason: they provide something fresh every month. Subscription boxes take the pain out of shopping; if you’re the type of person who would rather have themed items picked for you, then you should certainly give subscription boxes a chance. 

That said, not all subscription boxes are created equal. It seems like there is an endless amount of themed boxes and items out there. Some companies offer only skin care products, and others change the theme of the contents they deliver regularly. In addition to the variety of items and themes, price is another factor to consider. Some boxes, like monthly wine deliveries, can cost $60 or more per month.

So, which boxes are ideal for college kids? Here’s our top 3 picks!

Love With Food 

Love with Food delivers a collection of healthy snacks on a monthly basis. The lowest plan costs $7.99 a month. This is perfect for college students, especially if they live on campus. The school’s dining hall is rarely open 24/7. Whether they need an extra boost to finish their homework, or are just plain hungry–these snacks are sure to help! 

Loot Crate

Loot Crate is ideal for people who are into geek and pop culture. Each of their boxes follow a specific theme. You can pick the regular loot crate box, or you can pick a themed box who’s theme remains the same every month. For example, in the standard loot crate box, you might get a Rick and Morty themed box 1 month, and a Stranger Things themed box the next. With the specifically themed subscriptions, though, you pick a single theme. For instance, if you’re into Magic, you might choose their Wizard themed box. If you do, you’ll get different Wizard content every month or quarter. There is really a box for everyone–gamers, movie fanatics, comic book lovers–so do yourself a favor and check it out! 

BirchBox

BirchBox is designed for all the men and women who want to stay up to date with the latest beauty and personal care products. Every month, Birchbox delivers 5 high quality beauty samples to your door. From creams to makeup, birchbox provides new and innovative beauty products that you might not even have known about. 

There you have it: 3 amazing subscription boxes for college kids. Whether you’re buying for yourself, a friend, son, or daughter, you won’t be disappointed with any of these! 

Over-the-Top (OTT) video which is better known by many as streaming video, is growing in popularity today. From Netflix to Hulu and even brands launching more personalized services like Disney +, there are so many reasons why this market continues to explode today.

Recent predictions from ABI Research show that subscription services and advertising will contribute to an increase in revenues for OTT video and growing it to over $200B by 2024.

In addition to the new brand TV services, there is also an aggressive push for more affordable pricing and package offerings that are fueling the uptick in this market. Even beyond the U.S., subscription video on demand is soaring.

In markets such as the Asia Pacific, the report found that services from iQIYI/Baidu, Tencent, Youku, and others are helping to make subscription TV services delivered over an Internet connection and part of a pay-for plan so popular.

With the internet and mobile technologies also advancing, this will only continue to bolster the market as well. 5G networks and next-gen OTT services offer greater speeds and security while improving latency and capacity to stream this type of content.

“Cord-cutting is often regarded as a consequence of expanding OTT consumption, but the market dynamics are more complex, particularly when one considers how the pay-TV industry has embraced OTT as a complement and value-additive, rather than strict competition. Over time, we expect the traditional pay-TV offer to continue to evolve and become indistinguishable from a pure OTT package of services,” said Michael Inouye, Principal Analyst at ABI Research.

“Increasingly, we’re seeing more solutions and conversations about bringing content and services together. This includes pay-TV and OTT bundles and extends to cross-platform advertising, analytics, and customer/service management. Ultimately it makes the market more accessible to a wider range of companies and expands the potential video touchpoints, particularly as new technologies like 5G, smart home, and Augmented/Virtual Reality play larger roles.”

Subscription services give customers a convenient way to receive products they like without having to make individual purchases and transactions. They can simply sign up for a service, enter their payment and delivery information, then sit back and receive regular deliveries.

Sometimes customers need to update their billing or delivery information or want to change their subscription plans. Calling customer service can be a hassle, especially if members have to wait on hold. In today’s hectic world, many people simply don’t have the time or patience for that. They want to be able to make changes quickly on their own.

How Subscription DNA’s Secure Subscriber Portal Works

Subscription DNA offers a Secure Subscriber Portal that lets members manage their own accounts so they can make changes to the subscriptions they have chosen and update their payment methods and other information. Users can also view their transaction histories if they have questions about past orders.

If you have more advanced needs, we offer a web services API that you can use to develop your own solution. You will also be able to push and pull subscription data into your application as necessary. Our PHP Sample code can make it easy for you to quickly create a functional working model.

How Our Secure Subscriber Portal Can Benefit Your Business

In addition to providing convenience for members, our Secure Subscriber Portal can keep your company’s costs down. Instead of employing a large, full-time customer service staff, you will be able to have a leaner team and encourage members to resolve issues themselves online.

The money you save on salaries and benefits can be used to grow your business. The savings can also be passed on to members in the form of competitive prices. Customers who can get a bargain from your subscription service will be likely to choose it over others, which will help you grow your market share and improve your bottom line.

Make Things Easy for You and Your Customers

Consumers value convenience, and that is particularly true of customers who sign up for subscription services. They enjoy the ability to receive products they enjoy on a regular basis, without having to invest a lot of time making decisions and completing transactions.

Subscription DNA makes it simple for businesses to manage subscriptions by automating recurring payments. With our Secure Subscriber Portal, members can view and update their information easily at any time. That can create a positive experience for customers while keeping your company’s costs under control. Contact Subscription DNA today to learn more.

Many businesses allow customers to sign up for subscriptions and to have their credit or debit cards automatically billed each month. Consumers often appreciate the convenience and simplicity of these programs, but problems can arise if companies don’t clearly disclose the terms upfront or fail to explain how customers can cancel their subscriptions.

How Some Companies Have Exploited Consumers

While most businesses that use a recurring billing model operate ethically, some have taken advantage of consumers. In some cases, companies didn’t clearly explain the terms of their billing agreements or it made it difficult for consumers to opt-out or cancel memberships. In other instances, businesses offered customers a free or low-cost trial to give them an opportunity to try the company’s product or service before committing to a membership, but then the companies automatically billed customers when the trial memberships ended without explaining that to customers when they signed up.

Legal Changes to Protect Consumers

Those sorts of practices prompted class action lawsuits and changes to both federal and state laws to help customers make informed decisions and avoid being confused, deceived, and exploited. The Federal Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act (ROSCA) prohibits businesses from making recurring charges simply because a customer didn’t opt out; a customer must explicitly opt-in. The terms of an agreement must be explained before a customer provides billing information, and a customer must be told how to cancel recurring charges.

Several states have passed their own laws that clearly explain what information about subscriptions must be disclosed to consumers, as well as when and how it must be disclosed. During the membership sign-up process, a business must prominently and conspicuously display a notice that explains the terms of the agreement in a way that is easy to understand. Some state laws require companies to make it easy for consumers to cancel trial memberships, while others require consumers to opt-in after a free trial ends before a company can bill a credit or debit card.

Get Professional Help Running a Subscription Service

Subscription billing is convenient for both businesses and consumers, but unfortunately, some companies have used unscrupulous practices to take advantage of customers, which led to a series of laws designed to protect consumers. If you want to use subscription billing, it’s important to understand and follow all applicable laws. Subscription DNA stays on top of legal changes and can help your company process automatic payments and comply with state and federal rules. Contact us today to learn more.